The measurement of the single prime over a 24” area is not labeled ab+, so that means all channels are at 100%. The multiple prime measurements are labeled ab+.
Ai hd prime strong enough?
- Thread starter Magicalmidnight
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This video shows the the measurements of the ab+ setting with a single Ai prime starting around the 3 minute mark
LARedstickreefer
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I’ve got two hydra26hd over my 34g tank. I have all but white channels maxed out and only get around 350par. That’s a lot more light than one prime hd. I’d say no.
LARedstickreefer
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Which schedule is that? Looks interesting.
It’s a program another member was using and I checked the par for them remotely. I do not use that program
mattzang
2500 Club Member
i have 2 primes over a 24x24x20 cube and i think it's lacking light, although i don't have a par meter backing that statement up
most of my acro success is on my highest rock maybe 6" or so below the surface. and even then, success being stuff is alive and somewhat growing, not really what i'd call thriving. this is my first reef tank, though, so perhaps i'm messing something else up. i have spiked my alkalinity a couple of times so i'm sure the corals were less than pleased with that
there's a youtuber named J's reef that has a sps heavy tank under a bunch of primes, but idk what his growth is like. he had a video awhile back where he par tested and it was lower par than he thought, so he made his light schedule longer to compensate
honestly, if i was doing it all over, i'd go with something higher light or at least do a t5 hybrid with the prime or something. that's if you're wanting to go down the acro road. i have zero issues keeping non acro sps alive and growing
most of my acro success is on my highest rock maybe 6" or so below the surface. and even then, success being stuff is alive and somewhat growing, not really what i'd call thriving. this is my first reef tank, though, so perhaps i'm messing something else up. i have spiked my alkalinity a couple of times so i'm sure the corals were less than pleased with that
there's a youtuber named J's reef that has a sps heavy tank under a bunch of primes, but idk what his growth is like. he had a video awhile back where he par tested and it was lower par than he thought, so he made his light schedule longer to compensate
honestly, if i was doing it all over, i'd go with something higher light or at least do a t5 hybrid with the prime or something. that's if you're wanting to go down the acro road. i have zero issues keeping non acro sps alive and growing
I have one over my 29 gallon biocube. I did rent a par meter and was getting around 150 par about 5 inches from the water, but I have the light sit about 10 inches above the water. I had the regular biocube light on it for over a year and my chalices and hammers never grew but the zoas did.
I switched to the AI prime about 4 months ago and the chalices are now growing and are only about 5 inches from the sandbed on the rock work. I don't try to keep acros in there but lps and softies grow very fast in there now. I might try an easy acro at the top of the tank soon. Maybe a frag of a green slimmer, something like that. But I don't think I would try something like an Oregon tort that needs a ton of light.
Mike
I switched to the AI prime about 4 months ago and the chalices are now growing and are only about 5 inches from the sandbed on the rock work. I don't try to keep acros in there but lps and softies grow very fast in there now. I might try an easy acro at the top of the tank soon. Maybe a frag of a green slimmer, something like that. But I don't think I would try something like an Oregon tort that needs a ton of light.
Mike
mattzang
2500 Club Member
reefdudes on youtube has a single ai prime over a... red sea reefer 170? the small nano tank one. and he has some acros in there and they seem healthy and happy, but it's not wall to wall or anything.
they can get the job done, i'd just advise going stronger if acros are the plan. my plan is to stick with one of my primes and get the aquatic life t5 hybrid to go with it, hopefully that'll be enough light. plus the acros won't shade themselves so much
they can get the job done, i'd just advise going stronger if acros are the plan. my plan is to stick with one of my primes and get the aquatic life t5 hybrid to go with it, hopefully that'll be enough light. plus the acros won't shade themselves so much
mr.a.vachier
New Member
Awesome coloration on your nems! Any way you could share the settings you used on your ai primes ? I'm thinking of getting one and a rainbow bta aswell and want to make sure I can set the light to give them the growth and coloration they deserve. Thank you so much in advance for any advice!Yes, that light is fine. I have the non HD and grew many SPS with it. Now it resides over an anemone tank
92Miata
Valuable Member
Why are you running them 14" above the water?
Better spread. Less hot spots which prevents leds burning the corals.
92Miata
Valuable Member
Thats a good part of the reason you're getting low par numbers. Light fall off is quadratic. A light at 14" has 1/4 of the PAR of a light at 7".
I already know that. That doesn’t change the fact the AI leds are too focused for sps. Other fixtures have a softer light delivery but that is not the case for the AI fixtures. But hey....what do I know.
92Miata
Valuable Member
Your pictures of corals under a different setup don't prove a specific setup doesn't work. There are numerous accounts on this forum of people growing SPS just fine under these things.
Under what things? A 29 gallon sps tank with a single ai prime? Show me. I’ve read way more sps death threads that involve ai primes and hydra 26’s than success stories. What kind of par do you measure on your sps/ai prime set up?
92Miata
Valuable Member
My point is that you growing corals under a pair of hydra 26s isn't proof that corals can't be grown under a Prime. Its irrelevant, just like me growing acros under a Radion xr30.
Will he be able to grow acros wherever he wants? No, of course not. Will he be able to grow some top center like he asked? Yeah. Absolutely.
I only showed the pics to answer your question as to why I hang them 14” above the water. This is a 9 month old thread but I originally replied it could work depending on the placement and settings but I would never be as irresponsible to say absolutely yes or absolutely no...... Maybe the OP could keep some sps at the top if they had the skills and tools to not over cook them and provide enough light to the other corals in the tank, prevent shading etc. But hot spotting a tank to get enough par to a couple across is not going to be ideal for the corals health. Possible yes, but I doubt it. Now I have a a lot of experience with ai lights, 29 gallon biocube and sps. The prime, the 26 HD’s and the 52 HD’s and a par meter. If the thread title was “is a prime enough light for a bta in Nuvo 40” I never would of chimed in bc I don’t have any bta’s or a Nuvo 40.
What do your sps corals under your prime look like? Here’s my prime 16 over my 7g side frag tank mounted 9” above the water.
Am I credible enough to contribute now??
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dawi03
Active Member
sidetracked question what fans are these? i need one on my nano 10 gallonHi im new to the reef tank world and was wondering if my ai hd prime would be strong enough to support sps that are placed towards the top of the tank?
Sorry if it is a n00b question. I have a biocube29.
Thanks
