Reef Central Online Community

Go Back   Reef Central Online Community > Sponsor Forums > Marine Depot
Blogs FAQ Calendar Mark Forums Read

Notices

User Tag List

Reply
Thread Tools
Unread 05/24/2015, 09:00 PM   #151
Sells
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 23
HYDRA 26 or 52

I’m interested in the AI HYDRA 52 and AI HYDRA 26 and need some advice. My tank is a 65G 36”L, 24D, 18W with 40lbs of live rock. Do I need to two 52’s or can I do two 26? If you have other recommendations I'm all ears!


Sells is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 05/26/2015, 10:48 AM   #152
MarineDepot
Sponsor
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 5,129
Hi Sells,

Two Hydra 26's would be a great option and would provide excellent coverage and intensity for your aquarium. With the recently lowered price of $299, the value of the Hydra 26 is tough to beat!


MarineDepot is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/06/2015, 03:40 PM   #153
Abobis
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Palm Beach, Florida
Posts: 118
I am looking for advice as well . . .

I would like to light a mixed softie reef 6' long 24" deep.

What would be your recommendation? (2) 52's or (3) 26's?

Thank you


Abobis is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/08/2015, 12:16 PM   #154
MarineDepot
Sponsor
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 5,129
Quote:
Originally Posted by Abobis View Post
I am looking for advice as well . . .

I would like to light a mixed softie reef 6' long 24" deep.

What would be your recommendation? (2) 52's or (3) 26's?

Thank you
Hi Abobis,

We would recommend three Hydra 26's as it would light up the aquarium more evenly.


MarineDepot is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/11/2015, 08:46 AM   #155
TorryRx
Registered Member
 
TorryRx's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Bradenton, FL
Posts: 347
Good morning!

I'm looking at lighting for my new custom aquarium...dimensions are 72 x 32 x 28. The tank has a clear center brace and the lights will be mounted inside a canopy approximately 12" above the water. Inhabitants will be LPS and softies; I have no plans to keep SPS corals with the fish bioload I intend to have. After reading the response above, I'm thinking about using three Hydra 26's perpendicular to the front of the tank (I I I) and would love a second opinion? Would it be better to mount the center light parallel (I - I) to get around the center brace?

The stand and canopy have not been built yet; would it be helpful to go a little taller? Or mount them closer to 10" above the water line? I like the previously posted idea of placing the lights over cutouts on top of the canopy. I assume the lights mount directly into the roof of the canopy, so I will not need to get a mounting bracket?

I really appreciate any advice you may have...

This has been an exceptionally helpful thread...thank you so much!


__________________
><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º>
TorryRx is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/11/2015, 12:38 PM   #156
MarineDepot
Sponsor
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 5,129
Hi TorryRx,

Congrats on the new aquarium! We would recommend starting with the three Hydra 26's perpendicular to the front of the tank. As long as the center brace is kept clean, it should only block about 15% of the light.

Down the road if you find that the center brace is blocking too much light for your liking, you can add a fourth light so that you will not have a light directly on top of the brace.

If the aquarium is 32" tall and 28" front to back, 10" from the bottom of the light fixture to the water level should be fine. Keep in mind the fixture is about 2" tall and you will also need at least 2" above the fixture for ventilation (as well as fans in the canopy actively blowing the hot air out).

If the aquarium is 28" tall and 32" front to back, you will want to raise the fixture even higher to get a better coverage. In this case, 12"-15" should do the trick.

Unfortunately, you cannot mount the lights directly to the canopy. Fans are located at the top of the fixture and space is required for ventilation. This would be the case for just about all high-end LED fixtures.


