Calling Kessil 360W users- color & intensity?

[GoVols]

+++following

I am relatively new and like the A80 on the 13G nano so far. Based on my recent PAR readings I did first passed, the acans like them even @ < 150. I am looking to bump up the intensity with A360W-E shortly to get slightly more intensity and coverage while at the same time future proof my purchase to an extent in case of upgrades in the very near future.

I am running 4 a80's with 4 t5's and my SPS are still encrusting and one them is 20" down.
One of Kessil's engineer's helped me out.
Lol, I did not tell him that I was going to band saw the 5" heat sinks down to 3.75" to fit my factory 2 bulb t5 mid section.

 

[nervousmonkey]

I am running 4 a80's with 4 t5's and my SPS are still encrusting and one them is 20" down.
One of Kessil's engineer's helped me out.
Lol, I did not tell him that I was going to band saw the 5" heat sinks down to 3.75" to fit my factory 2 bulb t5 mid section.

Nice DIY on the red sea! How do you like the gyre flow in the tank? I have a RSM 500 so it's almost exactly like your tank. Have WAV's on it now, but have been thinking seriously about a gyre. What model is that and would you go up a model or keep the same one? And does that along with the recirculation pumps on the back provide enough flow? Looks like the surface is getting some great movement! Great looking set up too.

 

[reef-rc]

@GoVols - I did read your mod a while back and it's really kool for sure. I had considered getting a 2nd A80.

Would be curious how those SPS down passed @ 10" do long term. My amateur par reading a week back at this level came out to less than 100 par. I am sure those 4 T5s fill the gaps to give the tank the appropriate intensity that you mentioned.

 

[GoVols]

Nice DIY on the red sea! How do you like the gyre flow in the tank? I have a RSM 500 so it's almost exactly like your tank. Have WAV's on it now, but have been thinking seriously about a gyre. What model is that and would you go up a model or keep the same one? And does that along with the recirculation pumps on the back provide enough flow? Looks like the surface is getting some great movement! Great looking set up too.

Thank You,

Which way is your WAV's pointing?

It the original smallest Gyre but when I got it, it already had the new thicker (updated) blades on it. When I clean it, I just soak the whole thing in 100% Heinz cleaning vinegar overnight, then brush it off under running water. I've had a little over 1 year and no complaints.

I was running the Gyre on pulse mode about 1/2 speed with the longest pulse setting. Then once a week I'd put it on full speed on full straight line mode for a few hours to lift up all the detritus and let it go over the overflow and down to the socks. I'm running bare bottom so I'm not worried about sand storms.

Now, I have a giant wall hammer on the bottom and the Gyre is just too must flow for it with all the Red Sea pumps even at it's lowest pulse setting.
So Now, I still use the Gyre once a week to lift out any detritus the day before I do my water change and the hammer just closes up until I'm done.

 

[GoVols]

@GoVols - Would be curious how those SPS down passed @ 10" do long term.

They will be fine. They are still encrusting and the colors have gotten better too, but no way would they do it in my 24" deep tank with out pushing the 4 t5's (2 on front and 2 on back ) and that's why I got Kessil's advise before I wasted $ and 7 hours.

Also, at full daylight (from 11 am to 7pm) I'm at 35% color and 100% intensity with the 4 t5's on as well. I tried 100% intensity right out of the gate and my corals were freaked out and I could see some bleaching on my SPS up top. So, I chocked them back and slowly got them up to 100% while my corals acclimated to them.

If anybody is thinking of doing something with Kessil's. Shoot them a email and follow it up with a call. They know their capabilities and will be honest with you.
I asked the engineer if I could go all out A80's in all sections and drop all the T5's and he said, "No way".

The goal was to keep the canopy that I love and get the Kessil shimmer and spread with my T5's while maintaining coral health / growth, and make it look like it was Red Sea factory.

 

[reef-rc]

They will be fine. They are still encrusting and the colors have gotten better too, but no way would they do it in my 24" deep tank with out pushing the 4 t5's (2 on front and 2 on back ) and that's why I got Kessil's advise before I wasted $ and 7 hours.

Also, at full daylight (from 11 am to 7pm) I'm at 35% color and 100% intensity with the 4 t5's on as well. I tried 100% intensity right out of the gate and my corals were freaked out and I could see some bleaching on my SPS up top. So, I chocked them back and slowly got them up to 100% while my corals acclimated to them.

