AI Hydra Settings Thread

[jcs11236]

I believe these lights are good. Love the colors and the functions. Especially the sunrise/sunset. But a few weeks after installing lights my rbta moved. It hasn't moved since over a year that I got it. It moved up to the top. So I'm assuming it wasn't getting enough light where it was. I know I can raise the whites higher to get higher par but I don't like the look. Looks ugly to me. Washes out the colors
Other than the rbta moving. All my corals including the rbta have colored up nicely since the hydra. All my corals were bleached from the old stock non dimmable jbj leds.

[joeman1881]

Originally Posted by jcs11236

Here is a pic of my tank so you can see the coral location and par

That Ricordea looks sick! Thats a lot of mouths, do you spot feed?

Side note, just confirmed with AI the Hydra 52 upgrade kit will be available for Sols, Vegas, and Hydras. Also confirmed that the hydras and 52s are still modular, so can be upgraded later (I think someone mentioned they weren't). The downside is the 52's upgrade kit won't be available until after the first of the year according to the rep I spoke to. I think it will be worth the wait for me. Guess I will start saving.

[jcs11236]

Thanks.
Nope I never feed them. They just grow like crazy. Lol

Thanks for the info on the 52 upgrades. I also read that the hydra was not upgradable. Good to know they are

[Stickboy97]

Seems the Hydra is pretty strong, why would you need the 52? Depth maybe?

I've been reading a ton on the Hydras since Apex announced they will be able to control them. I was leaning heavily toward the new dimmable onyx but may be headed to the hydra.

[Sonicboom]

Originally Posted by jcs11236

Wanted to see what readings the AI hydra is putting out on my set up. I have it 11" above water line. My tank is 18X18X18..It is pushing 450 right above the water line. On the sand bed it is 110 center. And around the middle it is 180 center. Now if you move to the sides it drops. Especially in the corners. I was getting readings of 50 in the back right corner of sand bed.
These were taken at my current levels
White 23%
Royals/deepblue/uv/violets 75%
Red 6%
Green 19%

The par above my rbta is 180
The par above my gold torch on the sandbed is 110
Par over orange hammer is 180
Par over frog is 150
Par over Duncan /middle frog 180
Par over rics 120
Par over green hammer 110
Par over metor 80
Par over soul favia 50
Par over nephthea 80

That's great info, mine should be significantly higher since my lights are only 7" from the water and my rock work brings most of my corals up About 10 inches from the water surface.

[joeman1881]

Originally Posted by Stickboy97

Seems the Hydra is pretty strong, why would you need the 52? Depth maybe?

I've been reading a ton on the Hydras since Apex announced they will be able to control them. I was leaning heavily toward the new dimmable onyx but may be headed to the hydra.

Why would we 'need' anything, my sols really work fine aside from the spread across my tank. I'm just thinking, if I am going to get the Hydra upgrade, I may as well save up a little more (I'm assuming the upgrade kit will be more), and get the 52's with more than double the amount of LED's. Still the same lense spread it seems. Then I won't be running my units anywhere near 90% like I do now. I pulled the specs from there site just for comparison between hydra and hydra 52:

Hydra:
4 - Cree XT-E Cool White (> 70 CRI)
2 - OSRAM OSLON Deep Red
2 - Cree XP-E Green
4 - Cree XT-E Royal Blue
4 - OSRAM OSLON Very Deep Blue
2 - SemiLED 415nm Violet
2 - Edison Opto 400nm UV

Hydra 52:
16 - Cree XT-E Cool White (> 70 CRI)
4 - OSRAM OSLON Deep Red
4 - XP-E Green
12 - Cree XT-E Royal Blue
8 - OSRAM OSLON Very Deep Blue
4 - SemiLED 415nm Violet
4 - Edison Opto 400nm UV

[jbraslins]

Originally Posted by joeman1881

I have 2 sol's, and I am very tempted to buy 2 hydras instead of doing the upgrade kit on my current units....Would it be worth it? I have a 90 gal display, and the 2 sols give plenty of light for my coral, but it's a little uneven...

