AI Prime HD

[Mariette]

Anyone out there using the AI Prime HD to grow softies, mushrooms, nems, and LPS? If so, how deep is your tank?

It seems that the more research I do the more confused I get. Help!!! I’m getting a 5 foot long tank that’s 22 inches deep and was planning on buying 3 of these lights. Now LFS saying I need the Hydra 52s instead. I’m not growing SPS here ppl.

 

[Hemmdog]

Anyone out there using the AI Prime HD to grow softies, mushrooms, nems, and LPS? If so, how deep is your tank?

It seems that the more research I do the more confused I get. Help!!! I’m getting a 5 foot long tank that’s 22 inches deep and was planning on buying 3 of these lights. Now LFS saying I need the Hydra 52s instead. I’m not growing SPS here ppl.

Yes you will need more primes or more powerful lights, your LFS is correct this time.

 

[Mariette]

Yes you will need more primes or more powerful lights, your LFS is correct this time.

Sorry. Not sure what u mean by more lights? I was planning on getting 3. Each is rated for 18 x 18 inches but can be pushed to 24 x 24. I’ve got a 60 inch tank so was gonna get 3. Do you mean the lights aren’t strong enough to penetrate to the bottom?

 

[Robert McCreary]

got the ai prime hd on a 12 inch deep tank mounted 9 inches above the surface. I wouldn't really underestimate these pucks but yeah youll be pushing the lights to its limit.

 

[Alexreefer]

Agreed on above. You might have to place corals higher up to get good results.

 

[Robert McCreary]

Agreed on above. You might have to place corals higher up to get good results.

yeah but still i cant help but shake the feeling she would be happier down the road with the hydra 26's over the ai primes..

 

[Mariette]

Agreed on above. You might have to place corals higher up to get good results.

Mayb

yeah but still i cant help but shake the feeling she would be happier down the road with the hydra 26's over the ai primes..

Maybe. But LFS is trying to sell me Hydra 52’s. 2 are literally double the price of the 3 Primr HD’s I was planning on.

 

[Robert McCreary]

Mayb


Maybe. But LFS is trying to sell me Hydra 52’s. 2 are literally double the price of the 3 Primr HD’s I was planning on.

yeah they are upselling you.

 

[mattzang]

i have ai primes. i had just 1 on a 24x24 cube and it seemed fine for lps/softies. i did add a second recently because i want to do sps, but for lps/softies i'd think you'd be fine. you can always add a 4th later on if you want less shadowing

brs has a bunch of videos about ai primes on their channel

 

[Mariette]

yeah they are upselling you.

That’s what I was afraid of. Thx

 

[Mariette]

i have ai primes. i had just 1 on a 24x24 cube and it seemed fine for lps/softies. i did add a second recently because i want to do sps, but for lps/softies i'd think you'd be fine. you can always add a 4th later on if you want less shadowing

brs has a bunch of videos about ai primes on their channel

Thx

 

[Alexreefer]

hyfra 26 might work for you? depends on your budget but you can always add later if you need to

 

[Robert McCreary]

hyfra 26 might work for you? depends on your budget but you can always add later if you need to

^yup. maybe start with the primes if its not enough sale off one of the pucks and toss in a 26 over the center.

 

[Mariette]

^yup. maybe start with the primes if its not enough sale off one of the pucks and toss in a 26 over the center.

That’s not a bad idea Robert. Not a bad idea at all ...

 

[mattzang]

are you sure you won't want to do sps? because about 6 months ago i would've said no as well..

 

[Waynerock]

Anyone out there using the AI Prime HD to grow softies, mushrooms, nems, and LPS? If so, how deep is your tank?

It seems that the more research I do the more confused I get. Help!!! I’m getting a 5 foot long tank that’s 22 inches deep and was planning on buying 3 of these lights. Now LFS saying I need the Hydra 52s instead. I’m not growing SPS here ppl.

2 primes on a reefer 170 22 inches deep (I think) and I still have to drop intensity down 25%. I have a fully mixed reef with a clam on the sand growing. Yes I do have my SPS in the upper half nothing too demanding. Mille,acros, garf bonsai and a couple birds nest all growing like crazy and I have to trim every week. Unfortunately i have no par measurements but I can’t really go much higher cause everything starts getting real pale. Having two I get very little shadowing and I am very happy.

 

[Mariette]

are you sure you won't want to do sps? because about 6 months ago i would've said no as well..

About as sure as I was that I’d be happy w a 55G FOWLR but we’re just gonna ignore that fact for now. It’s the calcium/alkalinity/the other thing that I’m trying to avoid

 

[Hemmdog]

About as sure as I was that I’d be happy w a 55G FOWLR but we’re just gonna ignore that fact for now. It’s the calcium/alkalinity/the other thing that I’m trying to avoid

Lps and a stable reef in general need that monitored and sometimes altered. It’s really not to difficult, we (reef2reef) can definitely help you with that.

 

[Mariette]

Lps and a stable reef in general need that monitored and sometimes altered. It’s really not to difficult, we (reef2reef) can definitely help you with that.

I was gonna stick w mainly softies and the lower maintenance LPS. I thought I could avoid the 3 that way.

 

[Hemmdog]

I was gonna stick w mainly softies and the lower maintenance LPS. I thought I could avoid the 3 that way.

Coraline will consume the big 3, anything with a skeleton will use the big 3, it’s just a easy test, no harder than testing for nitrate. If one is off, you just pour a a few milliliters of liquid in the tank, your all patched up, super easy, happy tank.