Are my 2 x Ai Prime 16hd's enough?

belly14

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 9, 2023
Messages
73
Reaction score
26
Location
UK
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hi All,

I wanted to gauge your opinion if my 2 x Ai Prime 16HD's are enough for my tank. It's a WaterBox Infinia Frag 125.4?

So it's 295L/78 Galon + SUMP and as it's the frag it's only 16.1 inches tall.

I upgraded from my previous tank to the waterbox 3 months ago and all corals and fish came over OK, however, growth seems slow and I did lose a knobbly green leather coral a few weeks back. Just wondering if an upgrade to 2 x Hydra 32 HD's would be necessary?

I bought the 16's from a fellow reefer last year and while they function OK are they enough to get a full mixed reef going?

Currently, I have a bit of everything, mainly smaller frags that I am trying to grow out such as zoas, blasto, mushroom, candy cane, montipora, GSP (that's growing well of course), frogspawn, xenia, favite and a chalice

Info:

Salinity 1.026 (I use natural seawater)
Alk: 8-9 (Dosing All-for-Reef)
Calc: 405
PH: 8.2
Nitrate/Phos: Both 0

any advice is greatly appreciated as always!
 

TokenReefer

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 4, 2022
Messages
2,221
Reaction score
2,074
Location
Outer Space
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
What are the tank dimensions? Regardless, I'm going to say not enough for long term, but enough for now. I run 2 ai prime 16 and as frags grow out Im noticing shading underneath that doesn't grow as well (visible when lights are off). Sorry not a coral expert. But I'm trying to decide on an upgrade to fill these areas with light... If that makes sense. It may even be more prime 16s, but I haven't decided yet
 

Mr. Mojo Rising

7500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 14, 2021
Messages
7,612
Reaction score
8,632
Location
Toronto
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
As I'm using that light myself on a 15 gallon, I would say no, not even close.

It advertises a light coverage of 24" x 24", but realistically I would say more like 18"x18" effectively. If you put it up to max power then you risk melting the lenses.

But of course I'm just guessing, a par meter would be ideal to give the correct info.
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
belly14

belly14

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 9, 2023
Messages
73
Reaction score
26
Location
UK
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
What are the tank dimensions? Regardless, I'm going to say not enough for long term, but enough for now. I run 2 ai prime 16 and as frags grow out Im noticing shading underneath that doesn't grow as well (visible when lights are off). Sorry not a coral expert. But I'm trying to decide on an upgrade to fill these areas with light... If that makes sense. It may even be more prime 16s, but I haven't decided yet

Dimensions (LxWxH): 1,223 x 643 x 410mm (48.2" x 25.3" x 16.1")

Yeah I'm thinking long-term, and think I already knew the answer . I was maybe just hoping someone would tell me they are OK and save me £900 haha, wishful thinking in this hobby!
 
OP
OP
belly14

belly14

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 9, 2023
Messages
73
Reaction score
26
Location
UK
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
As I'm using that light myself on a 15 gallon, I would say no, not even close.

It advertises a light coverage of 24" x 24", but realistically I would say more like 18"x18" effectively. If you put it up to max power then you risk melting the lenses.

But of course I'm just guessing, a par meter would be ideal to give the correct info.
Hoping to get a PAR reading as a mate has a device. But I think I already know an upgrade is sadly needed. It's the last thing left to upgrade and ironically probably the most important!
 

JoJosReef

10kW Club member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 27, 2021
Messages
11,693
Reaction score
40,105
Location
Orange County, CA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Dimensions (LxWxH): 1,223 x 643 x 410mm (48.2" x 25.3" x 16.1")

Yeah I'm thinking long-term, and think I already knew the answer . I was maybe just hoping someone would tell me they are OK and save me £900 haha, wishful thinking in this hobby!
I would have 4 over that tank, but could get away with 3, depending on what you are trying to grow. I run 3 Noopsyche Minis (a comparable, slightly more powerful light) over my ~36" tank.
PXL_20240307_003625485.jpg
 

aSaltyKlown

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 29, 2020
Messages
500
Reaction score
640
Location
N. VA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hoping to get a PAR reading as a mate has a device.
You can get an idea from this video. They recommend 3 on a 40 Breeder for SPS, the edges would not be well lit on your size. 4 would be better, but light would drop off at the front and back. 6 for best coverage. This would be for SPS.

