Help with ai hydra setting

[subbyjay]

I have a biocube 14 and I added an ai hydra 26 which is mounted 8 inches above the water line. Does anyone know around what percentage of each led color I should be running or the highest percentage while still being safe and not bleaching coral? I've been reading about par meters but they seem pretty expensive. Corals that's in the tank are gsp, Zoas, frogspawn, hammer, monti cap, candy cane, acan frag, and a small maxima clam.

 

[Manfredo]

I have 2 AI Vegas on my 90 and my whites peak at 67% and I have plenty of coverage. I'd try 40%'ish and see how it looks. Also, the Director has the Coral acclimation feature, I'd suggest using that to decrease intensity and slowly increase it to the max you have set over a couple of weeks.

 

[rovster]

There is no exact science with LED. Start it low and increase until you find either the sweet spot or you've gone too far. I did the same with my Radions. Started them at 40% and went up from there. Finally settled on 60-65%

For your tank I'd start in the 30% range and see how everything responds. As far as what percentage each channel, that's a loaded question but the simple answer is tweak the color preference to you liking and then start increasing the overall intensity to you find what works.

With LED there are too many factors unfortunately.

 

[firemedix911]

Rovster got it on point. Start slow. Specially the white. Increase a couple of percentages per week.

 

[Bret61081]

I have the Hydra 52 and I have my whites and blues at 100% for 3 hours a day! I guess thats too much then from what you guys are saying! I only have softies!

 

[firemedix911]

overkill for softies but intensity and duration is also a factor. If you like to run the lights longer then lower a bit the intensity and if you run a shorter cycle then higher intensity. the key is to reach the desire intensity slowly.