AI Blue Sol just plugged in and unimpressed
- Thread starter angnak
- Start date
I'm very happy with it. I've had an HQI/T5, and a 6xT5 fixture on the tank and I love being able to fine tune the color, as well as no more buying bulbs every 9 months, and the lower wattage is a real plus.
I've only had them on about a week. I've been keeping an eye on the corals for any bleaching (don't have any SPS anymore - my flame angel destroyed them). So far the corals look great. Still concerned I may have the intensities up too high, but I'll let the corals tell me. If things look good after a few weeks I may slowly crank them up a bit at a time.
This was under just the 2 blues at 40% each - the fluorescent ones really pop! I know the picture looks fake, but the tank actually looks like this, other than brighter overall visually. Hard to take photos under LEDs, and I'm still messing with trying different camera settings.
I can't explain the problem angnak is having, but it sounds like something is wrong with the controller or the units.
twoclowns
Member
yeah I would agree with you reefmack sounds like an issue with power to the leds either controller issue or maybe power supply issue?
Your corals look awesome under those, man I wish mine were here now I guess they didnt get enough in on monday to fill my order so who knows how long I got to wait now
Your corals look awesome under those, man I wish mine were here now I guess they didnt get enough in on monday to fill my order so who knows how long I got to wait now
Robzilla
Active Member
AI SOL lights are specifically supposed to be the single most stupid bright lights on the market. If you do not think they are working right, contact them.
That being said, Terry....what are you keeping in your tank right now and what power rating to you have your lights at right now? If it is a worry, lower it. It is easier to bring a coral back from low light than is it to nurse it back from a burn (IMO).
That being said, Terry....what are you keeping in your tank right now and what power rating to you have your lights at right now? If it is a worry, lower it. It is easier to bring a coral back from low light than is it to nurse it back from a burn (IMO).
Rob - right now I just have LPS, leathers, zoas, mushrooms. The only SPS I have left (after adding the angel) is a green Pocillopora growing on the back wall under the gate. It was from a nice Pocillora I had that evidently spawned some eggs that took hold there. For some reason the Flame Angel didn't touch that one. I started, and am still at, 40% on the 2 Blue LEDs, and 30% on the whites. So far all is good. If anything looks stressed I'll back them down. I think with all 70 degree optics that's also helping spread out the intensity. The Sols ship with 40 degree optics in the center 4 LED pucks, and 70 degree on the outer 4 pucks. Knowing that I'd be mounting low, I had the replacement 70 degree optics before my Sol order even shipped, and went all 70 degree before putting the fixture on.
angnak - from what I've read elsewhere (if I understood it correctly), I think the LED lighting can be deceiving vs halides and T5 - maybe not visually as bright, but the light energy is still there. Maybe after a while you can increase the intensity or lower the units if that's possible? Are you getting a lot of bleedover on the walls around the tank with them at 18"?
I'm sure no expert on these things, so don't trust anything I say as facts LOL!
angnak - from what I've read elsewhere (if I understood it correctly), I think the LED lighting can be deceiving vs halides and T5 - maybe not visually as bright, but the light energy is still there. Maybe after a while you can increase the intensity or lower the units if that's possible? Are you getting a lot of bleedover on the walls around the tank with them at 18"?
I'm sure no expert on these things, so don't trust anything I say as facts LOL!
angnak
Active Member
Sorry for the delay. I have had some issues over the last couple days. I hope I remember all the questions and comments. Okay 18" off the tank. Well about 16". Leathers have not liked the new lights at all. Mushrooms also. Frogspawn might be getting use to them. Opened a ticket Monday and nothing yet. Not alot of bleed over at all. About 2" above the tank on the inside of the hood. Got them from aquacave.com. Coral colors look good but like I said a few don't like them. I know PAR is the real thing but this is not very good in my opinion. I wish I had a PAR meter.
tnwillia
Well-Known Member
Todd has PAR meters to rent, he's a member here, give him a call. Good luck!
Rent PAR Meters at Global Aquarium Supply
Rent PAR Meters at Global Aquarium Supply
chipmunkofdoom2
Well-Known Member
If your tank is the standard 210 AGA, which is 30" tall, this unfortunately might be how they look.
LEDs are point lights, like miniature spotlights. They can penetrate water with optics, but the optics focus the light, making the light more concentrated but in less area. That's the trade off. The more water penetration needed, the narrower the beam must be, and the more units you will need to make up for the more concentrated lighting area. Check out the manufacturer's page, the PAR drops off substantially the more water you need to penetrate. For a tank your size, I probably would have used 5 or 6 of these units, at least. Honestly, as much as I love LEDs, I probably would have skipped on them for a 210 tank. You just need too many units to cover that area.
Did you consult with the manufacturer or retailer about whether these units would be able to penetrate 30" of water? Or how many you should use for a tank your size? If not, I would try to return them. LEDs are great, but they're not MH and they can't be expected to have the same coverage as MH.
LEDs are point lights, like miniature spotlights. They can penetrate water with optics, but the optics focus the light, making the light more concentrated but in less area. That's the trade off. The more water penetration needed, the narrower the beam must be, and the more units you will need to make up for the more concentrated lighting area. Check out the manufacturer's page, the PAR drops off substantially the more water you need to penetrate. For a tank your size, I probably would have used 5 or 6 of these units, at least. Honestly, as much as I love LEDs, I probably would have skipped on them for a 210 tank. You just need too many units to cover that area.
Did you consult with the manufacturer or retailer about whether these units would be able to penetrate 30" of water? Or how many you should use for a tank your size? If not, I would try to return them. LEDs are great, but they're not MH and they can't be expected to have the same coverage as MH.
GlassMunky
Active Member
wa wa waaaaaa.... i think chipmunk found the real issue here....
i think chipmunk found the real issue here....
magnetar68
Member
If this is the case, for a 30" deep tank and for lights 16-18" above the tank, my guess is that you would need 50 or 40 degree optics and a lot more LEDs. You might want to look into the Ecoxotic 100W cannons. You can confirm with them, but someone told me they are better designed for deeper tank setup.
twoclowns
Member
Got two of my 5 units in this week the remaining 3 are on backorder but I set the one up on the frag tank and did before and after lux readings with my Milwaukee meter, while the tank looks much brighter with one 175w halide and 2 4ft t5s the lux readings for the aqua illuminator is so much higher at 14" off the water I have the aqua set for 20% white 24% blue and 25% royal blue I get lux readings that are 2.5-3 times higher then the old setup. Corals look good but tank just doesnt look as bright which might be better on my main down the road maybe less stressful on the fish and more realistic feel to the reef?
but I set the one up on the frag tank and did before and after lux readings with my Milwaukee meter, while the tank looks much brighter with one 175w halide and 2 4ft t5s the lux readings for the aqua illuminator is so much higher at 14" off the water I have the aqua set for 20% white 24% blue and 25% royal blue I get lux readings that are 2.5-3 times higher then the old setup. Corals look good but tank just doesnt look as bright which might be better on my main down the road maybe less stressful on the fish and more realistic feel to the reef?
I agree on that!
I gotta agree that from the "Spectators" point of view (outside the tank) the LEDS don't look as shockingly bright especially turned down less than 70% but if you happen to look at them from the CORAL'S perspective OMG! When I open my lid to my LED NanoCube everyone in the building gets blind for a few minutes LOL!