AI hydras and SPS

[AdamSabina]

I'm having a really hard time deciding on lighting for my new 8' x 2' x 2' tank. At the extreme upper end of my budget it the hydras. I plan on a mixed reef with some SPS (lots of montis, some acros, birdsnest). The problem is I have not see a lot of evidence available to show hydras can grow or even keep SPS.

Is there any SPS tanks that have tried the hydra? I so how long has it been on the tank? What types of SPS? What size tank? How high off the water are they? Any disco ball effect?

 

[natas]

I have two Hydra 52's over my 120G. All my sps's are frags now, but I am getting good growth and color. There is a thread in this forum on SPS success with LED's.

Right now I have my lights starting off at 7K color and progressing to 18k (7k, 10k, 12k, 14k and 18) color over 10 hours (50% max). At night I have RB at 1% for 5 hours.

 

[kevin_e]

Several tanks in my area are growing wonderful Acropora , Montipora etc. colonies under Chinese fixtures. That doesn't directly answer your question, but it does allow one to make an assumption.

 

[AdamSabina]

Several tanks in my area are growing wonderful Acropora , Montipora etc. colonies under Chinese fixtures. That doesn't directly answer your question, but it does allow one to make an assumption.

Lots of times in stores their turn over rate is high enough that you can't know if it will change colors, or stop growing. I have a store close to me that sells Chinese LEDs and has a great selection. I assumed since they have the entire store under LEDs that they were working so I bought 2 fixtures for my 150gallon... My montipora cap. Grows but only most acros turn brown, RTN, or STN. My water quality is possibly too clean but that another thread.

Owning the Chinese LEDs for a year is the reason I'm either going to full spectrum LED or T5. The Chinese LEDs are great my LPS and softies look good! But not for SPS in my opinion.

 

[AdamSabina]

I have two Hydra 52's over my 120G. All my sps's are frags now, but I am getting good growth and color. There is a thread in this forum on SPS success with LED's. Right now I have my lights starting off at 7K color and progressing to 18k (7k, 10k, 12k, 14k and 18) color over 10 hours (50% max). At night I have RB at 1% for 5 hours.

Sound nice! You have any video or photos? How long has it been over your tank?

 

[kevin_e]

Lots of times in stores their turn over rate is high enough that you can't know if it will change colors, or stop growing. I have a store close to me that sells Chinese LEDs and has a great selection. I assumed since they have the entire store under LEDs that they were working so I bought 2 fixtures for my 150gallon... My montipora cap. Grows but only most acros turn brown, RTN, or STN. My water quality is possibly too clean but that another thread.

Owning the Chinese LEDs for a year is the reason I'm either going to full spectrum LED or T5. The Chinese LEDs are great my LPS and softies look good! But not for SPS in my opinion.

I am speaking of local reef keepers in our local club.

 

[natas]

Sound nice! You have any video or photos? How long has it been over your tank?

No video or pics, sorry. I have had them since they came out...so only a few months. However, I know a few people who have the normal hydra's for a few years with 0 issues growing sps.

The important thing with these lights in my opinion is acclimating the corals to them properly and don't jack them up 100% unless you really need that much light. I noticed that if I go higher then 60% on mine my corals don't look as happy. But mine are 8 inches above the water so they are very bright. The hydra 52's are very strong. I would say right now with my two hydra's at 50% power they are close to the same intensity as 400W MH.

 

[AdamSabina]

I am speaking of local reef keepers in our local club.

I totally misread sorry. My experience with Chinese LEDs is likely tainted due to over clean water because of biopellets. I may try my Chinese lights over my frag tank but not my display again.

 

[lynchmob3000]

i have an 90 sps dominant tank under maxspect 120 razors with no problems. im sure the hydras work when it gets down to it they all have the same leds in different arrangements.

 

[AdamSabina]

No video or pics, sorry. I have had them since they came out...so only a few months. However, I know a few people who have the normal hydra's for a few years with 0 issues growing sps. The important thing with these lights in my opinion is acclimating the corals to them properly and don't jack them up 100% unless you really need that much light. I noticed that if I go higher then 60% on mine my corals don't look as happy. But mine are 8 inches above the water so they are very bright. The hydra 52's are very strong. I would say right now with my two hydra's at 50% power they are close to the same intensity as 400W MH.

Do you have a build tread?

 

[Decadence]

Sols and hydra52s over my 90

I got decent growth with Chinese LEDs before going to the Hydra52s but it was nothing in comparison to quality fixtures. I added the sols later to get better spread, more blue and the moon lights since hydra52s dimmed down to 1% on any channel are still bright.

 

[AdamSabina]

Sols and hydra52s over my 90 I got decent growth with Chinese LEDs before going to the Hydra52s but it was nothing in comparison to quality fixtures. I added the sols later to get better spread, more blue and the moon lights since hydra52s dimmed down to 1% on any channel are still bright.

Wow great looking tank! How long have you had the lights over it? What would you say the biggest DISadvantage is; any disco ball effect? Too bright? Shadowing? I'm trying to plan for the worst case scenario before the big investment.

Playing my own devils advocate. Appreciate all your response everyone.

 

[milsaltnewbie07]

I have two Hydra 52's over my 120G. All my sps's are frags now, but I am getting good growth and color. There is a thread in this forum on SPS success with LED's.

Right now I have my lights starting off at 7K color and progressing to 18k (7k, 10k, 12k, 14k and 18) color over 10 hours (50% max). At night I have RB at 1% for 5 hours.

How are you going through all these K setting. Are u guessing them by what it looks like or do you have a setting for it. Because I have the hydras with the controller and I have never seen a setting for this.

 

[natas]

I use apex controller with the awm module. I am also one of the lucky people who get to beta test Fusion. Fusion makes it really easy to choose the color you want to run at.

 

[Flexin5]

I have sols and a hydra over my tank, the hydra being in the middle. they have been growing my sps great, and i was having trouble with the color. based off of what i've been reading on the net, i thought it was the lights when infact it was the water quality. since that's been fixed i've been getting fantastic color with these lights. i'll take some new pics soon.

 

[Twostepper4041]

Dis like the hydras, dumped them, got 1 radion pro, with wide tir lenses. Perfect.... I mean perfect

 

[AdamSabina]

I use apex controller with the awm module. I am also one of the lucky people who get to beta test Fusion. Fusion makes it really easy to choose the color you want to run at.

That's the big selling point for the fusion for me. I will absolutely be getting an Apex. My reef keeper did fine but the apex platform is simply more powerful.

 

[AdamSabina]

Dis like the hydras, dumped them, got 1 radion pro, with wide tir lenses. Perfect.... I mean perfect

What didn't you like? I always consider negative reviews more important than positive review. The point out the short comings you don't know about.

 

[AdamSabina]

I have sols and a hydra over my tank, the hydra being in the middle. they have been growing my sps great, and i was having trouble with the color. based off of what i've been reading on the net, i thought it was the lights when infact it was the water quality. since that's been fixed i've been getting fantastic color with these lights. i'll take some new pics soon.

Time to show it off. I'm really interested in the look.

 

[AdamSabina]

Have one question still unanswered. Is there a disco ball effect? If so is it mild or extreme?