15g cube aio lighting help

[noncarbonatedclack]

I’m starting a 15 gallon cube aio as my first tank, and I’m pretty lost on lighting, so I was hoping someone could point me in the right direction.

I was looking at an ai prime 16 HD, but then learned that they like to melt lenses occasionally, and I don’t really feel like dealing with that.

Tank dimensions are 15”x15”15”.

Planning on a mixed reef, a couple of fish and inverts.

Would like a moonlight channel/spectrum.

App nice but not required. I’m also not getting a tank controller yet.

Would prefer some type of tank mount, I can’t hand a light from the ceiling right now.

Trying not to spend a ton of money, would like to be no more than.. let’s say $300. Imaware that the mount for the light might not be included, so let’s say $300 is for the light, and I’ll assume the mount will
be separate

Can anyone make some suggestions, or point me in the right direction please?

 

[MoMoTheMonster]

I know you said you don't want to go with the AI prime 16HD but I've been running that light over my 14g biocube for a few years now and my corals love it.

 

[GatorGreg]

I haven’t gone searching for the issue. But as long as the lights been out. You’re the first person I’ve heard mention it. Go with the prime. You won’t regret it

 

[dedragon]

there are a lot of good mid price leds for that size tank; maxspect jump led 65W, smatfarms g5 led, noopsyche mini/or regular, kessil a160, just to name some. Gonna matter if you want an sps dominant tank or mixed reef, how much shimmer, color spectrum you like, and what you want to pay in the end. I dont see a reason to spend 300 for such a small tank

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

AI Prime HD or a AI Prime Blade, just don't over charge them keep them below 100% and you will be fine, I have two over my IM Lagoon 25. I would recommend the Blade cheaper overall.

 

[dedragon]

I haven’t gone searching for the issue. But as long as the lights been out. You’re the first person I’ve heard mention it. Go with the prime. You won’t regret it

I have seen this reported many times, but idk what percentage of units go bad as the ai prime is one of the most popular lights out there

 

[noncarbonatedclack]

May not get to the responses tonight, on mobile and something weird is happening with massive amounts of spaces being added randomly. Doesnt seem to be an issue with my tablet

 

[noncarbonatedclack]

I know you said you don't want to go with the AI prime 16HD but I've been running that light over my 14g biocube for a few years now and my corals love it.

Yeah I don't know that it's a super common issue, but I started looking into the light a little more and just saw this issue coming up in posts. I've seen several posts over a few years about it.

Seems like the UV/UVB spectrum might cause it when at/near 100% output?

What parameters do you have configured for the different channels?

there are a lot of good mid price leds for that size tank; maxspect jump led 65W, smatfarms g5 led, noopsyche mini/or regular, kessil a160, just to name some. Gonna matter if you want an sps dominant tank or mixed reef, how much shimmer, color spectrum you like, and what you want to pay in the end. I dont see a reason to spend 300 for such a small tank

mixed reef, no idea on color spectrum.
BRS is literally the only supplier site I know of, I haven't heard of smartfarms. Maxspect I did see something on.

AI Prime HD or a AI Prime Blade, just don't over charge them keep them below 100% and you will be fine, I have two over my IM Lagoon 25. I would recommend the Blade cheaper overall.

The blades are interesting. Which blade are you running?

I have seen this reported many times, but idk what percentage of units go bad as the ai prime is one of the most popular lights out there

I haven’t gone searching for the issue. But as long as the lights been out. You’re the first person I’ve heard mention it. Go with the prime. You won’t regret it

Yeah I wonder what the overall percentage of units with issues are, but it just seems like a weird thing for a manufacturer to not fix when it's been happening for a few years.

The only reason I found it was because I googled for common issues with that light, which I typically do with any product I'm going to buy.

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

I do not have the AI Blade I have 3 AI Prime's, so when you buy the Primes you have to buy a bracket to hold them, I have also purchased diffuser for mine, my wife hates the light spill. Going forward I will go with the Blades unless they prove to be faulty.
I had a Kessil 160 WE I like the AI Primes better.

 

[noncarbonatedclack]

I do not have the AI Blade I have 3 AI Prime's, so when you buy the Primes you have to buy a bracket to hold them, I have also purchased diffuser for mine, my wife hates the light spill. Going forward I will go with the Blades unless they prove to be faulty.
I had a Kessil 160 WE I like the AI Primes better.

ahhh ok. yeah I was aware about the bracket situation.
I didn't realize there was a diffuser for the Prime, I'll check that out if I go that route.
I was thinking about it, and since the spread of light out of the AI Prime is something like 24"x24", and If I'm hanging it over a 15"x15" tank.. i'd probably be turning everything down from 100%.

