AI Hydra Settings Thread

[MellowReefer]

So here is my question: am I alright running these light settings for such a long period of time, pretty much all day, or will I fry my corals? I see in the Aqua Illumations videos that I can set up light timer's in the Easy Set up function of the controller, should I be learning to use this function to give my corals a break from the light setting I have programmed into my Hydra Controller? If the answer is yes, I need to learn how to use and set up these timers, can ya'll give me a quick lesson on how these timers work and what I am wanting to do with them?

It's easy to set up the manual timer setup once you get used to it. I'm not that technical and I got the hang of it Set up your first timer to be just blue lights (maybe 40%, I know my fish are moving at that amount of light) and maybe 2% white lights and 8% violet. So your corals won't get fried with mostly just blue light. Then you set your second timer for later in the afternoon whenever you want the white lights to come on (if you want them to be full light at 2pm for example you could set the timer at 1pm with a 1 hour ramp time.)

http://support.aquaillumination.com/entries/20213577-AI-Controller-Programming-FAQs

 

[McGee10]

new Director - Update

Version 2.0.32-r0

 

[hkgar]

Why so many differring results?

Why so many differring results?

I think it has more to do with par then anything else. Of course par is influenced by the varying intensities of each color led and the overall intensity of the lamp.

Some result from my PAR meter. Lights are 10.5 inches AWL, DB 100, RB 100, V 65 UV 25 CW 40. Over all intensity is 84%

Par Below dead center of LED
at water line 1050
2 inches below 730
4 inches 650
6 inches 530
8 inches 440
10 inches 245
2 inches off the edge of the lamp (lengthwise) at 8 inches 175
2 inches off the edge width wise at 8 inches 230

 

[john90009]

this may be a dumb question but i know how to set the strength with the percents but is there somewhere hidden that controls intensity or did you just average your numbers to get an overall intensity?

 

[john90009]

Also has anyone else noticed that zoas morph or dont fully open and the colors kinda mix under them? if no one else has this happen then there must be something else factoring in on my tank.

 

[Gagonzalez]

How does the clouds probability and intensity settings work?

Probability = how likely to go on? (ie. 20% means approx 2 out of 10 times?)

Intensity = how intense the clouds are? (ie. 10% means the lighting is reduced 90% of it's intensity?)

Am I correct above or am I thinking of it incorrectly?

Thanks

 

[Sonicboom]

How does the clouds probability and intensity settings work?

Probability = how likely to go on? (ie. 20% means approx 2 out of 10 times?)

Intensity = how intense the clouds are? (ie. 10% means the lighting is reduced 90% of it's intensity?)

Am I correct above or am I thinking of it incorrectly?

Thanks

20% means every 15 min there is a 20% chance a cloud will happen and with 10% reduction the lights will be dimmed by 10%.

 

[Gagonzalez]

I tried the 20% / 10% setting but the clouds happened very often and the light dimmed much more than 10%. I am in my 5th week of acclimation (out of 6 weeks) so maybe that had something to do with it. I will try again once my acclimation period is completed next week and check it then.

Thanks

 

[Sonicboom]

Yes the acclimation mode will override.

 

[TWEEKEDTA]

i tried the 20% / 10% setting but the clouds happened very often and the light dimmed much more than 10%. I am in my 5th week of acclimation (out of 6 weeks) so maybe that had something to do with it. I will try again once my acclimation period is completed next week and check it then.

Thanks

yes mine seemed to always dim to much so iv been running 10% intensity and 4% probability seems to be the sweet spot for me where they seem to happen only a couple times a day.

 

[Rookieofsalt]

Nice thread btw.

I bought the used hydra on RC that came with the controller. I never had LED before. My question is that, does the led unit has to be on for the controller to be functioning and does it has to be at a certain height for the reception of the controller? Because my controller is not doing anything when buttons pressed.

 

[hkgar]

this may be a dumb question but i know how to set the strength with the percents but is there somewhere hidden that controls intensity or did you just average your numbers to get an overall intensity?

I use my Apex to control my Hydra's and it allows me to set the overall intensity of each individual lamp. It is not much different then using the acclimation mode on the Director. The difference is that I can set each light individually for how things are set up under that light.

 

[strout]

I can't express how much I really love these lights (Hydras) after having Sol's over my tank since the tank was set up, the difference in the colors in the tank and the corals, just no comparison. I am enjoying my tank so much more than I ever did with just the Sol's over the tank. That being said,,,, the thing I miss,,,, not having the ability to set up light cycles, as easily as I could with the old controller. I could choose how much light went into the tank, and when, it when into the tank. I know I can do it by setting up light cycles, but its not easy, not sure if I even want to try, to be honest here, I am intimated by the whole thing. Is it just me, why can't the programing of this controller be a lot more user friendly? Is this just the way it is, will I get my wish and we have a update in the future that will get my controller to where I want it. Why should I have to program a cloud into my controller that maybe will appear 20% of the time to give my corals a break from all that light between sun rise and sun set. Why can't I just set up my light cycles the way I could with the old controller, can this not be done, am I asking to much here?

 

[toky916]

Eh my garf was ****ed I messed with the whites and yeah the whites really add tons of par !

 

[AudiSportB5S4]

Didn't think I needed to start a new thread on this but I just got my Hydra 26 and looking for some advice on the settings I should go with for a mixed reef in my 60 gallon cube.

Here's some pics of the 26s.. They cover the tank really well!

 

[Gagonzalez]

I have a Hydra26 over my 28g nano cube. So far everything is doing really well but I am at the tail end of a 6 week acclimation at 50%. Here are my settings:

 

[AudiSportB5S4]

Cool, thanks.. I'm assuming for my 60cube I will be cranking the numbers up a bit higher to get the strong light down far enough in the tank.

 

[Gagonzalez]

Yes. That is what I would do. I would say start with a 30% reduction and a 4 week acclimation. That would be a 1% increase every day. Should be ok.

Just watch your corals. Acans seem to be especially sensitive for some reason. Don't know why. You may have to move/cover them under a ledge if they close up.

Good Luck.

PS - Don't crank up your Red, Green or White too much. Blues can probably go to 100%

 

[bryn.sessums1]

Just set up a 40 breeder. Have a hydra 16" awl. I have the default program running now. Any suggestions on settings for the timers and ramp times? I am new to AI so I don't have a place to refer to.

Still cycling the tank and looking for help. I plan of softies since I am new to coral. Now I have 3 hour ramp, start 5:30 & end 6:30(Florida keys)

 

[AudiSportB5S4]

Yes. That is what I would do. I would say start with a 30% reduction and a 4 week acclimation. That would be a 1% increase every day. Should be ok.

Just watch your corals. Acans seem to be especially sensitive for some reason. Don't know why. You may have to move/cover them under a ledge if they close up.

Good Luck.

PS - Don't crank up your Red, Green or White too much. Blues can probably go to 100%

Cool, thanks for the advice!