Upgrade kit is easy. If you want Hydra, go upgrade kit route. But i'd wait for Hydra Fifty Two and get that, or 52 upgrade kit if that will exist.

[A frag fam]

Originally Posted by Sonicboom

Nice, any update on the lights? how are the settings working for you?

Hi there. My settings are identical to yours- however I have them on 20% acclimation. It seems to be working out for right now. I started to bleach an encrusting superman chalice but I don't think it's the lights. All my other chalices are doing great. I might raise them a little higher than what they are now. I have them on a 24x24x24 deep blue cube.

Thanks for asking I'll attach a picture before I put anything in it.

[Stickboy97]

Originally Posted by joeman1881

Why would we 'need' anything, my sols really work fine aside from the spread across my tank. I'm just thinking, if I am going to get the Hydra upgrade, I may as well save up a little more (I'm assuming the upgrade kit will be more), and get the 52's with more than double the amount of LED's. Still the same lense spread it seems. Then I won't be running my units anywhere near 90% like I do now. I pulled the specs from there site just for comparison between hydra and hydra 52:

It just seems that when I see someone who has a Hydra, they have it dialed down because it is too strong. So why would you want more LED's and more power?

[Tank2379]

So are the Hydra alone wireless? Would 1 controller work for 2?

[gregrocks79]

Correct. The hydra is wireless and you can control many w 1 controller. But the controller has to be plugged in to work

[Tank2379]

Originally Posted by gregrocks79

Correct. The hydra is wireless and you can control many w 1 controller. But the controller has to be plugged in to work

Perfect I was confused with the wireless adapters

[gregrocks79]

Originally Posted by Tank2379

Perfect I was confused with the wireless adapters

That's for the non wireless like the sol

[A frag fam]

Originally Posted by Tank2379

So are the Hydra alone wireless? Would 1 controller work for 2?

Hi yes you can have up to 8 lights in one control with one set of parameters. Check out the website my.aquaillumination.com

[Sonicboom]

I thought it was like 30 lights but none the less the lights are wireless. I have a new controller for sale if anyone is interested.

[A frag fam]

Originally Posted by Sonicboom

I thought it was like 30 lights but none the less the lights are wireless. I have a new controller for sale if anyone is interested.

Could be right. Sonic - when I set mine up I believe the little map only allowed 8. But you can have I more than one setup - I guess. Any reason why you are Getting rid if the controller?

[Sonicboom]

I have both the new controller and the director, I don't need the controller anymore.

[reef bloke]

The Sol will be upgrade able to the Hydra 52? Not doubting that the member above has been told it will but can't see how, why?
Heatsink=different
PCB=different
Plastics=different
Pucks=different
Optics=different
Power supply= different

Heck there's nothing left!!!

[liquidfunk]

Ya they told me 30 lights with either the director or the controller.

[das75]

Replaced my 2x250W MH and 2x54W T5s with a couple of Hydras about 7" above the water. Running all LEDs 80% for 7 hours and going to see if I get use the the purple look of the tank. Off peak times just the UV and Violet at 20%. Not really worried about acclimatizing since tank is full of mushrooms that need to go anyways.

[Sonicboom]

Mushrooms will probably be toast, you need deep blue set to minimum 10% if you want the lunar cycle to work.

[kmu]

Just ordered 4 Hydras for my current build, the tank is 72x36x36...

Lets see how it goes!!!

[LazRodriguez]

You'll be very happy with them. What are you upgrading from?

[gregrocks79]

Here's my 60g w two hydras. Running all at 100% minus red n green which are at 50

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1385483789.536490.jpg

[McGee10]

Originally Posted by gregrocks79

Here's my 60g w two hydras. Running all at 100% minus red n green which are at 50

Attachment 254001

Gregrocks, Tank looks Great! How deep is your sand bed?