MarineDepot is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/17/2015, 08:20 AM   #157
mtgh
Registered Member
 
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 29
I am having a new tank of 72 x 30 x 30 with 2 bracing
I am thinking of 3 hydra 52
Should I put in this - - - or | | |


mtgh is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/17/2015, 10:27 AM   #158
MarineDepot
Sponsor
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 5,129
Quote:
Originally Posted by mtgh View Post
I am having a new tank of 72 x 30 x 30 with 2 bracing
I am thinking of 3 hydra 52
Should I put in this - - - or | | |
Hi mtgh,

Congratulations on the new monster tank! We would recommend mounting them perpendicularly | | | . Using AI's Classic Rail Kit along with a hanging kit would be a great option as it allows you to easily slide the lights along the track to get the best coverage. And, the hanging kit allows you to easily change the height.


MarineDepot is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/07/2015, 12:26 PM   #159
Led Bizkit
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 124
I have a 72" long X 24" Width X 30" tall with two center braces at the top, coming next week.

I currently have 2 Hydra 52's converted from SOL's and 2 Vegas. I will be converting the Vegas to Hydra 52's (one or both)

These will be mounted in a canopy. The bottom of the lights should be at least 6" above the water line. This should give me 2" of clearance between the top of the lights and canopy for ventilation.

So my question is, due to the 2 center braces, what would be best either 3 or 4 Hydra 52's? One could be put in between each brace but the AWL is only 6 inches, so not sure if I need the 4th light and/or how would I place them?

Thanks for your help


Led Bizkit is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 07/07/2015, 01:09 PM   #160
MarineDepot
Sponsor
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 5,129
Quote:
Originally Posted by Led Bizkit View Post
I have a 72" long X 24" Width X 30" tall with two center braces at the top, coming next week.

I currently have 2 Hydra 52's converted from SOL's and 2 Vegas. I will be converting the Vegas to Hydra 52's (one or both)

These will be mounted in a canopy. The bottom of the lights should be at least 6" above the water line. This should give me 2" of clearance between the top of the lights and canopy for ventilation.

So my question is, due to the 2 center braces, what would be best either 3 or 4 Hydra 52's? One could be put in between each brace but the AWL is only 6 inches, so not sure if I need the 4th light and/or how would I place them?

Thanks for your help
Hi Led Bizkit,

Congrats on the new tank! Ideally, you will want about 10" AWL. With 2 center braces, 3 lights will work better than 4. In this scenario, we would recommend finding a way to raise the canopy: perhaps adding a trim around the bottom of the canopy to elevate it. 3 Hydra 52's at 10"-12" AWL will give you better coverage than 4 Hydra 52's at 6" AWL, especially with 2 center braces. in our opinion.

If raising the canopy is not an option, then you want to use the AI Classic Rail kit so you can adjust the position of the light to try and get the best positioning/coverage.


MarineDepot is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/13/2015, 08:59 PM   #161
mushumatt
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: West Chester
Posts: 670
To program the 52what would be easier, the controller or director. I have a router located 3 feet from the tank. I am looking for an option that will work for a few months till I end up getting an apex. I can't really find much information, but from what I gather the director will allow me to use the AI app on my iPad and iPhone to program the light. While the controller itself would be used to program?

Trying to get all the information before I order on Monday.


__________________
Lets Go Mountaineers
WVU
Audi Sport/ACNA/NEQ

Current Tank Info: 40 BR w/20L sump
mushumatt is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/14/2015, 11:51 AM   #162
MarineDepot
Sponsor
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 5,129
Quote:
Originally Posted by mushumatt View Post
To program the 52what would be easier, the controller or director. I have a router located 3 feet from the tank. I am looking for an option that will work for a few months till I end up getting an apex. I can't really find much information, but from what I gather the director will allow me to use the AI app on my iPad and iPhone to program the light. While the controller itself would be used to program?

Trying to get all the information before I order on Monday.
If it's temporary, we would recommend the wireless controller as it is easier to set up out of the box, the quick-programming is fairly easy to use and it is cheaper. The Director is gives you more functionality and is easier to use in the long run, but does have a steeper learning curve.