I was debating a Kessil, but the cost was quite a bit higher.
What didn't you like about the Kessil?

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

My corals like the AI Prime better, I like the color better on the AI Prime
AI Prime 16 HD Reef Aquarium LED Shade and Diffuser3DReefinghttps://3dreefing.com › products › prime-diffuser
I really like the diffuser, the AI Prime HD would be perfect for a 15" cube, I am looking to upgrade my 12" cube to a IM 15 gallon cube AIO, I have my third AI Prime for that one.
Watch some BRS videos on the light. basically turn up the blue and add a little white for preference.

 

[90's reefer]

I run my 16hds at first 4 100%
The rest 50%.
I have had a couple lens melt due to running v, uv at 140%.
None at 100% and I run 7.
Their coverage is more like 18x18.
Extra lens are $5 a piece.

I ran 2 in my 20g 18" nano cube and they work real well.

 

[MoMoTheMonster]

Yeah I don't know that it's a super common issue, but I started looking into the light a little more and just saw this issue coming up in posts. I've seen several posts over a few years about it.

Seems like the UV/UVB spectrum might cause it when at/near 100% output?

What parameters do you have configured for the different channels?



mixed reef, no idea on color spectrum.
BRS is literally the only supplier site I know of, I haven't heard of smartfarms. Maxspect I did see something on.



The blades are interesting. Which blade are you running?




Yeah I wonder what the overall percentage of units with issues are, but it just seems like a weird thing for a manufacturer to not fix when it's been happening for a few years.

The only reason I found it was because I googled for common issues with that light, which I typically do with any product I'm going to buy.

I'm not doing anything fancy. Basically, I run them most of the day at 60%. I end the day with higher blues as it sunsets just because I like the blue look with my corals in the evening.

 

[noncarbonatedclack]

Ok, now that the sale is over, it's a trivial upgrade to the kessil a160we.. safe to run a spotlight as a primary light?

They're pretty close in cost now, so if its worth it to go for the kessil.. i will.

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

Sometimes sales will rotate with different sellers, so continue tossup around.

 

[noncarbonatedclack]

Sometimes sales will rotate with different sellers, so continue tossup around.

What other retailers should I check out? I only know of brs

 

[JoJosReef]

AI prime has all of your reqs. If you didn't want a moonlight channel I would say Noopsyche Mini, but it does not have a moonlight.

Re: melting, I've read (and AI claims) that the culprit is salt spray on the lens + high intensity, especially the UV/Vi. I can say that AI was quick to get me a new lens free of charge when I sent them pics of mine starting to melt.

If you get a diffuser/shade from day 1 I think you'll be pretty safe.

You also don't likely need to be at 100%+ for mixed reef. My mixed reef is running under a prime using a modified Saxby schedule with AB+ spectrum, and UV/Vi peaks at around 85% with SPS (not acros, not advanced to that yet), LPS, softies and nems.

 

[noncarbonatedclack]

AI prime has all of your reqs. If you didn't want a moonlight channel I would say Noopsyche Mini, but it does not have a moonlight.

Re: melting, I've read (and AI claims) that the culprit is salt spray on the lens + high intensity, especially the UV/Vi. I can say that AI was quick to get me a new lens free of charge when I sent them pics of mine starting to melt.

If you get a diffuser/shade from day 1 I think you'll be pretty safe.

You also don't likely need to be at 100%+ for mixed reef. My mixed reef is running under a prime using a modified Saxby schedule with AB+ spectrum, and UV/Vi peaks at around 85% with SPS (not acros, not advanced to that yet), LPS, softies and nems.

hmm.

I'm pretty close to just going with a Kessil, but I'll keep this in mind. What tank do you have?

 

[JoJosReef]

hmm.

I'm pretty close to just going with a Kessil, but I'll keep this in mind. What tank do you have?

I have an IM 10g cube (with the AI Prime) and an Evo 13.5g (with a Noopsyche K7 Mini). I prefer the latter, which is a powerful little light, but the AI has more channels that can be fine tuned and has the moonlight channel that you had on your wishlist.

I am cycling an IM 40g Long AIO, which will have 2 Noopsyche K7 Minis and the AI Prime (tank merger), and that should cover all of my mixed reef needs!

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

What other retailers should I check out? I only know of brs

To name a few with no particular order.
AquaCave
Saltwateraquarium,
Premium Aquatics
Aquarium Specialty