How many kessil?

[spscrackhead]

I am converting my 300g planted discus tank to a reef tank and am looking for help with kessil coverage.

Looking at a mixed reef here.
60L x 33W x 36H
I have 2 chihiros wrgb pro 120 on the tank now that I intend on using along with the kessil for a more even coverage. https://www.chihirosaquaticstudio.com/products/chihiros-wrgb-ii-pro-led-light?variant=42527859310810

Thanks in advance!

 

[Seancj]

At 36" height and 33" width, you really need to look at the Kessil A500X. It is designed to punch deeper, and, with a wider lens, can cover a wider surface area close to 24". You could start with 3 of them and add more as your coral growth demands. Or, add some supplemental LED bars to help. Quanta Mesa or Orphek bars work beautifully with Kessils!

 

[MarineandReef Jaron]

I would agree I would suggest 3 A500X. Anything over 24in tall and I would go with the 500X over the A360X

 

[Spare time]

I probably wouldn't use the freshwater lights.

 

[spscrackhead]

Sounds like the 360 wont give me the penetration I need. How does everyone feel about the reflectors?
My wallet would prefer me going with the 360. I have a buddy selling a few and I can get like 6 a360(used) for what a single a500(new) would cost me. So even if I get more lights (and maybe use the reflectors) it would be more economical.

 

[Seancj]

You would need 8, preferably 10, A360's to properly cover that tank.
You would not have very much PAR reaching the sand bed.

 

[blecki]

IME the A360s have disappointingly little punch. I tried to replace my chinese black box LEDs with 3 of them on my 230 (similar dimensions as your tank - not quite as tall or deep) and while visually they looked great my corals suffered. All my zoas grew super long and I lost some sps and a leather that I'd had for years. I ended up figuring out that I'd need minimum 6, probably more like 10 of them to get me the same par as the black boxes - and my tank is shallower than yours. So I ended up sticking the black boxes back on and now the super expensive premium lights are just supplemental spotlights on the SPS in the back, sigh.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

I have 3 500s with 4 T5s on a 27ish deep mixed at 9 inches above the water. With only 3 spots on a larger tank, you would most likely need supplemental as things grow. I for sure wouldn’t be happy with only three spots on my tank. I myself feel like I should have gone with four on my tank. If it were me, I’d go for 4 500s and t5 or led bars.

 

[spscrackhead]

I have one with a reflector on it and it's looking like 6 would give alright coverage, 2 rows of 3. I have no idea on par.
And again even with 6, I am 50$ less than the price on a single a500. Considering adding a few reefbrite as well.

 

[Seancj]

I have one with a reflector on it and it's looking like 6 would give alright coverage, 2 rows of 3. I have no idea on par.
And again even with 6, I am 50$ less than the price on a single a500. Considering adding a few reefbrite as well.

3, 360's, will not cover a 60" tank left to right. You will have notable shadow areas between fixtures, especially up high. If you like that look, great, I kinda do, but you will sacrifice a lot of surface area under them that you could have placed more corals.
Consider that your buddy's A360's, I'm assuming A360WE's, may be nearing end of life, ie usable PAR/PUR. Most are lucky to get 5 years of decent PAR out of the WE model, and that is over tanks much more shallow than yours.
You may need to dismantle them to clean the fans, which have a known problem of gunking up and stopping, causing the LED's to overheat.
Don't get me wrong, I love the Kessil WE's and still have my AP9X's. I used the WE's for many years over my tanks and had good growth and great color, but my tanks were only 13" to 16" tall.
If he's selling you A360X's at that price, then you are getting a good deal and they should last you a while longer than the WE's.
You could give them a try and see how your corals respond, but be prepared to upgrade much sooner than if you started with new, more powerful, fixtures right off the bat.
Many a reefer went cheap early on with equipment, only to upgrade soon after, and pay twice as much.

 

[MarineandReef Jaron]

3, 360's, will not cover a 60" tank left to right. You will have notable shadow areas between fixtures, especially up high. If you like that look, great, I kinda do, but you will sacrifice a lot of surface area under them that you could have placed more corals.
Consider that your buddy's A360's, I'm assuming A360WE's, may be nearing end of life, ie usable PAR/PUR. Most are lucky to get 5 years of decent PAR out of the WE model, and that is over tanks much more shallow than yours.
You may need to dismantle them to clean the fans, which have a known problem of gunking up and stopping, causing the LED's to overheat.
Don't get me wrong, I love the Kessil WE's and still have my AP9X's. I used the WE's for many years over my tanks and had good growth and great color, but my tanks were only 13" to 16" tall.
If he's selling you A360X's at that price, then you are getting a good deal and they should last you a while longer than the WE's.
You could give them a try and see how your corals respond, but be prepared to upgrade much sooner than if you started with new, more powerful, fixtures right off the bat.
Many a reefer went cheap early on with equipment, only to upgrade soon after, and pay twice as much.

