There are a lot of options for aquarists looking to keep aquariums as natural as possible. One way to do this is to choose the perfect lighting. The AI SOL Blue is sure to do this with its regular settings. But you may be wondering, “What can I do with the settings to make it magnificent?”
This detailed article shows some ways to make the best use of your AI SOL Blue setting to take your lighting to a whole new level!
At the end of this article, you will understand some usual features of the AI SOL Blue and their functions, the types of the AI SOL Blue LED lights and how they’re different, the challenges they present and how to handle them, exciting lighting ideas that can make it more fantastic than it already is, the benefits of using the AI SOL Blue and many other things.
The AI SOL Blue LED light
The AI Sol is a prolific aquarium lighting system manufactured precisely for the aquarists who need accurate lighting management, coupled with durability and energy-saving advantages.
The SOL BLUE 40/70
The SOL Blue LED lights have a combination of 70 and 40 degree optics. The standard format of the SOL BLUE light is 40/70. These LED lights are produced in America.
SOL BLUE 70/70
This version of the SOL Blue is specifically designed for shallow tanks or mixed with other SOL lights above spots where corals are developing very near or at the surface.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE 40° and 70° OPTICS
The focus of 40°-degree optics is intensity. They are designed to focus the light intensity from the LED emitter through a narrow path. This makes the PAR intensity higher than the 70° optics when it reaches the coral surface.
70° optics do not emit through a narrow path. They produce a more extensive spread, and therefore the PAR intensity is lower than the 40° optics as they usually have less intense light.
Options for Improvements
- If you go for the SOL blue 70/70 in the sentiment that you need fewer lights to cover the exact sized aquariums, this will not be wise unless you run a fish-only system or your fish tank contains corals with lower light requirements.
- SOL 70/70 are also furnished with spare 40° lenses. This is done to permit the user to alter them into a 40/70 light if there is a need later on. So if you were upgrading from a shallow tank to a deeper tank, this upgrade would require the conversion to supply the lighting needs of your new tank.
- If you have a shallow tank or one with corals growing close to the surface, the problem you will logically encounter with the 40/70 SOL light is that it has all four of its 40° optics concentrated in the middle. The multiplication of intensity directly below the light can lead to problems.
One method to deal with this would be to aim for a better spread by changing the height of the lights to lessen the intensity.
Another and probably the best way is to alternate the 40° and the 70° lenses over the whole area of the light. This will produce a more even spread without losing intensity or the stinging punch of the 40°-degree lenses.
How to do this? This is pretty simple. The first step is to unscrew the optics. After that, you have to switch the positions of the optics and screw them back on to secure them in place.
If you cannot do it yourself, you can check with your dealer to assist you or refer an expert to do it for you. But it is a pretty simple thing to do on your own.
How To Make It Look Magnificent
You can hardly make the blue lighting great if you don’t understand the basics of the controller. Go through the manual for this. It is pretty straightforward.
It would be best to first set the lights at 50% intensity before plugging in the fixture. If you plug in the fixture before setting it, it will run at full intensity until you program the controller to link to it. After connecting them, you may increase and decrease the intensity as you think fit.
There are a lot of alternatives here:
- You can do a simple setup by setting sunrise and sunset time. You can also use the ramp time. This feature mimics sunrise or sunset slowly and progressively.
- You can also elect to use the custom lighting setup. To do this, you have to set the hourly color percentage of each light. You can also choose the percentage of the light in the lunar mode. A good starting point is 1% blue and 3% royal. This will give it a bright shade.
- Another great choice is setting the light conditions to some popular tropical waters such as Fiji, the Philippines, Florida Keys, etc.
- You can also navigate the menu to choose the cloud icon for weather effects.
- You can also set the frequency of severe weather conditions and the respective time range for it. You can set it to have lighting or otherwise have it dark to give your aquarium and marine life the feel of natural habitat.
- You can also try the lunar cycle feature. This great feature mimics the lunar cycle. Your tank will experience some extremely dark nights and some really bright nights with it.
NOTE:
If your previous illumination system were not as bright as the AI SOL Blue, it would be best if you used an acclimatization procedure for the transition. You can do this by increasing the intensity of your AI SOL Blue gradually, from the intensity of your previous illumination system to your preferred intensity over time.
All these recommendations are fantastic ways to make your pet fish life as natural as they would typically get in their natural habitat. For reasons of adaptability, upgrade, and flexibility, the controller is compatible with wire or wirelessly with an adapter that is usually sold separately.
Do not forget to pick the correct unit for the configuration to work correctly. The best part is that you can always go back to switch up the settings to your preferences when you feel that there is a need.
Benefits of the AI Sol Blue LED light
Control
One great reason the Aqua Illumination Sol Blue is well sought after is its compatibility features. It is one of the most compatible lighting systems with controls that work with third-party controllers in the lighting industry.
You can pick the visual appeal you crave with various colors and the preferred intensity you want. The AI Sol Blue is compatible with the following controllers:
- AI Controller. This controller helps you manage the color of your lighting. This controller allows your SOL Blue to utilize features such as cloud cover. It also changes the lighting based on the lunar cycle once you schedule the appropriate lunar cycles. You can also set the clock within the controller to vary intensities according to the moon’s phases.
- Neptune Apex. This system helps you understand what goes on in the small universe of your pet fish. It protects your aquarium from disasters such as overheating, leakages, out-of-range parameters, etc.
- Digital Aquatics Reefkeeper. This is a small aquarium controller that helps you with easy programming. It helps you monitor and control equipment based on internal timers, pH, temperature, salinity, float switches, internal alarm, humidity controls, wavemaker function, and a few accessories.
AI designs its 40° and 70° lenses to effect greater spread without losing intensity.
Flexibility
If you’re using a deeper tank and you need more depth penetration, the Aqua Illumination Sol Blue is designed to give you the flexibility you need to answer your needs.
All you have to do is replace the standard configuration with a precise one for your depth requirements.
Productivity and Efficiency
The Aqua Illumination Sol is one of the most efficient lightings with low energy consumption and most minor heat production.
You do not have to agonize over costly energy bills after getting one, nor worry about your energy bill rising because you have to keep your coral growing. They were designed with the aquarist’s budgetary concern in mind.
Conclusion
LED lights are directional light sources. This means that they emit light in a particular direction. This distinguishing characteristic makes it different from incandescent and fluorescent lights, which emit light and heat in all directions. The AI SOL Blue comes in variants that satisfy your specific needs for precision lighting. It also gives you the flexibility to control the settings to your preferable preferences and the needs of your tank.
And the AI Sol Blue takes it a few notches higher by giving you the power to create an artificial self-functioning system for the pet fish and marine plants. These tips are guaranteed to convince your pet fish that it is in a perfect natural world.
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