AI Hydra 26 settings

[Sonicboom]

So I have been running standard hydras since pre-order and will be receiving a new hydra 26 to compare and play with. I have been sharing my experiences and settings with fellow hydra users on the hydra settings thread, so in order to keep things organized and easier to find info, I figured I would start a fresh thread. UPS should be here in the next few hours, I'll do a little unpacking with some photos and then mounting and associating with director. Then the fun begins.! Please share your settings along with size of tank and mounting height from water surface.

 

[Sonicboom]

Called my ups driver and met him to pick up the new light. I will say good things do come in small packages.

Nicely packaged and I appreciate a tight fitting box to reduce waste. Light on top and power supply under neath with a new set of shorter stove bolts since the heat sink is shorter than the pre-order lights.

It's just as sexy as the hydra, just bite size lighter yet packing a bigger punch.

Mounted between two standard hydra, the good thing is as long as you have the 16" rail it fits right in.

 

[Sonicboom]

It discovered easily and joined my current settings. Now to see the difference 6 more leds make.

 

[Sonicboom]

So after letting my eyes adjust to the colors I will say the extra 4 whites make the 26 slightly whiter than the hydra.

Current settings are
CW and UV 30%
Violet 70%
DB 5-100%
RD 100%
Red and green 5%

3 hr ramp time with only location timers
Clouds 20%prob/10% int

 

[Newbie Aquarist]

So after letting my eyes adjust to the colors I will say the extra 4 whites make the 26 slightly whiter than the hydra.

Current settings are
CW and UV 30%
Violet 70%
DB 5-100%
RD 100%
Red and green 5%

3 hr ramp time with only location timers
Clouds 20%prob/10% int

rD @ 100%?

 

[Sonicboom]

rD @ 100%?

Oops, darn spell check. That should be royal blue 100

 

[Newbie Aquarist]

Oops, darn spell check. That should be royal blue 100

I see the iPhone 6 in your near reefing future.

 

[Sonicboom]

You funny, I would never own an iPhone..lol

 

[Sonicboom]

I am still at the same 6.5" AWL

 

[Newbie Aquarist]

If you were to set the light at 12" AWL, would the settings be the same or higher especially for the whites and UVs?

 

[Sonicboom]

@ 12" I would suggest about 5-6% higher depending on how close your corals are AWL. Also depending on the corals some can slowly crank past 50-60% if they like a whiter tank. My preference is a bluer tank.

 

[liquidfunk]

How is the brightness compared to the Hydra?

 

[Sonicboom]

There are 8 whites vs. 4 on the regular hydra so it is brighter. Once I discovered it and synced it, I could see a slight difference reflecting off the sand bed.

 

[Sonicboom]

If you were to set the light at 12" AWL, would the settings be the same or higher especially for the whites and UVs?

If you're gonna be home tomorrow I can bring the regular Hydra so you can get an idea.

 

[Newbie Aquarist]

I will be home. What time works for you.

 

[Sonicboom]

Wife has doctors appointments so I am not sure yet but I will be home if you want to come pick it up earlier.

 

[Sonicboom]

I really like the extra blue on lunar settings, but gonna need some black tape over the green led on the back.. looks like the led for power was changed from white to green.

 

[AudiSportB5S4]

What do you run at night? I'm running RB at 1% and UV at 2% I believe. I have to post up the rest of my settings still on my 60 cube, I just have been real busy.

I called AI when I was teetering on the Hydra52 v 26, and the guy said they actually had an employee there who for 4 months has been running the exact tank as me, 24x24x24 with a single Hydra 26 and it was plenty so I'm happy I stuck with it. He said to have it 8" AWL which is what I did. So far my corals seem to be not bothered by the new light. I have it on coral acclimation mode with 50% reduction for the next month.

 

[Sonicboom]

I run my DB at 5% and I let the lunar mode take care of adjusting it up or down. I have my lights at 6.5 inches because if I go any higher I have a coral on the overflow that will encrusted up toward the light and block it...lol

 

[Newbie Aquarist]

I run my DB at 5% and I let the lunar mode take care of adjusting it up or down. I have my lights at 6.5 inches because if I go any higher I have a coral on the overflow that will encrusted up toward the light and block it...lol

I think you mean block the overflow feet and not the light.