MarineDepot is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/18/2015, 09:12 PM   #163
mushumatt
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: West Chester
Posts: 670
Thank you, it is temporary. I should have an Apex up and running in the next few months. I see you recommending two 26's over one 52. So for a 40 breeder would you recommend as well 2 26's over 1 52 fixture? Price really is not that big of a concern for me, I am looking for the best option for my corals. Mixed reef SPS/LPS/Zoas/BTA


__________________
Lets Go Mountaineers
WVU
Audi Sport/ACNA/NEQ

Current Tank Info: 40 BR w/20L sump
mushumatt is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/19/2015, 10:06 AM   #164
MarineDepot
Sponsor
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 5,129
Quote:
Originally Posted by mushumatt View Post
Thank you, it is temporary. I should have an Apex up and running in the next few months. I see you recommending two 26's over one 52. So for a 40 breeder would you recommend as well 2 26's over 1 52 fixture? Price really is not that big of a concern for me, I am looking for the best option for my corals. Mixed reef SPS/LPS/Zoas/BTA
Hi mushumatt,

If price is not a big factor, we prefer having two Hydra 26's over a single 52. Having two fixtures allow you do set them apart to get the best coverage and to minimize shadowing. The output of two Hydra 26's is also higher than a single 52, so you also have that extra capability.


MarineDepot is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/19/2015, 08:18 PM   #165
mushumatt
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: West Chester
Posts: 670
Awesome I like the sound of that. What would you recommend to mount the lights? I am looking at the AI classic rail kit, 2x parallel mount kit, and classic rail hanging kit. From what i can understand it will allow me to suspend the lights from the ceiling, the 26's would be parallel to the length of the tank, and I can slide them as needed to get the right spread of light.

The classic rail kit would not have the height above the tank to get the light spread needed on a 40 breeder.


__________________
Lets Go Mountaineers
WVU
Audi Sport/ACNA/NEQ

Current Tank Info: 40 BR w/20L sump

Last edited by mushumatt; 08/19/2015 at 08:27 PM.
mushumatt is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/20/2015, 11:04 AM   #166
MarineDepot
Sponsor
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 5,129
Quote:
Originally Posted by mushumatt View Post
Awesome I like the sound of that. What would you recommend to mount the lights? I am looking at the AI classic rail kit, 2x parallel mount kit, and classic rail hanging kit. From what i can understand it will allow me to suspend the lights from the ceiling, the 26's would be parallel to the length of the tank, and I can slide them as needed to get the right spread of light.

The classic rail kit would not have the height above the tank to get the light spread needed on a 40 breeder.
Sounds like you have thought this out quite thoroughly. Our preference would be the Classic Rail kit with the Classic Rail Hanging Kit as well. The ability to easily adjust the height and slide the lights back and forth along the rail are great features. The lights will be perpendicular to the front (36"L) of the aquarium.


MarineDepot is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/20/2015, 11:53 AM   #167
mushumatt
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: West Chester
Posts: 670
Thank you, I have learned early in life to be thorough and research before you jump into anything. So you would recommend running the The lights length perpendicular to the length of the tank? I was thinking that you would get better light spread on the tank by running the lights parallel to the length of the tank?


__________________
Lets Go Mountaineers
WVU
Audi Sport/ACNA/NEQ

Current Tank Info: 40 BR w/20L sump
mushumatt is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/20/2015, 12:11 PM   #168
MarineDepot
Sponsor
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 5,129
Quote:
Originally Posted by mushumatt View Post
Thank you, I have learned early in life to be thorough and research before you jump into anything. So you would recommend running the The lights length perpendicular to the length of the tank? I was thinking that you would get better light spread on the tank by running the lights parallel to the length of the tank?
With 2 fixtures on a 36" aquarium, either orientation would work well. The more important factor is having the two separate point sources (fixtures) that you can adjust. Only on a longer aquarium, say 48", we would expect an advantage of having the lights parallel.