A local store in my area lit a 60x24x24 display tank with 3 A 360Xs and 4 t5s for many years with decent SPS growth. It was a mixed tank but still had some softball sized SPS. The big thing for the OPs tank is the 36in depth. I would recommend 1 180 watt light per 2 ft regardless of the brand for any SPS dominate tank or tank over 24in deep. It could be a 9X, A 500X, XR30, Hydra 64 etc. Because of the front to back dimension regardless of the brand going with strips front and back would also be a good idea.

This really isn't a matter of the kessil brand it is a matter of how much light is needed for a tank this size.

 

[spscrackhead]

3, 360's, will not cover a 60" tank left to right. You will have notable shadow areas between fixtures, especially up high. If you like that look, great, I kinda do, but you will sacrifice a lot of surface area under them that you could have placed more corals.
Consider that your buddy's A360's, I'm assuming A360WE's, may be nearing end of life, ie usable PAR/PUR. Most are lucky to get 5 years of decent PAR out of the WE model, and that is over tanks much more shallow than yours.
You may need to dismantle them to clean the fans, which have a known problem of gunking up and stopping, causing the LED's to overheat.
Don't get me wrong, I love the Kessil WE's and still have my AP9X's. I used the WE's for many years over my tanks and had good growth and great color, but my tanks were only 13" to 16" tall.
If he's selling you A360X's at that price, then you are getting a good deal and they should last you a while longer than the WE's.
You could give them a try and see how your corals respond, but be prepared to upgrade much sooner than if you started with new, more powerful, fixtures right off the bat.
Many a reefer went cheap early on with equipment, only to upgrade soon after, and pay twice as much.

Are you saying left to right coverage (60" span) will not be good with 3? I was thinking of doing 6 of them. 3 per row. I could just do a single row of 6 or 4 and 4 for 8 total. I mean they say they cover a 2x2 area which would get me an extra foot. I do like the light to die off at the ends of the tank. Overlooked but it really helps keep the glass cleanings down!
They are pretty new a360x being about a month old so I am not overly concerned with life and the need to clean them at this point.

 

[spscrackhead]

A local store in my area lit a 60x24x24 display tank with 3 A 360Xs and 4 t5s for many years with decent SPS growth. It was a mixed tank but still had some softball sized SPS. The big thing for the OPs tank is the 36in depth. I would recommend 1 180 watt light per 2 ft regardless of the brand for any SPS dominate tank or tank over 24in deep. It could be a 9X, A 500X, XR30, Hydra 64 etc. Because of the front to back dimension regardless of the brand going with strips front and back would also be a good idea.

This really isn't a matter of the kessil brand it is a matter of how much light is needed for a tank this size.

I am thinking of running my 2 chirios lights linked in post #1 along with the kessil. Perhaps swap for some reefbrites if they dont get me what I want.

 

[saltwaterpicaso]

BRS has a video for these lights and how many for what coverages with par readings. i have 3 over a 48 120g tank. i use the narrow lenses and have 0 issues. personally what i would do is a mixture of kessils with narrow lenses and a few radions mixed with them. my current setup is a360x and radions its a killer combo

 

[Seancj]

 

[spscrackhead]

I have been watching a bunch of the brs videos lol. It's a bit tough bc nothing is close to my tank dimensions, especially the depth.

What would you run kessil/radion wise given the 60L x 33W x 36D?

BRS has a video for these lights and how many for what coverages with par readings. i have 3 over a 48 120g tank. i use the narrow lenses and have 0 issues. personally what i would do is a mixture of kessils with narrow lenses and a few radions mixed with them. my current setup is a360x and radions its a killer combo

 

[saltwaterpicaso]

4 kessil becouse i prefer the shimmer over the radion over saturation and 3 radion xr15s if that does not hit your par requirements then i would do double front to back so 8 kessil and 3 radion xr30s. but im almost positive with the 4 and 3 you will be hitting 400 ish par and 50 to 80 on sandbed really who grows sps on the sanbed no one i have 50 par at my sandbed and my hammers grow like weeds

 

[minus9]

I love Kessil's, but I would look at other options for that size tank. You would need three 500x's to cover it (that's $2300 for 3 lights/fixtures) and you would still need some bars to fill in. If it were me, I would go with a couple Quanta Atlas and two Meso Blue Helix bars. Or you could do a 4 bar combo of the Helix when they're in stock and that would still be cheaper than 3 500x's. A 5 bar combo of Helix is only $1,239.99 for you size tank. That's a lot of money left over for corals. You could do 3 Atlas and some cheap Aliexpress blue bars. Regardless, I wouldn't spend money of Kessil's or Radions, especially when there are better options out there for less.