pittscoral
New member
I have two AI hydras in a 30x30x24 tank, I don't seem to get to much growth out of my coral. I have had a green slimmer for over a year looks great just no growth, so I'm wondering what people are setting them too?
AI hydra
- Thread starter pittscoral
- Start date
DieselJunkie
New member
What is the flow setup? Personally, id start there.
Tank perimeters?
Tank perimeters?
pittscoral
New member
2 mp 10s and a maxspec gyre
pittscoral
New member
Ph 8.2
Cal 450
Alk 9
Nit 5
Cal 450
Alk 9
Nit 5
ReefCowboy
New member
I have three hydras over a 36"x18x24"(65gal) and could not get growth or color to my liking either. I added two 39wT5 ATI Blue+'s and I have now color and great growth. I run the blues at 88% with the fixtures about 8-10" above water, and when I turn off the t5s and leave the LEDs by themselves, I realize looking at the tank it's just not enough to keep it properly lit.
I love the look LEDs give, but as a single light source, not IMO the best option for growth or color. If you supplement with T5/MH, you can have the best of the systems working together
I love the look LEDs give, but as a single light source, not IMO the best option for growth or color. If you supplement with T5/MH, you can have the best of the systems working together
pittscoral
New member
well ####, so if i do 2 T5 24w with coral plus or do you think i should do 4 of them i know i have room for 2 t5 on each side of the tank. if i do this i should turn down the LEDs a bit too right. My friend was telling me that i would need to do this, but you just hold onto the idea that the LEDs will do everything that they should for the price you pay.
thanks i will try to get some pics up soon
thanks i will try to get some pics up soon
smtank
New member
I'll put up some images at the end of Feb regarding sps growth and LEDs. I have the AI Hydra as well, it's completely new to me as of December.
I am getting excellent growth on my acropora, it's the coloration I am having an issue with.
To say that LEDS will not grow sps is just silliness, there are tons of tank that prove otherwise.
Yes I prefer Metal Halide but I have had enough with the heat and the electric bill. I am not totally on board with LEDs yet, it's a huge learning curve. LEDs will however grow sps just fine.
I am getting excellent growth on my acropora, it's the coloration I am having an issue with.
To say that LEDS will not grow sps is just silliness, there are tons of tank that prove otherwise.
Yes I prefer Metal Halide but I have had enough with the heat and the electric bill. I am not totally on board with LEDs yet, it's a huge learning curve. LEDs will however grow sps just fine.
Dartolution
New member
I agree with the t5 suggestion.
I have 2 t5's and a chinese LED fixture over my 40breeder with excellent results.
I have 2 t5's and a chinese LED fixture over my 40breeder with excellent results.
swhobbie1
New member
I had MH and I don't see where the corals under it had significantly better growth or color than the LEDs I use now. Color and growth is about the same.
Wazzel
New member
Same here. I do have a totally different approach than when I ran MH. They are totally different and need to be operated differently.
pittscoral
New member
What do you set your hydras too? My lights are on from 630am to 815pm with a two hour ramp up and down. It would be nice to get good growth out of the hydras.
pittscoral
New member
Whites 56%
Violet 51%
Red 20%
Green. 36%
Deep blue. 89%
Royal blue. 87%
UV 33%
Violet 51%
Red 20%
Green. 36%
Deep blue. 89%
Royal blue. 87%
UV 33%
I am running 2 AI Hydra above a 90g standard tank and I get excellent group out of the 3 SPS corals I have in there(I had more but a heater malfunction cooked most of them). My Ora Red planet went from being a small frag to being a softball size colony in 1 year(it even survived the heater malfunction. I added a GARF Bonsai 2 weeks again and it is already growing off the plug and onto a surrounding rock. Obviously my tank isn't heavily stocked with SPS but from what I have seen the growth and coloring is great.
Wazzel
New member
You are under powered. Go read some in the hydra setting thread. On my hydra 52 I have the blues at 100%, the whites at 88%. Nothing is set at less that 70%. The retaliation ship between power and par is linear. If you turn everything way down you are not providing the corals as much as you can. If you decide to make changes. Make them slowly, think weeks.
Last edited:
sahin
Ultimate Reefer
I am a MH/T5 person, but run T5/LED. I can without doubt in my mind say that your lights are not at issue. Even a fixture made of ONLY white LEDs WILL grow corals.
I would look at your water/parameters to be at issue.
Setup your lights as follows:
Whites 60%
Violet 80%
Red 30%
Green 25%
Deep blue. 100%
Royal blue. 100%
UV 80%
Acclimate over two weeks though. That's for Peak hours of around 6 hours. Have 1-2 hours of what you like either side of that for viewing pleasure/pop etc.
Make sure you feed the fish 1-2 times a day minimum. Make sure you carry out 10% weekly w/c. Ensure Ca, Alk and Mg are in line (ie test kits are good etc). Check your SG/salinity is correct. Check for pests and that you are not overusing GAC or GFO.
I would look at your water/parameters to be at issue.
Setup your lights as follows:
Whites 60%
Violet 80%
Red 30%
Green 25%
Deep blue. 100%
Royal blue. 100%
UV 80%
Acclimate over two weeks though. That's for Peak hours of around 6 hours. Have 1-2 hours of what you like either side of that for viewing pleasure/pop etc.
Make sure you feed the fish 1-2 times a day minimum. Make sure you carry out 10% weekly w/c. Ensure Ca, Alk and Mg are in line (ie test kits are good etc). Check your SG/salinity is correct. Check for pests and that you are not overusing GAC or GFO.
