AP9X light supplementation

leon.1980 · Mar 24, 2023

So I have a single ap9x over my Red Sea 425xl. It is 4 x 2 x 2.
It is lit with a single kessil ap9x. Par is fine as I’ll be running a mixed reef but I definitely noticed weird growth patterns on my green slimer due to shadowing. I want to add supplemental lighting for shadowing. How would a pair of Orphik OR3 blue plus do for this?

MERKEY · Mar 24, 2023

They would be great

rtparty · Mar 24, 2023

How high is your AP9X mounted? That will determine the best strip light for the job

leon.1980 · Mar 24, 2023

rtparty said:
How high is your AP9X mounted? That will determine the best strip light for the job

10in however I am ok with mounting the strip lights independently.

MERKEY · Mar 24, 2023

I use reefbrites with my ap9x but the orpheks will work as well.

Our reef brites are hung at the same level as the ap9x and at 100% as rhey don't give off a lot of par but are there for the blue pop.

leon.1980 · Mar 24, 2023

MERKEY said:
I use reefbrites with my ap9x but the orpheks will work as well.

Our reef brites are hung at the same level as the ap9x and at 100% as rhey don't give off a lot of par but are there for the blue pop.

See. I don’t want them for the pop. I want them to help with the lack of blanket par.

MERKEY · Mar 24, 2023

leon.1980 said:
See. I don’t want them for the pop. I want them to help with the lack of blanket par.

That's reef brites tho...I don't have orphek so I can't say on the PAR output on those.

If you want more blanket PAR output why not get another apx9 or get a t5 hybrid.

While the strip lights are nice for the added blue and white they definitely don't add the par.

leon.1980 · Mar 25, 2023

MERKEY said:
That's reef brites tho...I don't have orphek so I can't say on the PAR output on those.

If you want more blanket PAR output why not get another apx9 or get a t5 hybrid.

While the strip lights are nice for the added blue and white they definitely don't add the par.

The whole point of strip lights is to supplement lights that don’t get as much spread. The par numbers are fine for my purpose. I just want less shadowing. The non shadowed side of
My sps are in the 250 to 400 range. The shadowed side of same frags though are in the 50 to 60 par. I just need to add to what I already have on the shadowed sides.

neonreef3d · Mar 25, 2023

I love the ap9x,,, we make lots of mounts for this model, available in any size rail.

leon.1980 · Mar 25, 2023

neon_reefer said:
I love the ap9x,,, we make lots of mounts for this model, available in any size rail.

Ap9x mounts or strip light mounts?

flyfisher2 · Mar 25, 2023

I’ve been using two Orphek Blue strips with my Two AP9X’s and Find they do help with lighting the corals from the sides where the point source Kessil’s miss.
As the corals are growing I see I will be struggling with shadowing as a result of overcrowding and corals just competing for real estate.

leon.1980 · Mar 25, 2023

flyfisher2 said:
I’ve been using two Orphek Blue strips with my Two AP9X’s and Find they do help with lighting the corals from the sides where the point source Kessil’s miss.
As the corals are growing I see I will be struggling with shadowing as a result of overcrowding and corals just competing for real estate.

That’s what I like about the Orpheus though. I feel I can just add a few at a time as I need them. Or do you regret not going with something like the atlantiks?

MERKEY · Mar 25, 2023

leon.1980 said:
The whole point of strip lights is to supplement lights that don’t get as much spread. The par numbers are fine for my purpose. I just want less shadowing. The non shadowed side of
My sps are in the 250 to 400 range. The shadowed side of same frags though are in the 50 to 60 par. I just need to add to what I already have on the shadowed sides.

Ya maybe you miss understood what I was saying but either orphek or reefbrite will cover what you are talking about.

People use a t5 hybrid for the same purpose.

The Atlantiks would be like adding another ap9x as they are not strips.

Even if you replaced the ap9x with an Atlantik, you would still most likely need strips for what you're describing on shadowing.

flyfisher2 · Mar 25, 2023

leon.1980 said:
That’s what I like about the Orpheus though. I feel I can just add a few at a time as I need them. Or do you regret not going with something like the atlantiks?

I’m good with the Orphek Strips. I love the Kessil shimmer and white light.
The growth is good so all I use the Orphek’s for is the Blue which pops more for night viewing and at the same time gives me the fill in coverage.
I run the Kessils for 8 hours and the Orpheks and additional 4 hours.
As of now I’m good.

leon.1980 · Mar 25, 2023

leon.1980 said:
That’s what I like about the Orpheus though. I feel I can just add a few at a time as I need them

flyfisher2 said:
I’m good with the Orphek Strips. I love the Kessil shimmer and white light.
The growth is good so all I use the Orphek’s for is the Blue which pops more for night viewing and at the same time gives me the fill in coverage.
I run the Kessils for 8 hours and the Orpheks and additional 4 hours.
As of now I’m good.

What size tank do you have? Are you running a sps dominant or mixed reef? Trying to figure out if I can get away with one ap9x and 2 orphiks.
I love the kessil shimmer too!
I also love the kessil logic!

flyfisher2 · Mar 25, 2023

leon.1980 said:
What size tank do you have? Are you running a sps dominant or mixed reef? Trying to figure out if I can get away with one ap9x and 2 orphiks.
I love the kessil shimmer too!
I also love the kessil logic!

60x24x24
Sps dominant
I’ll add a pic in a few

ScubaFish802 · Mar 25, 2023

Have you looked into the new AI Blades?

leon.1980 · Mar 25, 2023

ScubaFish802 said:
Have you looked into the new AI Blades?

I have. A pair of these are 300 dollar cheaper. I only really need the on off function. I plan on just turning them on once my kessil has ramped all the way up. Then off when it is starting to ramp down.