AI SOL LED for 270 SPS

[brad]

I always wanted a tank with the more colorful Acropora, but would much rather have a larger tank, which previously meant lower lighting due to cost, heat and maintenance. I recently bought an AI Sol, and despite a very negative first impression (I broke the fixture using the cord they sent me, which was the wrong cord), I am considering using it as my only lighting, hoping it will make my SPS dreams a reality.

I have a 270 gallon tank, being 48" x 48" x 30". I really like this configuration, it is much more efficient to light than a long thin tank. Right now, I have 2 400 watt MH, and some supplementary light just for looks that probably doesn't add much PAR.

I do have an Apogee Par Meter, so I know what PAR is best, I can keep adding modules until I hit it. But I would rather plan on how many modules I would need from the get go, so I can do a better job mounting them in the canopy. I will keep adding modules until I am happy with my PAR level, and then start swapping out MH modules for more AI.

So what PAR should I shoot for as being best for the most colorful Acropora? And how many AI SOL modules do you think I need?

 

[Ostentum]

You are going to get alot of varying opinions here. But this is what I have seen in my experience. The only LED tanks that I have seen that have compareable colors in acros to Metal Halide VHO combo are custom made LED systems that include, UV, red, green, cyan LEDS in addition to the blue and white. one on my good friends is running the AI modules and his pinks and yellows look great. Purples look like doo doo and the blues get washed out also. Just my opinion and what I have seen. I wouldnt trade my MH/VHO for anything that is currently available, yeah they run a little hot but nothing some fans cant take care of.

 

[tang daddy]

Ideal Par to get colourful sps really depends on the type of sps you are keeping, for instance pink stylo prefer alot of light to get that intense pink. For the most part I think and most would agree that between 300-600 par and you should be able to get those colours you are looking for. As for AI sols I cant really comment because I have never owned one, your tank is deeper aswell at 30" tall and I would be cautious about making the change unless you only plan to keep sps in the top half.

I am in the process of building a DIY led fixture for my 75g sps tank because of the prices of the other built units they have. But I've done a fair share of reading and for most larger and deeper tanks guys are using tighter beams of lenses to focus the led light and make them penetrate their deep tanks, unfortunately by doing this it doesnt help with the spread so inturn they have to add more leds. Do the AI sols come with stronger lenses like 40degree so you can get the penetration to keep corals on the sand bed?

 

[brad]

Short term, I will keep the MH. I may keep one or both long term, and have no objection to adding custom lighting to balance everything out (I will probably need to anyway - SOL AI unit is too blue IMO). I am definitely not going to just buy 10 AI units and add them all at once (above my budget, will burn my corals, etc).

What I am interested in knowing is how much is too much? This will allow me to plan how to mount the fixtures.

I know I will get a lot of opinions, that is what I want.

 

[GSMguy]

9 should work, 3 rows of 3.

How much is too much is too subjective a question.

To get the spread you need you need lots of modules, it's likely though that you will not need to run them at 100% because they are not really good at spreading the light into a more useable intensity.

 

[brad]

These are 5.375" x 11.875", so any square arrangement like 3x3 doesn't make much sense with a square tank. I don't see any point running them less than 100% to get greater spread, I can always raise them higher or put them further apart. AI recommended 8 or 6 for my tank.

If I did 6, I would do 2 x 3.

I will probably go with 8, which is either 2 x 4 or 3 x 4 without the corners.

I don't need or want a perfectly even spread, and don't understand why people go to so much trouble to do that. Some corals need more light than others, and human eyes are much less sensitive than PAR meters.

 

[brad]

These are frequently compared to 250 watt MH. Does anyone know if that is correct, or which gives better growth.

 

[wfournier]

These are frequently compared to 250 watt MH. Does anyone know if that is correct, or which gives better growth.

It's hard to make a direct comparison as LEDs with optics behave differently than halides. I think you would be better off comparing PAR numbers over an area than say X = Y etc. A 250w halide might produce similar PAR to one AI module in some configuration but I can guarantee that the spread will be different. Part of the beauty of LEDs and optics is that you can put the light right where you want it. However this also means that you have to watch your coverage to make sure it is wide enough. With halide you could be pretty sure that you are going to get decent coverage front to back on a 24" deep tank. with something like an AI module depending on how it's hung that may be an issue.

 

[h20player101]

I have the Marineland 300g deep tank and run 9 of the AI Blue Sols with SPS all the way down the water column (species accordingly!). I used peg board mounted on rails to adjust exactly where I want the light to shine, you can shift the AI's to anywhere you need over the tank. You get a decent enough spread from the AI's to light up the sand without it directly over it (I got cyano). Also, bushy acros with thick branches can be rather annoying to get light all the way in because of the optics on the AI's and the angle of the branches. I am not, but you may want to change the optics for a wider spread and keep it closer to the waterline.

Growth is decent, colors are amazing, but I would agree with the need for reds & UV.