March….. get out of my head broooo. I literally just had this discussion with a couple of my Reefing buddies yesterday. We all agreed on AI What a coincidence! Thank you for the video!
I have 3 prime 16’s over my reefer 250 that is stuffed full of corals. Mixed reef SPS up top and I have no issues growing anything with amazing color. So happy with my decision of more smaller fixtures. Amazing coverage.
Great video March, just swaped out my RL90 for one of your hydra 32, love it, connected in a snap and full spectrum. Trying your light settings seem really good, easy to use great advice, then bam you do a video on it. Super happy. Thanks fragbox.
Great post/presentation thank you. Had trouble programming my AI Prime Fuge, its on a 20 gal refugium , chosen so i can cultivate algae for food in clips. The Radions i think are 3rd gen, just upgraded the chips , had trouble with the app on my phone, she used a Samsung Tablet and got them in sync with the pair of Vortech
Liked the video before it even started because the videos are always awesome. Love the channel and the team, my absolute favorite coral store and I don’t even live in Canada. Keep up the good work guys, love from Alaska
This store is the best, I am there ever other Friday. March, Tia and the whole team are really awesome and down to earth. Super polite, extremely informative and helpful. They never ever try to force something you dont want or need. The whole store is awesome. I hope you are able to go to their store I'd you are ever down this way. All the very best, happy reefing!
I can't speak to AI, I don't own one. I do run XR15 Gen 5's which deliver a fantastic experience (I own Blue's and Pro's). I have not had a negative experience with the Mobius app, but there are several things I would like to see done differently. For example, that "cannot connect" issue you showed happens for me when "location" is not enabled on my smart device... why that's required? I do not know, but is one of the things I would like to see done different. And I run a dual RMS mounts & a rail similar to you Red Sea tank. Which is the easiest mounting option I have dealt with in a decade of keeping aquariums. I like the lights, I adore the RMS mounting system. I'm a massive lighting nerd, though most of my experience comes from training in lighting technology for plants, not coral. It was the power changes to LED output in the Gen 5, and the fantastic spread on a small form factor, which won me over personally. However, both the AI and Radion are great lights. Buy which ever one speaks to you. They've both been proven to grow coral well.
Agreed, especially since it uses Bluetooth to communicate primarily. If they offered an Xr15 Pro with Ai's app , I would buy it in a heartbeat due to the consistent spread and color rendition. The mounting hardware is also easy, I agree.
Great video March. I have uses both of these lights and both are very good lights and will grow anything you want to grow. I think the Radions have a little better spectrum and they colored up my SPS better but I always found it nessary to run T5's with them to stop shadowing. I ran 10 XR15's and 4 T5's over my 250g SPS dominated tank and they did an amazing job. But do not discount the Neptune SKY. I replaced the XR15's and the T5's with only 3 SKY's and have more light in shadowing places than before even with the T5's. I have been running them since the night they went on sale and my corals have never looked better. I think once you get the ones running on the new tank in the basement for a while you will agree. Keep up the awesome videos
I wanted the Radion, but went with A.I. Something not mentioned and what split the hair for me was that the hydra makes a white version and my tank stand is white, it matches really well, I'm definitely an OCD reefer.
Weird that most people prefer the Blue's over the Pro's. For a coral grower (shop) who wants AB+ at 100% and nothing else, sure the Blue's. For a home display tank however the Pro's anyday of the week. Way more flexible in spectrum and able to produce more natural colors. You can let a Pro look like a Blue (albeit it less par), you can't let a Blue look like a Pro.
Pros are for deep tanks. That’s the only difference more lights and more power to reach deeper depths. Most people these days don’t need to reach more than 2 feet. All my tanks are less than 18 inches so 16 inches of water.
