AI Vega Color/Blue Owners Thread! - Page 13

Soggytoes · 09/16/2012, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lordofthereef

Guys can we please keep this on topic? This is not a vega versus radion thread much less a discussion about the American economy. Plenty are coming here trying to see what these lights look like above various tanks. It's pretty depressing coming here and seeIng one new relevant post and 20 "state of the economy" posts.

Personally I don't mind the comparisons to other similar brands but yes the economy talk has got to go

I am happy overall that this thread exists. I have been holding off purchasing a t5 replacement for some time now but this thread convinced me to hold on to that technology a bit longer! Thanks for all the honest reviews. Lights/tanks look great but I think there are a few too many kinks to be worked out atm.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

zerreissen · 09/16/2012, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by qfrisco

Speaking of which, I know we're all still acclimating, but I'm curious to see what light "recipes" and schedules folks are planning to use. I like more of a 14-15k look, and the controller doesn't really guide you on that.

I'm waiting for them to release the AI Director to get my feet wet in "recipes." The software should make it much easier to do so than trying to mess with the controller...

zerreissen · 09/16/2012, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skipponator

I came home from working an overnight, to find my tank oddly lit. So I was looking around, and the LED on the back of the unit by the power chord was flashing yellow/red, and my controller said no wireless connection. Took me a few minutes, but I got the system on board again and running as programmed.

I had the same problem, one of my units lost connection and I had to run the light setup again to get them both to connect. Not sure what caused the problem.

TTU_Reefer · 09/16/2012, 10:57 AM

Problems I have had, after reading all 13 pages seems to be nothing new.

1) Controller is spastic and randomly "clicks" things when plugged into the wall power supply, works fine when in PC.
2) Problems connecting to Vega, FAQ on Ai's site fixed that.
3) controller has to be plugged into the wall...don't get me started.
4) Ai rail system seems a little weak.
5) the "demo mode" works sometimes, sometimes it wont activate.
6) I looked directly into the lights when they were on and couldn't quite see correctly for 10 minutes

overall these are nothing Ai cant fix, so am I happy I bought it? Yes.

jtrim123 · 09/16/2012, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TTU_Reefer

Problems I have had, after reading all 13 pages seems to be nothing new.

1) Controller is spastic and randomly "clicks" things when plugged into the wall power supply, works fine when in PC.
2) Problems connecting to Vega, FAQ on Ai's site fixed that.
3) controller has to be plugged into the wall...don't get me started.
4) Ai rail system seems a little weak.
5) the "demo mode" works sometimes, sometimes it wont activate.
6) I looked directly into the lights when they were on and couldn't quite see correctly for 10 minutes

overall these are nothing Ai cant fix, so am I happy I bought it? Yes.

If you haven't see yet the controller being spastic can be fixed, by using a different USB power block. iPhone etc

SpeedRacer · 09/16/2012, 12:24 PM

I accidentally replaced my New Controller Firmware with the old Firmware file. Can anyone send me the current Firmware .bin file?

Dseg · 09/16/2012, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TTU_Reefer

Problems I have had, after reading all 13 pages seems to be nothing new.

1) Controller is spastic and randomly "clicks" things when plugged into the wall power supply, works fine when in PC.
2) Problems connecting to Vega, FAQ on Ai's site fixed that.
3) controller has to be plugged into the wall...don't get me started.
4) Ai rail system seems a little weak.
5) the "demo mode" works sometimes, sometimes it wont activate.
6) I looked directly into the lights when they were on and couldn't quite see correctly for 10 minutes

overall these are nothing Ai cant fix, so am I happy I bought it? Yes.

For the premium you pay, you should not be able to list problems like that in the first week of release.

TTU_Reefer · 09/16/2012, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dseg

For the premium you pay, you should not be able to list problems like that in the first week of release.

I agree. Really baffled there was no instructions. The piece of paper that said "Plug in, enjoy" was almost insulting after the hours it took to figure everything out.

