Could I Get Away With 3 AI Sol?

[mark]

I'd be interested as well.

AI has a chart and looking at it for my display since the fixtures will be close to the water I'm looking for 5 units (as opposed to 3 if higher) and that's compared to the 2x250W MH that I know is sufficient for SPS growth.

Guess the issue is spread.

Nice idea the stitching

[MarkoD]

5 units equal to 2 250watt halides?

i read that 1 unit is equal to a 250 watt halide

[mark]

how high will your lights be above the water?

[MarkoD]

Originally Posted by mark

how high will your lights be above the water?

About 5 inches. Same as my mh where. I'm actually getting more spread from each ai than I did with each halide

[Bill@IA]

Since your AI Modules are less than 12" from the water surface 5 or 6 modules is the way to go on a 72"+ aquarium. I assume you have have changed the way they are mounted. Pics show them parallel with front glass.

[Parker]

I've been debating switching over to the SOLS as well, my heart was hoping for three but my brain is saying five.

[Bill@IA]

Originally Posted by Parker

I've been debating switching over to the SOLS as well, my heart was hoping for three but my brain is saying five.

Start with 3 and mount them high. (above 12") Depending on coral placement all will be fine....especially for new systems where you are just adding coral.
If you have a well established fully stocked display then go with the 5 right away.

[Parker]

Originally Posted by Bill@IA

Start with 3 and mount them high. (above 12") Depending on coral placement all will be fine....especially for new systems where you are just adding coral.
If you have a well established fully stocked display then go with the 5 right away.

You think three would be enough on a 7' long 30" deep tank @12" awl?

[Bblinks]

I am not sure if AI made that chart to sell you more units, but when I contacted customer service at AI, they told me that I would need 12-15 units on my 300DD which I thought that was a bit ridiculous. I would say depends on what you are planning to keep 1 unit should be good for a 24x24 area coverage if they are situated 10-12inch awl. I was thinking about getting all 70 degrees lens so I can get a bigger spread since these things are par monster anyways.

Hey Marko, how areyou liking the AI compare to your aquamedic fixture in terms of front and back coverage?

[MarkoD]

Originally Posted by Bblinks

I am not sure if AI made that chart to sell you more units, but when I contacted customer service at AI, they told me that I would need 12-15 units on my 300DD which I thought that was a bit ridiculous. I would say depends on what you are planning to keep 1 unit should be good for a 24x24 area coverage if they are situated 10-12inch awl. I was thinking about getting all 70 degrees lens so I can get a bigger spread since these things are par monster anyways.

Hey Marko, how areyou liking the AI compare to your aquamedic fixture in terms of front and back coverage?

i am basically buying enough AI units to cover my rock where the corals are going to be. fall off light will light the sand around it.

since my tank is a peninsula it has 6 inches of overflow box on one end. and my rock structure starts about 6 inches from the left end of the tank so basically 5 feed of rock to cover.

and front to back the rock structure is about 1 foot deep (rocks dont lean on the back glass)

so with 3 AI modules mounted perpendicular to the front glass i can cover all the rock and the middle section where my clams are.

the coverage is similar to my halides