Hydra 26 HD What are the dial adjustments for?

[Scuba Mike]

I lost my presets and have to recreate them for an LPS only tank. Two lights, 12" AWL looking for max PAR of 150 at the top of the rocks. While looking at the spectrum settings I found a horseshoe icon in the top right of the page. When you open it up there are two dial adjustments (see photo). What do those dials do? it looks like one might just be for intensity without changing the spectrum? Is the other one for color temp, to make it white or blue?

I have searched and watched many videos but I have never seen anyone adjust those.

 

[tsouth]

Be the first to test it and let us know! This may help others looking for the same answer

 

[Hilltopreef]

It’s for setting the intensity (inner dial) and the spectrum (outer dial). just another way of programming the lights if you choose to. And it’s not new. As you can see the sliders will correspond with the dials. For example the picture is set at 50% intensity and 20 k spectrum and the dials match the sliders. Move the dial spectrum from 20 k to 10 k and the sliders will move also. The whites,reds and greens will increase.

 

[Lemon]

spectrum? i think it changes the color of light idk though

also sorry to hijack but how do you tell the difference between the hd and normal hydra 26 mine can't connect to the app or website

 

[Hilltopreef]

Spectrum is the color of the light output. From ultraviolet to blue to white. It is written with a K after denoting one thousand. Yellow light like street light would be in the lower k or thousand numbers like 4 K or 4 thousand and the bluer or cooler will be in the upper thousands or K. So 10 k will be warmer or whiter than 20 k which will be much bluer.As for the second question go to the AI websit. They are very helpful. I believe the original Hydra 26 cannot have any of the colors or the sliders above 100%. The Hydra hd can use part of the unused power from example the red slider to use on the blues or any other color you choose. They will only go so far above 100% though. just remember to make adjustments slowly as to not damage the corals. Most but not all Corals come from a very stable environment. They cannot tolerate quick adjustments.

 

[Hilltopreef]

Sorry if that sounds complicated. You’ll know it like the back of your hand soon. Bulk reef supply is a very good resource for videos explaining a wide variety of subjects.

 

[Scuba Mike]

Sorry if that sounds complicated. You’ll know it like the back of your hand soon. Bulk reef supply is a very good resource for videos explaining a wide variety of subjects.

@Hilltopreef

THANKS! so since I lost my old setup I am starting from new. I just have softies and hammers, torches, nems and such. I had my old setup confirmed with a par meter at 150 on the top and 75 or so at the bottom. I have the BRS par meter rental on the way for this next set up.

So I found a bunch of setup files on the AI Facebook page but I by looking at the sliders set into the 90s plus they must be for SPS tanks. My 75gal has 2 26HDs at 12" AWL.

With my limited lighting needs can I just go for a color temp on the dial or should I try to scale back one of the BRS AB+ setups? Can I just set up sliders at the AB+ levels and then used the dial to reduce them to my par needs? Or do I need to take each slider setting and reduce it certain percentage.... So say I reduce the AB+ sliders so 100*. 5 would become 50, 25*.5 would become 12etc.

I appreciate your advice. I have watched most of the BRS videos and in one video they give LPS settings so if I can just use the dial for intensity with the PAR meter that would be great.

Mike

 

[Hilltopreef]

I personally use the AB+ but I move the two blues to 100% as AB+ is a little purple for my taste. I have a mixed reef and it seems to suit everything both LPS and SPS. I know that World Wide Corals use AB+ and they grow a lot of both. You do know that the AI program has an acclimation setting so if you increase your intensity you can easily acclimate the corals by dialing the lights back by say 25% and it will slowly raise the intensity over a couple of weeks or months or however long you want.

 

[Hilltopreef]

To answer one of your questions about setting your lights to AB + then moving the intensity dial that won’t work as as soon as you move the dial it will override the AB + settings to whatever the spectrum dial is set at. As long as your LPS corals are not directly under the lights and are near the bottom you can set the lights to SPS settings and it won’t hurts the LPS corals as long as you acclimate them to it slowly.

 

[Barks]

spectrum? i think it changes the color of light idk though

also sorry to hijack but how do you tell the difference between the hd and normal hydra 26 mine can't connect to the app or website

If the brightness increases when you press the button its hd.