AI Hydra Settings Thread

[amcvay1979]

I'm running 2 Hydra 26HDs and love them. I was having some issues with coloration and I read through the EcotechMarine article about their LEDs and recommended settings based on their research in an aquaculture facility. I did the calculations based on converting the Radion LED settings to the Hydra and have been running the AB+ copy for about 3 weeks and I'm starting to see some great coloration from a few corals that never had any color since putting them in my tank. Below are the settings I'm running.

11:30 - 9:30 (1.5 hour ramp time)

UV 118%
V 118%
RY 100%
B 100%
G 36%
DR 36%
CW 24%

I've run something similar and always felt the whites were too low. AI has advised a 20k color on their fixture is roughly 2:1 blues:whites. The above setting is very blue and lacks the whiter shades of full noon day sun IMHO. Not to say it won't work, but I prefer to bump the whites up a bit more to 45%

 

[Reeefer]

What's everyone "blues" combo at night that really makes everything pop?

 

[jcs11236]

Just received my 52 HD. Definitely a major upgrade from the original hydras. The colors are completely different. More like a MH. I'm currently running half the % of my original hydras and the intensity seems way brighter.

 

[dustinc]

So can we see some pictures and what colors are you seeing come out of what corals?

If I had better picture taking skills I would definitely show you, but I don't. It's definitely noticeable though and my wife has brought it up to me a few times.

I've run something similar and always felt the whites were too low. AI has advised a 20k color on their fixture is roughly 2:1 blues:whites. The above setting is very blue and lacks the whiter shades of full noon day sun IMHO. Not to say it won't work, but I prefer to bump the whites up a bit more to 45%

I really don't think it is all that blue. There is definitely not that yellow/white look you can get with the fixture, but I would say it is about a 20k similar to an aquablue/blue+ combo of T5 lighting which is what I was going for.

 

[jcs11236]

I'm running 2 Hydra 26HDs and love them. I was having some issues with coloration and I read through the EcotechMarine article about their LEDs and recommended settings based on their research in an aquaculture facility. I did the calculations based on converting the Radion LED settings to the Hydra and have been running the AB+ copy for about 3 weeks and I'm starting to see some great coloration from a few corals that never had any color since putting them in my tank. Below are the settings I'm running.

11:30 - 9:30 (1.5 hour ramp time)

UV 118%
V 118%
RY 100%
B 100%
G 36%
DR 36%
CW 24%

How high are hydras hanging from water level? How deep is tank?
Thanks

 

[dustinc]

How high are hydras hanging from water level? How deep is tank?
Thanks

The lights are about 12" from the water surface and the tank is 22" tall.

 

[degibson84]

I know this is for ai hydra but i have a prime and am wondering if anyone can show me their sliders that will put out about 14k

 

[Jewilson83]

AI Hydra Settings Thread

I know this is for ai hydra but i have a prime and am wondering if anyone can show me their sliders that will put out about 14k

14k

16k

18k

 

[tom1984]

Hello Hydra 52 expert users! How many Hydra 52 HD fixtures would you use for a 4ft tank 20" tall and 20" deep? Would 2 be sufficient?

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[amcvay1979]

Hello Hydra 52 expert users! How many Hydra 52 HD fixtures would you use for a 4ft tank 20" tall and 20" deep? Would 2 be sufficient?

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I have 2 non HD 52's over my 150 tall, 4 feet wide, 30 tall and 24 deep and they do just fine. I'm sure the HD's will do even better. And mine are mounted 12 inches above water surface.

 

[Philj]

Hello Hydra 52 expert users! How many Hydra 52 HD fixtures would you use for a 4ft tank 20" tall and 20" deep? Would 2 be sufficient?

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I had 2 hydra 52's and now 2 HD's over my 90g and I grow the hell out of anything

 

[tom1984]

I had 2 hydra 52's and now 2 HD's over my 90g and I grow the hell out of anything

Thanks. Some people say the Hydra has a very pointy (cone like) lighting. Do you think that ist true?