The video we need but don't deserve! Awesome, I wanted to know the answer to this question. I also was wondering is it better to have say 2x AI Prime 16HD or one Hydra? I guess the flexibility in positioning is the only key point here
2 primes. It’s what I have on my 40 breeder, can grow nems just fine I don’t even have it at the recommended brs settings. Which is damn near maxing the lights out for lps on a 40 breeder. You should watch brs video on the par readings for the primes on the different size tanks all the way up to 120g
You need to hook up a sky downstairs and compare it to the t5 growth and color ....you'd be the first and it'd make great content...plus you'll enjoy the polished app bc apex fusion isn't a bug invested app
Fair play.... I'm still undecided though 🤣🤣. I have 2 hydra 26hd's over a reefer 250 and was thinking of switching out to Radion. I literally just can not make my mind up
Can’t speak to the 32’s but I run a 16 on my QT I absolutely love that light. I run XR15 pros on my DT and am pretty pleased, however I do find Mobius is super buggy as well. The time has randomly changed on me twice. What program, and schedule intensity are you running over the Red Sea with the XR15s ?
As someone mentioned, connection problems over bluetooth are because of having location set to off. Most of us have it off for security reasons but you need to have it on for proper bluetooth communication. This is due to the bluetooth protocol, not the apps.
I’m a little confused do you only have one hydra or two actually. But you have like 20 of the Radion can you give me why are you think the hydra is better for the show tank you didn’t give us much inside on why you thought what you thought?
What do I go with on a 23x15x19 (Nuvo Fusion 40) tank. Mainly LPS but would like to try some easy SPS once the tank is established? Based on research one xr15 pro might not be enough.
So, would it take more hydra 32s to light a 48x24x24 sized tank for mixed reef thats euphillia heavy? Im upgrading tanks to a fiji cube 108. Rn i have a radion xr15 and id planned to upgrade to 2 hydra 32s over the new tank. But if it would be cheaper to just get 1 more radion xr15 i will
Have to agree with you about the software. The ecotech lights aren't cheap and I'd be upset if the software doesn't work. Still love my g3 xr30p but they have their issues also.
I purchased AI's because of your recommendation. Still learning how to use them, but from a lot of reading I've been doing the lenses melt under an over run uv channel, so I'm a little worried about that.
I upgraded to the hydra 32 for my small 32 gallon and it's amazing. Love that you can download a ton of professional reefers settings and easily apply it. I'm still confused about the moon light setting though. Every time I tried to use it weird stuff happens. I will be buying this for future tanks as well.
Do the Gen 5 radions still have the fan going 24/7? That's one thing I'm none too pleased about. Also not a fan of the Ecotech software even back in the Ecosmart days, the difference between the phone app and the web browser seems night and day, luckily you can plug a laptop in program the lights and shouldn't ever have to touch the software again unless you're doing some sort of light acclimation for corals.
I know a few people like you that own and run both and would like a combination app one app runs both. Great video ! I however still like my T5s even though I own one of the V2s and it still sits in the box! 😂
What a coincidence. This afternoon I bought a couple Radion XR15s and mounts to replace my underpowered Primes. Haven't set them up yet. I find the AI app kinda frustrating and not exactly the most intuitive app to use, but now ya have me nervous for trying to dial in my Radions with the Mobius app.
Agree with the app experience though, AI has such great app experience..it was such a pain setting up the Radion..I gave up on the mobile app and switches to desktop as the mobile app was a pain
I was all AI up until I decided to snag a kessil AP9X on Black Friday and mannnn I don’t think I’m ever going back I agree nothing like the AI app but the spectrum and spread your able to get from the kessil is like non other and don’t get me started on the shimmer 🤩
Go with the EcoTech lights they grow so much better I have both to separate tanks EcoTech all the way every time and they’re also proven to have the better spectrum brs and also got raided the top light of all lights that’s my opinion is also facts from BRS
When it comes to the pro or blue the reason for the pro is so you can have more white light to highlight your fishes color the blue has very little white light and even at max white turned up all the way you won’t highlight your fish colors they need white light to show their colors. If you’re corals only than that would be the blue
I’m 9 months into my first reef tank & I already swapped out all my AI for echotech. Nemo 5 for an MP 10 & the xr 15 blue for the AI prime 16. Love Mobius.
@@nilamotk Mobius app utilizes both also. I love my MP 10 vortex big time & I’m big into wire management it’s a cleaner look. As for the XR 15 blue I decided to move up from the AI prime 16 because my hard frags were dying. It turned out the light wasn’t the problem & I do believe the XR 15 may have been responsible for some of my favorite torches dying ( my fault). But after the learning curve there is no comparison in quality & performance IMO. I had both set ups & plan on setting all my AI leftovers up in a future build on a smaller tank 🍻
Radion Blue is a fad. Corals need white light to get photosynthesis. it's a stronger light for the same price. Set a long morning and night period for that pop. Great light - the Radion Pro
Corals do not need white light…. The deeper you go in the ocean the darker it gets and where most corals live are in the blue spectrum…. They don’t live near the surface so don’t require white as they need blue for photosynthesis not white….