 
OP
OP
belly14

belly14

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 9, 2023
Messages
73
Reaction score
26
Location
UK
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Thanks all! So.... if I get 2 x Hydra 32hd's, run these AND the 2 x 16's for best coverage? or is that too much?
 

ReefingDreams

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 11, 2022
Messages
342
Reaction score
376
Location
USA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Thanks all! So.... if I get 2 x Hydra 32hd's, run these AND the 2 x 16's for best coverage? or is that too much?
Just get 2 more Primes and save your money. They Hydra are a lot less flexible because the pucks are a fixed distance from each other. With two Primes, you can space them where it makes sense.

Alternatively, sell the Primes and get a higher quality light with better spread like a Reefi Uno 2.0 Pro. You could get away with two and that would still leave you room for growth. But you weren't asking that . I'm mostly just bothered by the cartel and the quality of product...don't mind me...
 
OP
OP
belly14

belly14

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 9, 2023
Messages
73
Reaction score
26
Location
UK
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Yeah that’s not a bad shout actually as would save me a good £350. I had been looking at the Reefi products but they don’t seem available in the UK. I think 2 more primes might be the solution!
 

AquaLogic

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 14, 2023
Messages
547
Reaction score
346
Location
USA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
You could consider some Noo-Psyche k7 pro III. Much cheaper. Or just add a couple more primes. But you could get 4 Noo-Psyche k7 pro III for 600$ might even only need 3
 
OP
OP
belly14

belly14

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 9, 2023
Messages
73
Reaction score
26
Location
UK
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
You could consider some Noo-Psyche k7 pro III. Much cheaper. Or just add a couple more primes. But you could get 4 Noo-Psyche k7 pro III for 600$ might even only need 3
Are you using the K7? Someone else mentioned this too and yeah for £450 I can get three of the dam things!! So certainly interesting….
 

AquaLogic

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 14, 2023
Messages
547
Reaction score
346
Location
USA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Are you using the K7? Someone else mentioned this too and yeah for £450 I can get three of the dam things!! So certainly interesting….
No I use a Kessil a500x on my display, however I have a k7 mini from no-psyche that I use for frags and it’s great. The App needs polish but it gets the job done and the light is nice.


I plan on getting a k7 pro iii as a backup for my Kessil because I was impressed with the mini. It has a nice shimmer too, and I don’t notice any disco balling.
 
OP
OP
belly14

belly14

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 9, 2023
Messages
73
Reaction score
26
Location
UK
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
No I use a Kessil a500x on my display, however I have a k7 mini from no-psyche that I use for frags and it’s great. The App needs polish but it gets the job done and the light is nice.


I plan on getting a k7 pro iii as a backup for my Kessil because I was impressed with the mini. It has a nice shimmer too, and I don’t notice any disco balling.
OK thanks. I’m gonna have a dig around for some reviews and YouTube vids on them and see what I think!
 

JaaxReef

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 13, 2017
Messages
1,029
Reaction score
727
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
As others have mentioned, it seems smarter to go with two more primes and stagger the mounting pattern to get better spread (think zig zag or grid pattern). As corals grow in you could always add LED light bars for better coverage a couple years down the line too.

I run two Hydra 26HDs with diffusors basically at full blast over my 4ft mixed reef tank. Supplemented by an Illumagic Vitamini strip LED (adds about 30is par blanketed across the tank and helps shadowing.

IMG_5866.jpeg
 
OP
OP
belly14

belly14

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 9, 2023
Messages
73
Reaction score
26
Location
UK
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
2 new 16’s in! Visually takes all the dark spots away so let’s hope it has the desired impact.
 

Attachments

  • A1510002-2B5C-44C0-8C39-EFE725C56A2B.jpeg
    A1510002-2B5C-44C0-8C39-EFE725C56A2B.jpeg
    170.4 KB · Views: 52

HAVE YOU EVER KEPT A RARE/UNCOMMON FISH, CORAL, OR INVERT? SHOW IT OFF IN THE THREAD!

  • Yes!

    Votes: 32 45.7%
  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

    Votes: 9 12.9%
  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%
  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%
Back
Top