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[amcvay1979]

Thanks. Some people say the Hydra has a very pointy (cone like) lighting. Do you think that it true?

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I could see that, that's why people say LED's have too much shading,disco ball effect, and there's no argument that there is shading. Basically if you want to rid yourself of shading and any cone shaped lighting, double what the manufacturer recommends for number of fixtures and run all fixtures at lower power and you'll be blown away.

For me, that would mean 1 fixture every 1 foot of tank width, which is very expensive, but the lighting will be insane and very even.

Or you could supplement with some T5 bulbs and run a hybrid LED/T5 system and that seems to be a very nice sweet spot for both coloration and growth. In fact, that's what I'll be doing when I upgrade. T5's have come so far and they're proven to be great for corals, and then the control of LED's are awesome so the hybrid approach is very appealing, and still saves cost over doubling the recommended LED fixture route.

 

[Philj]

Thanks. Some people say the Hydra has a very pointy (cone like) lighting. Do you think that ist true?

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I haven't noticed it at all on my tank. Mine are hung from the ceiling length wise and with 4 pucks per fixture I have no shading anywhere. If they were hung the opposite way I could see that being a problem. No disco ball effect at all on my set up. I guess it's all personal preference really, I've had t5, kessil, knockoffs and the hydras and I'm more than satisfied with these, especially the HD's.

 

[tom1984]

Those are very nice tips and info. At the moment i am not able to choose between the hydra 52 HD and the Giesemann Vervve. Hard to decide.

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[2wheelsonly]

I have a 96x30x24 tank and am running 8 hydra 52's. They are mounted 12 inches off water.

Currently I have them 75% blues, 55% UV, 75% V, 15% r/g and 30% white.

My corals are sooooo dull I can't seem to dial them in; my stylo's turned white.

 

[Reeftub]

I have a 96x30x24 tank and am running 8 hydra 52's. They are mounted 12 inches off water.



Currently I have them 75% blues, 55% UV, 75% V, 15% r/g and 30% white.



My corals are sooooo dull I can't seem to dial them in; my stylo's turned white.

How deep is your tank? I have 6 above my 190g 60x27x27 and i used to run the lights at 50% at a 12k but dropped my % to 35 and a lot of color has come back as they were pretty dull. I have my lights 10" off water

 

[KMS.Kyle]

Hey everyone!

So I mounted Two Hydra 26HDs directly into my Red Sea Max 250's T5 Chamber - Which ends up putting them DIRECTLY above the water.

I have two questions -
A: Because it's directly above the water - Should I be lowering my settings?
Current -
RB/B/V = 60%
White = 45%
Red/Green = 15%
UV = 45%

and

B: Do I lose much of the light going through the plastic cover of the Red Sea?

Here are some pictures of the mounting + the tank.

Thank you for any tips or suggestions!
NOTE: The microbubbles were from the adhesive I used an hour earlier - you don't normally see the spread from the top of the water like that

The lid - A proud feat of creativity and engineering on my part (Super easy to do!)

With all that said - My corals seem to love the lights so far and my anemone has been growing rapidly!

 

[nickandcrystal]

Me and my wife have purchased a Hydra 26 model and am having a hard time finding out a good base line for the different lights. We have a 20 gallon reef tank with the following dimensions 24"x 16" x 12" that we are stocking soft corals for right now with the chance of hard corals in the future. We are knew to the hobby and have struggled to find any answers on the internet. It seems like even if you do the very next page will tell you the complete opposite. Any info you have would be great.

 

[KMS.Kyle]

Me and my wife have purchased a Hydra 26 model and am having a hard time finding out a good base line for the different lights. We have a 20 gallon reef tank with the following dimensions 24"x 16" x 12" that we are stocking soft corals for right now with the chance of hard corals in the future. We are knew to the hobby and have struggled to find any answers on the internet. It seems like even if you do the very next page will tell you the complete opposite. Any info you have would be great.

Nick I'd love to help you guys with whatever I can if you want to toss me a message privately.