I can't stand they went away from Neptune control... I have some Gen 1 Radion and a few LED's finally blew so when I learned the Gen 5 wont work with Neptune I went with the SKY. I love them and hope Echotech does not do the same with the pumps. Myself I am tired of 20 apps to control things in my house I don't want that for my tanks as well why can't they all be nice and work together! I mean the apps are all free!
Yup, Ecotech bought Aquaillumination, and in the end us consumers lose out because now it's one company so less choices of what to go with. Considering the build quality of the Radions is a bit higher I'm surprised their so similarly priced, I feel AI should be a bit more budget with the pricing.
With these lights you are literally picking the lesser evil...Radions have shit app and AIs have shitty lenses melting with power over 60% so yea next light i get will be Radion.
They are 2 of the same company.... ai software used to be really bad. Radions always had more control and more functions and better coral growth than any ai light. I got conned by them advertising the 20 channels of control blah blah on the vega, we're ment to be better than the hydras and look what happened, also don't know about now but ai customer service was a disgrace :(
the mobious app is garbage. the new gen5 xr15s and xr30s fans are also super loud and annoying and Ive found the fan control speed setting doesnt make any difference at all. which is too bad, cause they are super nice lights otherwise.
ben in the hobby 20+ years and i just got my first gear that i paid more then the apex when i got it was 499 lol so yes i got a xr30 g6 999.99 more then my whole setup in 2001. after i set it up turned it on and WTF i seen better programs on a kids toy... mobius is trash for a 1k light The apex system is less and worth way more then these lights are Yes the light output is crazy high but if it has to be messed with all the time whats the point of the app ... well that was my 999.99 rant LOL old cheap guy out :
Great video March, just swaped out my RL90 for one of your hydra 32, love it, connected in a snap and full spectrum. Trying your light settings seem really good, easy to use great advice, then bam you do a video on it. Super happy. Thanks fragbox.
March….. get out of my head broooo. I literally just had this discussion with a couple of my Reefing buddies yesterday. We all agreed on AI What a coincidence! Thank you for the video!
I have 3 prime 16’s over my reefer 250 that is stuffed full of corals. Mixed reef SPS up top and I have no issues growing anything with amazing color. So happy with my decision of more smaller fixtures. Amazing coverage.
Would love to see your tank.
Yes finally a comparison that I am looking forward too. Canada 🇨🇦 rocks!
Great video March, just swaped out my RL90 for one of your hydra 32, love it, connected in a snap and full spectrum. Trying your light settings seem really good, easy to use great advice, then bam you do a video on it. Super happy.
Thanks fragbox.
We just talked about this last week!! Thanks for expanding on it!
Great post/presentation thank you. Had trouble programming my AI Prime Fuge, its on a 20 gal refugium , chosen so i can cultivate algae for food in clips. The Radions i think are 3rd gen, just upgraded the chips , had trouble with the app on my phone, she used a Samsung Tablet and got them in sync with the pair of Vortech
Liked the video before it even started because the videos are always awesome. Love the channel and the team, my absolute favorite coral store and I don’t even live in Canada. Keep up the good work guys, love from Alaska
This store is the best, I am there ever other Friday. March, Tia and the whole team are really awesome and down to earth. Super polite, extremely informative and helpful. They never ever try to force something you dont want or need. The whole store is awesome. I hope you are able to go to their store I'd you are ever down this way. All the very best, happy reefing!
Looks like the ai prime is the way to go for my new fluval 13.5. Awesome vid as always.
I can't speak to AI, I don't own one. I do run XR15 Gen 5's which deliver a fantastic experience (I own Blue's and Pro's).
I have not had a negative experience with the Mobius app, but there are several things I would like to see done differently. For example, that "cannot connect" issue you showed happens for me when "location" is not enabled on my smart device... why that's required? I do not know, but is one of the things I would like to see done different.