If anybody is thinking of doing something with Kessil's. Shoot them a email and follow it up with a call. They know their capabilities and will be honest with you.
I asked the engineer if I could go all out A80's in all sections and drop all the T5's and he said, "No way".

The goal was to keep the canopy that I love and get the Kessil shimmer and spread with my T5's while maintaining coral health / growth, and make it look like it was Red Sea factory.

good info...

 

[nervousmonkey]

Thank You,

Which way is your WAV's pointing?

It the original smallest Gyre but when I got it, it already had the new thicker (updated) blades on it. When I clean it, I just soak the whole thing in 100% Heinz cleaning vinegar overnight, then brush it off under running water. I've had a little over 1 year and no complaints.

I was running the Gyre on pulse mode about 1/2 speed with the longest pulse setting. Then once a week I'd put it on full speed on full straight line mode for a few hours to lift up all the detritus and let it go over the overflow and down to the socks. I'm running bare bottom so I'm not worried about sand storms.

Now, I have a giant wall hammer on the bottom and the Gyre is just too must flow for it with all the Red Sea pumps even at it's lowest pulse setting.
So Now, I still use the Gyre once a week to lift out any detritus the day before I do my water change and the hammer just closes up until I'm done.

I have 4 WAV's in the tank, two on each side panel, one high, one low, all running the same program but the opposite wall pumps run opposite to the other two... sounds confusing, but no need to have anything on the back wall, I have three pumps there, and can keep the high pumps for SPS and the ones down low for LPS, but I'm thinking of taking two off and replacing with a Gyre, which is why I ask. Actually taking the third off as well and leaving one underneath the Gyre pointed to run a gyre like pattern by pointing at the back wall so there is a current running parallel to the ground, while the Gyre has it's flow perpendicular to the ground. Lots of flow and no dead spots, which was the point initially, but that can be achieved differently, which is why I'm asking around. I am sold on a Gyre, but just don't know the size and wanted someone with a similar size tank with the back wall recirc pumps to weigh in...
Do you have to run it on pulse? Or are the other programs stronger than pulse mode? I can see the giant hammer and it looks like it's right in that hurricane path of the Gyre....

 

[GoVols]

I have 4 WAV's in the tank, two on each side panel, one high, one low, all running the same program but the opposite wall pumps run opposite to the other two... sounds confusing, but no need to have anything on the back wall, I have three pumps there, and can keep the high pumps for SPS and the ones down low for LPS, but I'm thinking of taking two off and replacing with a Gyre, which is why I ask. Actually taking the third off as well and leaving one underneath the Gyre pointed to run a gyre like pattern by pointing at the back wall so there is a current running parallel to the ground, while the Gyre has it's flow perpendicular to the ground. Lots of flow and no dead spots, which was the point initially, but that can be achieved differently, which is why I'm asking around. I am sold on a Gyre, but just don't know the size and wanted someone with a similar size tank with the back wall recirc pumps to weigh in...
Do you have to run it on pulse? Or are the other programs stronger than pulse mode? I can see the giant hammer and it looks like it's right in that hurricane path of the Gyre....

Lol, I'll try to get you a shot of the showpiece hammer. I lost a small bit of it pur bad handling.

 

[GoVols]

Lol, I'll try to get you a shot of the showpiece hammer. I lost a small bit of it pur bad handling.

@nervousmonkey
Alright, There going to be rough!!!!!!!!!! Old cell phone and blues are on.

You saw the hammer right when I did the mod. It showed it's H pattern. Look at it now billowing out and basking under the Kessil's.
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Your like me, You have a lot flow from front to back. So the real niche with the Gyre is that is pushes water across the top surface water from one side to the other side, down that far wall, across the bottom and back up to the Gyre. So when it travels back across the bottom and mid tank level then it swirls with the Red Sea recirculating pumps and it P***es off the wall hammer.

If you desire that kind of flow then you can't beat the Gyre.
You can run it at any strength in all the modes but I love Apex and I've never ran their WAV's because those were released after the Gyre.

Your 500 is a little longer than my 400 but the small Gyre is way more than enough in the 400. When I crank it up to 100% the entire reef is rocking and almost no dead spots. It's too strong to run at 100% in the 400 and if I had sand. It would be (lol) "Sand Storm"!!!!!!!!

I only crank it up to 100%, once a week to lift up and out detritus from my live rock.