Trying to stay positive, do I wish I bought a Radion? No. do I wish I bought a Sol, no. So am I happy? yes. Should I be a lot happier? absolutely lol

reefsurfing · 09/16/2012, 02:03 PM

Issue 3 was expected; while the controller shouldn't be spastic I can't find any advertising that states the controller charges wirelessly. I was never under the impression the controller wouldn't have to be plugged in to the wall. Though, I am curious if anyone has plugged it in across the room and tested the 2.4Ghz range on the controller?

lordofthereef · 09/16/2012, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soggytoes

Personally I don't mind the comparisons to other similar brands but yes the economy talk has got to go

I don't mind the comparisons either. Thing is they are being compared to a product the public hasn't even seem yet. We are seeing brand wars here and nothing else. IMO we've seen nothing constructive here yet on the topic.

TTU_Reefer · 09/16/2012, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reefsurfing

Issue 3 was expected; while the controller shouldn't be spastic I can't find any advertising that states the controller charges wirelessly. I was never under the impression the controller wouldn't have to be plugged in to the wall. Though, I am curious if anyone has plugged it in across the room and tested the 2.4Ghz range on the controller?

I got it working in the next room from my tank. around 15ft away. Only problem is I had to unplug it, walk into the other room, plug it back in then try it. silly.

SpeedRacer · 09/16/2012, 03:02 PM

Anyone wanna help a brotha out and send me your bin file? Mines doa till i replace that file... If so shoot me a PM and ill give you my email.

Dseg · 09/16/2012, 03:17 PM

Kind of obvious why they released the Vegas two weeks before MACNA. Probably hoping everyone jump into them before they found out what the Radions are going to have (current LED and wider spectrum with 450mn) and what the Vegas are missing.

I think that is why Radion released a statement about what you can expect at MACNA (which should be a surprise). But it made me hold out until MACNA until the Radions now...

Based on the poor controller and setup reviews, not so great PAR results, disco effect complaints, and pictures of tanks before and after tanks with T5s, has anyone returned their Vegas?

mt4sure · 09/16/2012, 05:22 PM

I am very interested in comparisons of people who went and bought these new leds from Ai and their thoughts or direct comparisons to their old t5/mh setup. Been nerve racking holding off on leds but not sure it would be the perfect replacement yet.

Saltwatercoral2 · 09/16/2012, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dseg

Kind of obvious why they released the Vegas two weeks before MACNA. Probably hoping everyone jump into them before they found out what the Radions are going to have (current LED and wider spectrum with 450mn) and what the Vegas are missing.

I think that is why Radion released a statement about what you can expect at MACNA (which should be a surprise). But it made me hold out until MACNA until the Radions now...

Based on the poor controller and setup reviews, not so great PAR results, disco effect complaints, and pictures of tanks before and after tanks with T5s, has anyone returned their Vegas?

Dude, if your so unimpressed with the vega, why do you keep posting in this thread? We get the point that you dont want them and are gonna go spend your money on the Radion pro. Noone is trying to talk you out of it. Move on.

MBSL55 · 09/16/2012, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dseg

Based on the poor controller and setup reviews, not so great PAR results, disco effect complaints, and pictures of tanks before and after tanks with T5s, has anyone returned their Vegas?

I haven't. I also have AI Sols (all 70 degree optics) on my current tank running at about 80%. Any higher and I start bleaching corals. Took PAR measurements on my current tank and new setup with the Vega fixtures. Vega at 100% is pretty close to what my Sol Super Blues are doing and I have my Vega fixtures at 14" AWL and can drop them a bit lower. I'm confident AI will get the controller bugs worked out and if they have the Director software or Neptune comes out with a module like they did with the VDM for the Sols then the controller doesn't matter.