And I run a dual RMS mounts & a rail similar to you Red Sea tank. Which is the easiest mounting option I have dealt with in a decade of keeping aquariums. I like the lights, I adore the RMS mounting system.
I'm a massive lighting nerd, though most of my experience comes from training in lighting technology for plants, not coral. It was the power changes to LED output in the Gen 5, and the fantastic spread on a small form factor, which won me over personally. However, both the AI and Radion are great lights. Buy which ever one speaks to you. They've both been proven to grow coral well.
Agreed, especially since it uses Bluetooth to communicate primarily. If they offered an Xr15 Pro with Ai's app , I would buy it in a heartbeat due to the consistent spread and color rendition. The mounting hardware is also easy, I agree.
Great video March. I have uses both of these lights and both are very good lights and will grow anything you want to grow. I think the Radions have a little better spectrum and they colored up my SPS better but I always found it nessary to run T5's with them to stop shadowing. I ran 10 XR15's and 4 T5's over my 250g SPS dominated tank and they did an amazing job. But do not discount the Neptune SKY. I replaced the XR15's and the T5's with only 3 SKY's and have more light in shadowing places than before even with the T5's. I have been running them since the night they went on sale and my corals have never looked better. I think once you get the ones running on the new tank in the basement for a while you will agree. Keep up the awesome videos
You have picture of you tank?
Philips coral care 2 is better than all of those...
I wanted the Radion, but went with A.I. Something not mentioned and what split the hair for me was that the hydra makes a white version and my tank stand is white, it matches really well, I'm definitely an OCD reefer.
Where is the programing for the lights?
Weird that most people prefer the Blue's over the Pro's. For a coral grower (shop) who wants AB+ at 100% and nothing else, sure the Blue's. For a home display tank however the Pro's anyday of the week. Way more flexible in spectrum and able to produce more natural colors. You can let a Pro look like a Blue (albeit it less par), you can't let a Blue look like a Pro.
Pros are for deep tanks. That’s the only difference more lights and more power to reach deeper depths. Most people these days don’t need to reach more than 2 feet. All my tanks are less than 18 inches so 16 inches of water.
@@reefghost7595 G5 Pro's and Blue's are both 90 watt fixtures, tank depth has nothing to do with it.
The video we need but don't deserve!
Awesome, I wanted to know the answer to this question. I also was wondering is it better to have say 2x AI Prime 16HD or one Hydra? I guess the flexibility in positioning is the only key point here
2 primes. It’s what I have on my 40 breeder, can grow nems just fine I don’t even have it at the recommended brs settings. Which is damn near maxing the lights out for lps on a 40 breeder. You should watch brs video on the par readings for the primes on the different size tanks all the way up to 120g
I wish we had a local fish store like this near me!
light programings would be awesome especially the prime for the 13.5 evo
The lenses on the ais suck the uv burns through them
You need to hook up a sky downstairs and compare it to the t5 growth and color ....you'd be the first and it'd make great content...plus you'll enjoy the polished app bc apex fusion isn't a bug invested app
Fair play.... I'm still undecided though 🤣🤣. I have 2 hydra 26hd's over a reefer 250 and was thinking of switching out to Radion. I literally just can not make my mind up
Can’t speak to the 32’s but I run a 16 on my QT I absolutely love that light. I run XR15 pros on my DT and am pretty pleased, however I do find Mobius is super buggy as well. The time has randomly changed on me twice.
What program, and schedule intensity are you running over the Red Sea with the XR15s ?
As someone mentioned, connection problems over bluetooth are because of having location set to off. Most of us have it off for security reasons but you need to have it on for proper bluetooth communication. This is due to the bluetooth protocol, not the apps.
I’m a little confused do you only have one hydra or two actually. But you have like 20 of the Radion can you give me why are you think the hydra is better for the show tank you didn’t give us much inside on why you thought what you thought?
I’d love to know the schedules you have your AI primes at, I currently have 1 as well
What is your light schedule for the 13.5??
What about Vs Noopsyche k7?
Thanks for your video content!
You're not complaining. There's no reason a 500-1000$* light shouldn't connect at the snap of your fingers.
I love my hydra 32.. never had an issue.
What do I go with on a 23x15x19 (Nuvo Fusion 40) tank. Mainly LPS but would like to try some easy SPS once the tank is established? Based on research one xr15 pro might not be enough.
