Considering 2x AI Prime over 48x24x12" frag tank

[guserto4]

I'm trying to plan out my frag tank build... think 2 AI Primes are enough to cover a 60g? I love that they have all the features of the bigger lights and are $200 a pop, but would 2 suffice? Would these lights even suffice? I understand they are geared more for nanos. I'm going to start this tank off as my DT back into the hobby, so for now it's a 'show' frag tank. I'm going rimless and want that simple modern touch.

 

[oldbones]

One certainly seems to be plenty over a 29... I'm planning to just add another when I move into my 34" 55 that's being built right now.

 

[Wazzel]

Depends on what you want to keep. I suspect for anything but SPS you should be fine. I also suspect they do not cover well past 18", from what I can tell. I run a 52 and a 26. Both do about 18" in the short axis. A prime is just one of the same puck.

 

[guserto4]

Okay good. That's sort of what I was thinking. Probably fine for everything but SPS, and from their PAR charts I saw, maybe a few pieces of SPS dead center could be plausible.

Oldbones, how do you like the prime so far?

 

[oldbones]

The mount was a little cuddly, but once I got that sorted, I love the light. Looks nice over the tank, and the fan is very quiet

I really like the programming flexibility, especially the ability to control every color channel independently over the 24 hour clock. My sunrises are bright with hints of green, and my sunsets are more red & violet. Even the blues change during the "moon" hours.

My goal is more of a mixed reef, so the light hungry SPS will just have to live up top. Im fine with that!

 

[oldbones]

Cuddly, gee thanks auto-correct.

Fiddly. The mount is fiddly.

 

[guserto4]

Lol.
Autocorrect: changing grammatically correct real words since the dawn of robot achieved human enslavement.

Thanks for your quick review.
I understand it does the weather simulation too. I'm not a huge fan of the lightning, but love the idea of clouds. Have you played around with that? Any good with just one puck?

 

[oldbones]

Nope, haven't tried that. You can control intensity on a slider, but no choices for specific Wx types.

My tank sits between two windows, and I live in Western Washington. That's enough real weather for anybody!

 

[Wazzel]

I suspect you could do SPS that to not need super intense light right under the puck.

The controller does weather, clouds, moon phase and lighting. I have not used local weather. It will adjust the day duration and in the tropics there is little difference in day length through the year. The lighting can be aggravating. I used it for a while and it got on my nerves when it would go off. It was run at a low probability and low intensity, but still aggravating. I do use clouds, they are at a low intensity and probability also. Not sure if there is any benefit, but it looks cool. I use moon phase, again not sure if it dose anything, but I think it is cool.

 

[guserto4]

I figure one could use the weather (clouds) to extend the photo period and mix up light intensity, however I have no evidence to suggest that is a benefit to coral growth other than to guess that would be closer to simulating nature and for that, a good thing. I know I could stay at the beach longer if the clouds gave a little relief once and a while to cool me off (I used to live in San Diego and obviously us locals rarely go IN the water).

I think the interest in the weather for me is mostly that I think it would heighten and perhaps lengthen the obervation experience. I also think it would do that most if the units made a coordinated simulation (can they?) and I'm sure it would be MOST pleasing if several units did so on a big tank. Someday I'll setup a nice big 8x4' footprint and watch the clouds roll through Yea, a nice big shallow tank and maybe 8 primes...

Well, for now, a guy can dream anyway. I'll focus on the frag tank that'll support that big ole tank for now!

 

[dukduk]

The prime has more watts/puck vs the 26 and the 52...at least on paper it does but I'm not sure what that does for intensity, spread, or spectrum.

 

[guserto4]

That's funny bc it seems like it can't get the depth OR spread as listed by the 26 or 52. I wonder what's going on there

 

[Wazzel]

I figure one could use the weather (clouds) to extend the photo period and mix up light intensity, however I have no evidence to suggest that is a benefit to coral growth other than to guess that would be closer to simulating nature and for that, a good thing. I know I could stay at the beach longer if the clouds gave a little relief once and a while to cool me off (I used to live in San Diego and obviously us locals rarely go IN the water).

I think the interest in the weather for me is mostly that I think it would heighten and perhaps lengthen the obervation experience. I also think it would do that most if the units made a coordinated simulation (can they?) and I'm sure it would be MOST pleasing if several units did so on a big tank. Someday I'll setup a nice big 8x4' footprint and watch the clouds roll through Yea, a nice big shallow tank and maybe 8 primes...

Well, for now, a guy can dream anyway. I'll focus on the frag tank that'll support that big ole tank for now!

If you have more than one unit on a tank they all work together doing whatever. No need to program them individually.

FWIW the 26 is rocking my frag tank. It is just a 20 long, but it is the same depth you are looking at for yours.

 

[not4unco]

I'm trying to plan out my frag tank build... think 2 AI Primes are enough to cover a 60g? I love that they have all the features of the bigger lights and are $200 a pop, but would 2 suffice? Would these lights even suffice? I understand they are geared more for nanos. I'm going to start this tank off as my DT back into the hobby, so for now it's a 'show' frag tank. I'm going rimless and want that simple modern touch.

I have the same rimless tank and was wondering the same thing. Did you end up getting the two Primes? I was looking at getting three of them. One dead center of the tank and the other 2 a foot apart.

 

[oldbones]

I started my 34" long 56g custom with two Primes, and have added a third. I wasn't maxed out on intensity, but was seeing more shadowing than I liked. Three gives much better coverage.

 

[ruckuss]

I'm having a hard time deciding on lights. I want to go with Primes cause they do look nice. Would 3 primes be good for 35.5x20x21? maybe a few SPS at the top, mostly LPS and hopefully a clam or two.

Thoughts?