I'll be ordering a couple more for the QT system and other system I have setup. Just waiting to see if they happen to run any specials at MACNA or if I happen to get one at the raffle.

blajoie · 09/16/2012, 06:09 PM

Few more photos/videos - overall i am quite satisfied with my purchase.
Not quite sure what all the negativity is about...

Full power followed by full day cycle (sped up)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qktS9e0aRLw&hd=1

CORAL GROWING MODE (demo mode)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ztd1F9b7yyo&hd=1

Dseg · 09/16/2012, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saltwatercoral2

Dude, if your so unimpressed with the vega, why do you keep posting in this thread? We get the point that you dont want them and are gonna go spend your money on the Radion pro. Noone is trying to talk you out of it. Move on.

I am getting opinions man, chill. Not my fault the Vegas already have flaws.
Dont be mad because im summarizing them lol

zandarfin · 09/16/2012, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpeedRacer

I accidentally replaced my New Controller Firmware with the old Firmware file. Can anyone send me the current Firmware .bin file?

ai has it posted on their website

blajoie · 09/16/2012, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpeedRacer

Anyone wanna help a brotha out and send me your bin file? Mines doa till i replace that file... If so shoot me a PM and ill give you my email.

Here is the original firmware.bin file:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1094767/ai-vega/firmware.bin

Did you try to replace with the new version?
http://support.aquaillumination.com/home

Mcbeezus · 09/16/2012, 07:26 PM

To further comment on the wavelength that this fixture offers, we all want 400-450 (or at least that is what everyone is all biased about the new LEDS not offering)...i am currently majoring in biology and have taken botany classes and deep red which is little higher in nanometers has almost the same effect as the 400-450 in the photosynthetic process. In our greenhouse we have a couple places that have a deep red leds that grow plants just as good as the natural sunlight. I am only in my 2nd year so dont chop my head off if some information is off but if AI has the deep reds wouldnt it be just as effective as what the maxspect razor and radion pro spectrum will be able to achieve.

Yogre · 09/16/2012, 08:39 PM

I'm not sure that terrestrial plants and corals use the same spectrum for photosynthesis.

The red part of the spectrum is very quickly filtered out by water. Most of what corals "see" at any depth at all is in the blue range.

Skipponator · 09/16/2012, 08:52 PM

Odd thing happened yesterday. I was showing a fellow reefer of the options and performed a test run. 1/3 of the way through the gfci popped shutting that circuit down! Now I only have a mag12, mj1200 , 1 Vega, and my uv sterilizer on that circuit...

SpeedRacer · 09/16/2012, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blajoie

Here is the original firmware.bin file:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1094767/ai-vega/firmware.bin

Did you try to replace with the new version?
http://support.aquaillumination.com/home

Thanks, I think they posted this stuff all up today per my requests lol. All working now.

MBSL55 · 09/16/2012, 11:37 PM

Got my controller all figured out and working here too. Just used another power adapter which took care of the button sensitivity issue and let the controller pick the order of the lights and it recognized all 5. I'm surprised at how well the red and green LED's cover my tank even though there are only a few of them in each fixture now that I've been able to mess with power levels for each color LED.

09/16/2012, 10:57 AM	#304
TTU_Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Plano, TX Posts: 528	Problems I have had, after reading all 13 pages seems to be nothing new. 1) Controller is spastic and randomly "clicks" things when plugged into the wall power supply, works fine when in PC. 2) Problems connecting to Vega, FAQ on Ai's site fixed that. 3) controller has to be plugged into the wall...don't get me started. 4) Ai rail system seems a little weak. 5) the "demo mode" works sometimes, sometimes it wont activate. 6) I looked directly into the lights when they were on and couldn't quite see correctly for 10 minutes overall these are nothing Ai cant fix, so am I happy I bought it? Yes. __________________ "Sheep only have two speeds, graze and stampede..." Current Tank Info: Reef and FOWLR