Hi, what schedule are you running for your 32 on your mixed reef?
So, would it take more hydra 32s to light a 48x24x24 sized tank for mixed reef thats euphillia heavy?
Im upgrading tanks to a fiji cube 108.
Rn i have a radion xr15 and id planned to upgrade to 2 hydra 32s over the new tank. But if it would be cheaper to just get 1 more radion xr15 i will
Have to agree with you about the software. The ecotech lights aren't cheap and I'd be upset if the software doesn't work. Still love my g3 xr30p but they have their issues also.
I’m looking at getting either hydra32 or xr15 for my waterbox 50.3. What route should I go? Would one hydra work to start, the xr15 are g4
Thinking of buying a Waterbox Frag 105 which is only 16 inches deep. What light would you recommend for an sps tank at 16 inches depth?
I purchased AI's because of your recommendation. Still learning how to use them, but from a lot of reading I've been doing the lenses melt under an over run uv channel, so I'm a little worried about that.
I upgraded to the hydra 32 for my small 32 gallon and it's amazing. Love that you can download a ton of professional reefers settings and easily apply it. I'm still confused about the moon light setting though. Every time I tried to use it weird stuff happens. I will be buying this for future tanks as well.
looking for led lights for my tank. 75gal 4ft long. what size of lights do i need?
Kessils vs. A.Ilumination ????
My ai prime 16hd melted itself (think they released a firmware update so u can't crank it up as much as you used to be able to due to this fault).
Do the Gen 5 radions still have the fan going 24/7? That's one thing I'm none too pleased about. Also not a fan of the Ecotech software even back in the Ecosmart days, the difference between the phone app and the web browser seems night and day, luckily you can plug a laptop in program the lights and shouldn't ever have to touch the software again unless you're doing some sort of light acclimation for corals.
The fan om my G5 is always off, but i'm running the light at 40% (nanotank). 🙂
@@Harolddespui Yeah seems like that's a big change from the G4s, mine is on even when the light is off which does suck.
My AI app does not connect to my lights and Nero 5 sometimes but I love my Prime lights
I know a few people like you that own and run both and would like a combination app one app runs both. Great video !
I however still like my T5s even though I own one of the V2s and it still sits in the box! 😂
Cúrrent Usa o prime?
Where are you located at?
What a coincidence. This afternoon I bought a couple Radion XR15s and mounts to replace my underpowered Primes. Haven't set them up yet. I find the AI app kinda frustrating and not exactly the most intuitive app to use, but now ya have me nervous for trying to dial in my Radions with the Mobius app.
Agreed. At the end of the day, it's the software that gives you less headache wins. Both are great lights, but AI makes superior software.
How is this a vs when it’s the same company?
I don’t see the AI prime config. 🙁
MARCH THERES NO LINK FOR YOUR PROGRAM. 🤬
I didnt know it was the same company. Good to know
I have a mixed reef including Acropora and love my ai prim 16 hd
What size is your display tank?
I only saw EcoTech and Aqua Illumination, so I thought it was going to be a Vortech vs Nero comparison. 😅
Agree with the app experience though, AI has such great app experience..it was such a pain setting up the Radion..I gave up on the mobile app and switches to desktop as the mobile app was a pain
Buggy app would kill it for me. I have AI prime and the app is so good! Paired with the Nero 3 it’s so great.
Whts your thoughts on the kessil AP9X!?
Haz un video por favor
I was all AI up until I decided to snag a kessil AP9X on Black Friday and mannnn I don’t think I’m ever going back I agree nothing like the AI app but the spectrum and spread your able to get from the kessil is like non other and don’t get me started on the shimmer 🤩
Couldnt agree more same here! i was going to say
AI all day long. Multiple primes and hydras coupled with Neros for the win.
I agree ai such great lights for the money and will grow sticks. If eco tech gets an app like ai I will switch
Does anyone make glass replacement lenses for the Ai?
Just put a Hydra 32 over my 120 Minireef. SPS are growing.
Yeah, the new mobius app ui is a pain. Why theu couldnt have just kept it the same idk
Thanks for the video!
