Hydra Lights

[rickster]

Well 2 years in and one of my 2 Giesemann Vervve's is going; fan stop working ,heating up and difficult to control, Sooo I need new lights. Can I pair a Hydra 26 with Hydra 52 and control them together for my Mixed reef 48 x 18 x 21 tank? Or should I use 2 Hydra 26's? I don't want to skimp out and I think 2 Hydra 52's might be too much, or am I wrong!!
Any opinions to what I should do??
Thanks,
Rick

 

[Duffer]

2 26 hydra would be fine.. also you could control a 52 and 26 together...

 

[rickster]

Thanks, It says 18 x 18 for the spread on the Hydra 26's so I don't want to purchase them only to regret not spending the extra money and getting the 2 Hydra 52's.. 24 x 24 spread?

 

[Duffer]

I’m using 3 hd primes on my 48” tank, same spread and my corals love them...I’m thinking you would be fine with the 26... if I was going to change I would be going with the 26 on my tank not the 52’s which I believe would be an over kill.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

I have 2-52 HD’s on a 50 gallon cube

 

[Ento-Reefer]

I have 4 hydra 26 on my 6’ x 2’ x 2’ 180 and I wish I had 5. I would go with 3 of the 26 for best spread and coverage.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

I wish I had gone with 26’s but I started with a 52 and adding a 26 wouldn’t of looked right. My next tank will have as many 26’s as I can mount.

 

[rickster]

Thanks for your input. I think I'm going to go with 2 26's get them up and running and see how the spread is and if I need a 3rd I'll add it, that way I can spread out the fixtures to cover the entire tank.

 

[ADAM]

IF you're not full SPS, I would use 3 -26HD over 2- 52HD. The BRS Ai AB+ Spectrum Program is killer also, I had great results with it before switching lights.

 

[rickster]

Can I ask why did you switch If you had great results?. I'm beginning to realize even these LED lights only last 2-5 years at most. I spent nearly $1400. for the Geisemann Vervve's only to get 2 years out of them. built in obsolescence , Our Disposable society. Nothing lasts anymore...

 

[Vteclover]

I whas thinking to change my ai sol blue to hydra 52 of 52hd but from what i read these days .... think its probably better to keep the solid sols (knocking Wood)

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

I whas thinking to change my ai sol blue to hydra 52 of 52hd but from what i read these days .... think its probably better to keep the solid sols (knocking Wood)

I Love my hydras. I wish I had gone with multiple 26’s but the 52s are awesome

 

[A-Reef]

I have 4 of the first hydra fixtures that came out to the market. They have been working great in my 150 gl 72 x 18 x 27. I only have soft corals so the intensity of the LED's isn't set very high, i run the whites at 40 %, the blues at 60 %, violet and ultraviolet less than the blues but honestly i don't remember how much, the red and the green at very low percentage since i was told that part of the light spectrum doesn't make much impact on corals. I will go with two Hydra 52 or three 26 so you can cover the hole area.