MarineDepot is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/21/2015, 10:07 PM   #169
mitek2
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Bradenton Florida
Posts: 62
Hi. I know basically nothing about LEDs. I just ordered a 120gal 48 x 24 x 25 tank.
I like what I'm reading about the Hydra 52, but what all what I need to order to make this work. Keep in mind I'm not overly mechanically inclined! So the easier the better.


mitek2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/21/2015, 10:40 PM   #170
exray
Registered Member
 
exray's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Palmdale Ca
Posts: 292
Hi MD,
I have a 48Lx30Wx20T What would recommend 3x 26's or 2x 52's. also lights will be monted in a canopy.


__________________
Exray

Current Tank Info: New Setup Comin Soon
exray is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/24/2015, 09:55 AM   #171
MarineDepot
Sponsor
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 5,129
Quote:
Originally Posted by mitek2 View Post
Hi. I know basically nothing about LEDs. I just ordered a 120gal 48 x 24 x 25 tank.
I like what I'm reading about the Hydra 52, but what all what I need to order to make this work. Keep in mind I'm not overly mechanically inclined! So the easier the better.
Congratulations on the new aquarium You will need either two Hydra 26's for a mixed reef, or two Hydra 52's for an all-out SPS aquarium. You will need the two fixtures, a controller and some sort of mounting system. Feel free to give us a call at 800-566-3474 if you have any questions or need help picking out the right parts.


MarineDepot is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/24/2015, 09:59 AM   #172
MarineDepot
Sponsor
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 5,129
Quote:
Originally Posted by exray View Post
Hi MD,
I have a 48Lx30Wx20T What would recommend 3x 26's or 2x 52's. also lights will be monted in a canopy.
Being 30" wide, the Hydra 52's would be preferable. You will want about 10"-15" from the bottom of the lights to the top of your aquarium. Mounting the lights in a canopy can be tricky (actual mounting of the lights, the mounting height and proper ventilation). We would recommend checking with AquaIllumination directly regarding the installation.


MarineDepot is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 08/27/2015, 07:59 PM   #173
mitek2
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Bradenton Florida
Posts: 62
Well, I ordered the Hydra 52's. I'll admit when I opened the box and saw how small they were I was a little shocked. But when I got them set up with the AI director it was incredible the amount of light that comes out!!
The wireless director is really cool, and mixing the colors is a lot of fun. Looking forward to getting it on the tank and see how it does. Also, I ordered from salty supply in Orlando (saltysupply.com) and they were very helpful. One of their support people, Chris, called me and we talked about lighting for about half an hour. He gave me lots of suggestions and told me exactly what I needed. I highly recommend them .


mitek2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 10/02/2015, 04:41 PM   #174
SAZ03
Registered Member
 
SAZ03's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Oregon
Posts: 76
Help please!!

I have a 60x20x20 tank with the dreaded black center brace down the middle. I am about to pull the trigger and pre-order the AI Hydra HD lights but cannot figure out the right number or configuration. I am thinking either 2 52's or 4 26's. Can someone help me figure out what will be better overall? I guess its a personal preference but was hoping someone could lead me in the right direction.


SAZ03 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 10/02/2015, 05:17 PM   #175
mitek2
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Bradenton Florida
Posts: 62
I don't know how much light the 26 Hydra 26 puts out, but the 52's have a pretty good spread side to side. My tank is 48 x 25 x 25 and it covers pretty well. I'm thinking you may need 3 52's or 4 26's.
If you did four lights you could put them next to the Center brace and the spread would probably cover underneath.

But the two I have I never go over 15 to 20%! They put out enough light at that low level


mitek2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
ai hydra, aqua illumination, fiftytwo, hydra fiftytwo, marine depot

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 01:49 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Powered by Searchlight © 2024 Axivo Inc.
Use of this web site is subject to the terms and conditions described in the user agreement.
Reef CentralTM Reef Central, LLC. Copyright ©1999-2022
User Alert System provided by Advanced User Tagging v3.3.0 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.