You have the 500 and I have the 400. So, I think you can figure out these sizes of the corals.
Here is some pictures and sorry for the quality!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Red Hot Chilli Pepper (20" Down)

 

[nervousmonkey]

Wow! those are some nice pieces! And I love the aquascape! I actually did the same thing but changed the scape, however I'm in a reset now, moved corals to another tank, and my scape was going to be exactly like yours. Now I have to think of something else dangit! Either way, great looking tank man! What's your name BTW? I can't call you Vol-Lover, sounds weird...

Yeah, that front to back flow is pretty powerful; I tried putting them on my Apex so I could run programs for more randomness and on/off ability but didn't work. What I'm thinking about doing is getting a Varios that powers all three outlets so I can get more space back there, and have some DC control of the pumps for better flow instead of the constant front to back flow.

Yeah, that's what I want the Gyre for, actually maybe mounting it vertically so it has a flow around the tank instead of up and down, and use the WAV's for pushing water up across the top of the tank all the way. The WAV's have a narrow stream, so they actually go from one end to the other and bounce off the other wall. Either way, I want a Gyre to change things up, probably because I love new tech and I haven't used a Gyre before. At least I can admit my addiction to reef tank tech. HAHA!

I have the LED set up with the three hydra 26HD's, and love them, but had to add halides in between the hydra's. I love halides and they can light up that tank all the way to the bottom. Everything that goes in it has to get light acclimated with shade cloth, otherwise they get burnt, but once corals are used to the light, they love it. Same as yours, lots and lots of light, lots of flow and good nutrient export. Those three things go a really long way towards making up for other shortcomings don't they?

Last point, I really don't like the Red Sea sump. I want to change it so bad; i bought a Trigger sump that should have fit but won't by 1/4"... :mad: I love having a real refugium in my sump, and I can't have one with this tank. Anyway, fun to chat with someone else who has the same challenges. Red Sea tanks are anything but plug and play. Actually, they are mostly play as one plays around trying to figure out how to get around a specific design element of Red Sea. I love the tank don't get me wrong, I'm just saying that there is a ton of DIY that I can do to this tank!!! Looks like you've done it with yours too!

 

[GoVols]

I'll send you a PM so this "Kessil" thread doesn't go sideways.

 

[James Jordan]

Its the older versions. It spurred them to redesign the new models.

James whats the par for both channels at full.?

With 100% intensity, and color at 100% I average 60 PAR on the sandbed, around 75 PAR 6 inches up, 125 PAR 12 inches up, and 150 right below the water line (with 325+ right under the light).

 

[Midrats]

I don't think my lux readings are going to be very useful to me with the Kessil. I was at about 2/3 what I was with my previous light and stuff was retreating in my tank. I have since cut it back to half of the previous light level and things are looking happier.

Do not underestimate this light.

 

[GoVols]

Do not underestimate this light.

+1
Never was able to get the old 350 over 40% per channel over that tanks 20" depth. and it was 12" above the water line.
You can cook some corals real easy with the 360's.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I don't think my lux readings are going to be very useful to me with the Kessil. I was at about 2/3 what I was with my previous light and stuff was retreating in my tank. I have since cut it back to half of the previous light level and things are looking happier.

Do not underestimate this light.

It's not a lux or par thing really. It's just the sweet spot for your tank and light.

 

[Midrats]

So I have activated Acclimation Mode on my controller. I'm starting out at 35% intensity. Can anyone explain how it works? Does it just follow my Quickset program and work it's way up to whatever I have set gradually increasing over the specified duration? There are no instructions really.

 

[Jrco226]

So I have activated Acclimation Mode on my controller. I'm starting out at 35% intensity. Can anyone explain how it works? Does it just follow my Quickset program and work it's way up to whatever I have set gradually increasing over the specified duration? There are no instructions really.

My understanding is that you pair it to your desired program and then set the acclimation mode to a percentage of the program along with the amount of days you want to it to ramp up to said desired daily program. So yes, I believe you are thinking correctly.

 

[Midrats]

I see no options to pair it with anything. The only choices are duration and intensity. It must pair with whatever program you were using last. I only have one set up but if one had multiple how would it know which one to use?

 

[Jrco226]

I see no options to pair it with anything. The only choices are duration and intensity. It must pair with whatever program you were using last. I only have one set up but if one had multiple how would it know which one to use?

I don't have the controller in front of me at the moment but I know there is a way to change the program it is paired with.

 

[Midrats]

I don't have the controller in front of me at the moment but I know there is a way to change the program it is paired with.

OK cool thanks. When I get home I will investigate further.