Any SPS dominant tanks with Kessils?

defugium · Feb 15, 2015

Yes I hear too many people talk about lighting an other reefers see my tank an every time I hear wow your growing all that with kessils an not t5 , mh ect focus on stability an correct water levels alk ca ect well that's my 2 cents lol

DVeit · Feb 15, 2015

defugium said:
Yes I hear too many people talk about lighting an other reefers see my tank an every time I hear wow your growing all that with kessils an not t5 , mh ect focus on stability an correct water levels alk ca ect well that's my 2 cents lol

Oh Absolutely! In fact, stability/params is probably more important than lighting. Although, idk if you've ever tried to search for info on our lights? It's extremely hard to find any info about running these lights with SPS, much less the settings people use while doing it. Yet these lights are one of the better known brands. So I created this thread trying to gather more info for everyone as to how many people are having success growing SPS with these lights and what settings they're using to do it. I'm sure a ton of people will find all the info on this thread very helpful. Thanks everyone for sharing and giving input, lets keep it going!

LILBUDDHA · Feb 15, 2015

[QUOTE=kidtango

That's one way to address any shading issues n have shimmer. It looks clean too. BTW i love your female Bellus .I had one for quite a few years until she got too bossy . She went to a lfs n killed a few expensive fish n their display tank then turned into a male .She wasn't paired either.

defugium · Feb 15, 2015

DVeit said:
Oh Absolutely! In fact, stability/params is probably more important than lighting. Although, idk if you've ever tried to search for info on our lights? It's extremely hard to find any info about running these lights with SPS, much less the settings people use while doing it. Yet these lights are one of the better known brands. So I created this thread trying to gather more info for everyone as to how many people are having success growing SPS with these lights and what settings they're using to do it. I'm sure a ton of people will find all the info on this thread very helpful. Thanks everyone for sharing and giving input, lets keep it going!

I've noticed the same thing. After moving from 150 to 360s I just slowing moved them up starting at 50% moving up 10% every 3 days had a little bleaching but they bounced back pretty quick

PatrikD · Mar 12, 2015

defugium: I'm impressed by your sps. I didn't believe it was possible to be as successful with the Kessils as with t5! Can you please post more pictures

How big is your tank? A FTS with the kessils would be nice. What are your routines with the tank? Zeovit, refugium skimmer feeding etc.?

I have a new 65 gallon tank and two Kessil 360we. I plan to have some Acropora species so I'm prepared to also use 4x39 W T5. But if it's possible to run without t5 I will do that.

russbeard · Mar 13, 2015

following

bsstover · Mar 13, 2015

I have 4 AI hydras on my 150 and had bought some of the kessils and started with them around 30-40% and burnt up nearly all of my SPS. I am interested in what people have to say here as I'd like to go back to the Kessils for the shimmer but don't want to burn things up again.

I'd also like to know what people are doing for "moonlight" when using the kessils, as I do like that effect with my Hydras.

BrotherReef · Mar 13, 2015

bsstover said:
I have 4 AI hydras on my 150 and had bought some of the kessils and started with them around 30-40% and burnt up nearly all of my SPS. I am interested in what people have to say here as I'd like to go back to the Kessils for the shimmer but don't want to burn things up again.

I'd also like to know what people are doing for "moonlight" when using the kessils, as I do like that effect with my Hydras.

How high off the water were your Kessil's and are they on with the hydras?

bsstover · Mar 13, 2015

I had taken the hydras off and put 3 kessils about 12" over the water. Lost some really good stuff.

BrotherReef · Mar 13, 2015

bsstover said:
I had taken the hydras off and put 3 kessils about 12" over the water. Lost some really good stuff.

Was the 30-40 percent intensity or color? We're they the 360NE or 360WE?

bsstover · Mar 13, 2015

This was set for both initially. I had bought the 360we but received 360ne and set the 360ne up and thought at a lower intensity should be good to start with since my stuff had been grown under the hydras for years.

BrotherReef · Mar 13, 2015

bsstover said:
This was set for both initially. I had bought the 360we but received 360ne and set the 360ne up and thought at a lower intensity should be good to start with since my stuff had been grown under the hydras for years.

You had the right settings but at the wrong height. I have the 360NEs and the requirement for them are 18-24 inches AWL. I think that was your fate.

bsstover · Mar 13, 2015

That's what I was wondering as well. I was so excited to get the new lights, I didn't want to send them back to get the right ones. I thought about hanging them higher and seeing how it does. But I still don't want to do the switch back until there is a good moonlight option.

BrotherReef · Mar 13, 2015

bsstover said:
That's what I was wondering as well. I was so excited to get the new lights, I didn't want to send them back to get the right ones. I thought about hanging them higher and seeing how it does. But I still don't want to do the switch back until there is a good moonlight option.

They won't have one as the lights won't go lower than 5 percent intensity. You might have to place a kit on the lights for your lunar lights.

PatrikD · Mar 14, 2015

They do easily burn corals. I have that experience also. I have read that Kessil have several times more UV than other LED's!!

PatrikD · Mar 14, 2015

Here's a link with SPS AND Kessil only.

Recife.pt ? Ver TÃ³pico - ReefPrata

Big E · Mar 14, 2015

kidtango said:
I am runnign 3 360WES plus 2 80w ATI 4 bulb fixtures over my tank. I have the kessils up at 100% for at least 8 hours. I find that the kessils do not easily burn my corals like the other led fixtures that I had used prior.

I personally do not think the kessils are strong enough for SPS unless you run alot of fixtures. My tank is 60X35X21. I would need at least 12X 360WE for my tank. They are perfect in conjunction with the ATI fixtures. All my SPS are doing great under these lights.

I like everything about your tank from using the kessils more for shimmer/accenting and being T5 dominant for coloring acros.

Really like the aqua scaping and your tank dimensions as well................great thought out set up.

PatrikD · Mar 14, 2015

kidtango: Very nice tank! Is the shimmer noticeable with so much t5 light?

kidtango · Mar 14, 2015

Big E said:
I like everything about your tank from using the kessils more for shimmer/accenting and being T5 dominant for coloring acros.

Really like the aqua scaping and your tank dimensions as well................great thought out set up.

Thanks, Big E! The tank is going through changes still! But things are looking up. I hoping to get a macro lens soon to take better pics of the tank. The phone pics suck.

I have been using this lighting setup for over 5 months now and is not changing anytime soon. This lighting combo has a lot of potential and flexibility. I can change out two bulbs and run two 12K ATI bulbs for the extra punch when I need to color up a certain acros that wont color up under other spectrum. Or go more blue and etc. The kessils are there for more control and that extra "pop".

I find that without the kessils on, the tank looks very flat and a bit boring. With the kessils and the shimmer effect, the tank looks very naturual. I also love that ocean blue look of the aquablue plus. It's unbeatable the way it looks. I can't seem to replicate that color with just my kessils on. The tank does go through it's cycle just like a tank with all LEds would. I can dawn/dust and from the noon look to the dawn look. So the tank goes from very blue in the morning to more white in the mid afternoon (kessils on at 80% color) and then back to more blue in the evening. That's my favorite color/look of the tank. Everything looks calm and poping lol.

I have no issue with heat at all. The tank runs at 77/78 degrees throughout the day. The ATIs are very quiet and super effecient.

The shimmer is very noticable now that I have 3 kessils. Even with all 8 bulbs on, I can easily see the shimmer in the tank. The shimmer on the kessil is unbeatable, IMO. It's very natural looking. If you look closely on some of my pics, you can actually see the shimmer. I'll try to do a video one day when the tank is worthy. For now, you guys will have to be a bit more patient with me.