Go with the EcoTech lights they grow so much better I have both to separate tanks EcoTech all the way every time and they’re also proven to have the better spectrum brs and also got raided the top light of all lights that’s my opinion is also facts from BRS
When it comes to the pro or blue the reason for the pro is so you can have more white light to highlight your fishes color the blue has very little white light and even at max white turned up all the way you won’t highlight your fish colors they need white light to show their colors. If you’re corals only than that would be the blue
I’m 9 months into my first reef tank & I already swapped out all my AI for echotech. Nemo 5 for an MP 10 & the xr 15 blue for the AI prime 16. Love Mobius.
Why would you swap from ai lights to ecotech lights then swap to ai pumps? I love how my ai is all on 1 app
@@nilamotk Mobius app utilizes both also. I love my MP 10 vortex big time & I’m big into wire management it’s a cleaner look. As for the XR 15 blue I decided to move up from the AI prime 16 because my hard frags were dying. It turned out the light wasn’t the problem & I do believe the XR 15 may have been responsible for some of my favorite torches dying ( my fault). But after the learning curve there is no comparison in quality & performance IMO. I had both set ups & plan on setting all my AI leftovers up in a future build on a smaller tank 🍻
“These lights are pretty comparable yk this cone cost a arm this one a leg”
They are both buggy, but I am happier with the Radions. Better colors and better coral pop
I love ai I have the hydras and a Nero 5 love them both.
Just switched to Mobius and it's still buggy.
Radion just doesn't shimmer. You may as well use t5. It looks gross.
great. I'm your fan.
Hydra 32 sucks melting uv lens at 50%..
Try bring some orphek also.
Radion Blue is a fad. Corals need white light to get photosynthesis. it's a stronger light for the same price. Set a long morning and night period for that pop. Great light - the Radion Pro
Corals do not need white light…. The deeper you go in the ocean the darker it gets and where most corals live are in the blue spectrum…. They don’t live near the surface so don’t require white as they need blue for photosynthesis not white….
I love my AI Hydra 32s HD
Its not whiney to pay a lot for a product and expect it to work.
I can't stand they went away from Neptune control... I have some Gen 1 Radion and a few LED's finally blew so when I learned the Gen 5 wont work with Neptune I went with the SKY. I love them and hope Echotech does not do the same with the pumps. Myself I am tired of 20 apps to control things in my house I don't want that for my tanks as well why can't they all be nice and work together! I mean the apps are all free!
Heads up there is a mobius update in the playstore.
Hydra = spot light= discoball effect , radion Is the best
Owned by the same company in the end.
Yup, Ecotech bought Aquaillumination, and in the end us consumers lose out because now it's one company so less choices of what to go with. Considering the build quality of the Radions is a bit higher I'm surprised their so similarly priced, I feel AI should be a bit more budget with the pricing.
@@Mike__B agree. That said both their apps make be visibly angry anytime I use then.
missing gHlL
Hola !!
With these lights you are literally picking the lesser evil...Radions have shit app and AIs have shitty lenses melting with power over 60% so yea next light i get will be Radion.
They are 2 of the same company.... ai software used to be really bad. Radions always had more control and more functions and better coral growth than any ai light. I got conned by them advertising the 20 channels of control blah blah on the vega, we're ment to be better than the hydras and look what happened, also don't know about now but ai customer service was a disgrace :(
AI > eco
Radion because of uv help stop coral death reef bum did a great vid on uv
the mobious app is garbage. the new gen5 xr15s and xr30s fans are also super loud and annoying and Ive found the fan control speed setting doesnt make any difference at all. which is too bad, cause they are super nice lights otherwise.
Kessils are way better.
Both companies have horrible customer service
ben in the hobby 20+ years and i just got my first gear that i paid more then the apex when i got it was 499 lol so yes i got a xr30 g6 999.99 more then my whole setup in 2001. after i set it up turned it on and WTF i seen better programs on a kids toy... mobius is trash for a 1k light The apex system is less and worth way more then these lights are Yes the light output is crazy high but if it has to be messed with all the time whats the point of the app ... well that was my 999.99 rant LOL
old cheap guy out :
AI app is great, lenses suck....They melt!
Great video March, just swaped out my RL90 for one of your hydra 32, love it, connected in a snap and full spectrum. Trying your light settings seem really good, easy to use great advice, then bam you do a video on it. Super happy.
Thanks fragbox.