09/16/2012, 03:17 PM	#313
Dseg Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Florida Posts: 354	Kind of obvious why they released the Vegas two weeks before MACNA. Probably hoping everyone jump into them before they found out what the Radions are going to have (current LED and wider spectrum with 450mn) and what the Vegas are missing. I think that is why Radion released a statement about what you can expect at MACNA (which should be a surprise). But it made me hold out until MACNA until the Radions now... Based on the poor controller and setup reviews, not so great PAR results, disco effect complaints, and pictures of tanks before and after tanks with T5s, has anyone returned their Vegas? __________________ 180 Gallon Mixed Reef

09/16/2012, 06:09 PM	#317
blajoie Moved On Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: MA Posts: 40	Few more photos/videos - overall i am quite satisfied with my purchase. Not quite sure what all the negativity is about... Full power followed by full day cycle (sped up) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qktS9e0aRLw&hd=1 CORAL GROWING MODE (demo mode) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ztd1F9b7yyo&hd=1 Last edited by blajoie; 09/16/2012 at 06:42 PM.

09/16/2012, 08:39 PM	#322
Yogre Cheesehead Reefer Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Madison, Wisconsin Posts: 1,351	I'm not sure that terrestrial plants and corals use the same spectrum for photosynthesis. The red part of the spectrum is very quickly filtered out by water. Most of what corals "see" at any depth at all is in the blue range. __________________ "Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow." ~ Albert Einstein Current Tank Info: 215 gal TBS Reef

09/16/2012, 08:52 PM	#323
Skipponator Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Apple Valley, MN Posts: 537	Odd thing happened yesterday. I was showing a fellow reefer of the options and performed a test run. 1/3 of the way through the gfci popped shutting that circuit down! Now I only have a mag12, mj1200 , 1 Vega, and my uv sterilizer on that circuit... __________________ Got crabs? Current Tank Info: Exiting hobby.

09/16/2012, 12:24 PM	#306
SpeedRacer Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: San Luis Obispo Posts: 33	I accidentally replaced my New Controller Firmware with the old Firmware file. Can anyone send me the current Firmware .bin file?

09/16/2012, 02:03 PM	#309
reefsurfing Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 499	Issue 3 was expected; while the controller shouldn't be spastic I can't find any advertising that states the controller charges wirelessly. I was never under the impression the controller wouldn't have to be plugged in to the wall. Though, I am curious if anyone has plugged it in across the room and tested the 2.4Ghz range on the controller?

09/16/2012, 03:02 PM	#312
SpeedRacer Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: San Luis Obispo Posts: 33	Anyone wanna help a brotha out and send me your bin file? Mines doa till i replace that file... If so shoot me a PM and ill give you my email.

09/16/2012, 05:22 PM	#314
mt4sure Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Brooklyn, NYC Posts: 55	I am very interested in comparisons of people who went and bought these new leds from Ai and their thoughts or direct comparisons to their old t5/mh setup. Been nerve racking holding off on leds but not sure it would be the perfect replacement yet.

09/16/2012, 07:26 PM	#321
Mcbeezus Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 73	To further comment on the wavelength that this fixture offers, we all want 400-450 (or at least that is what everyone is all biased about the new LEDS not offering)...i am currently majoring in biology and have taken botany classes and deep red which is little higher in nanometers has almost the same effect as the 400-450 in the photosynthetic process. In our greenhouse we have a couple places that have a deep red leds that grow plants just as good as the natural sunlight. I am only in my 2nd year so dont chop my head off if some information is off but if AI has the deep reds wouldnt it be just as effective as what the maxspect razor and radion pro spectrum will be able to achieve.

09/16/2012, 11:37 PM	#325
MBSL55 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 33	Got my controller all figured out and working here too. Just used another power adapter which took care of the button sensitivity issue and let the controller pick the order of the lights and it recognized all 5. I'm surprised at how well the red and green LED's cover my tank even though there are only a few of them in each fixture now that I've been able to mess with power levels for each color LED.