Kessil 160 enough?

[sunil6784]

Hi all,

My 112 gallon tank is ready for some lights. I currently have a few fish, and will be getting some softies, LPS, and/or leathers in the future.

I really like the Kessil lighting, LOVE the shimmer.

I'm hoping that two 160s will be enough ? For aesthetic reasons, I would like to avoid larger fixtures. I like the look of the Kessils.

The tank is 60"(L) x 18"(D) x24"(H).

Will two 160s be enough?

 

[Stephen Glover]

I used to use 2 on 30x30x24 mixed reef for a while. For a 60” tank you will need at least 3 due to the shadowing.

 

[minus9]

I would probably upgrade to the 360x's long term. In the end, I think 3 would do the job nicely.

 

[helwrj28]

I used to use 2 on 30x30x24 mixed reef for a while. For a 60” tank you will need at least 3 due to the shadowing.

What size tank do you have? And what do you run your lights at?

 

[yanetterer]

At least 3, but probably 4 to avoid shadowing. Even then I wouldn't expect much growth from corals at the bottom of the tank. 24" is a long way for those lights to penetrate.

I have two over a 36"x18"x12". At 100% I get a little over 200 PAR at the surface, with around 80-100 PAR on the sand. There are lots of softies and LPS that can handle PAR levels that are half of that, but at 24" of depth I don't think you would even hit 40-50 PAR on the sand bed.

If you're set on Kessil, then 360s would probably be better, just to make sure anything in the bottom half is getting enough light. However, trying to get 30" of coverage per pendant is tough. You could raise them really high, but you will have to crank the intensity up to make up for the height and you will have a lot of light spilling over the tank. If you don't want to do four 360s because of the cost, you could probably do two 360s to provide enough light for the bottom of the tank and then add two 160s to fill in any shadowing.

 

[Seansea]

Ya for what your keeping there no sweat. I use 2 a 160s on my red sea reefer 350 mixxed reef which is 21" deep. I have mushrooms gsp acans gonis down on bottom and they are all doing great. You can have some sps but you will want them high right under tractor beam. Some of my montipora are growing out of control. Kessils are great for mixxed reefs cuz u can put higher light stuffin the beam and move leptos cyphastrea hammers off to side to not get hot spotted

 

[helwrj28]

Ya for what your keeping there no sweat. I use 2 a 160s on my red sea reefer 350 mixxed reef which is 21" deep. I have mushrooms gsp acans gonis down on bottom and they are all doing great. You can have some sps but you will want them high right under tractor beam. Some of my montipora are growing out of control. Kessils are great for mixxed reefs cuz u can put higher light stuffin the beam and move leptos cyphastrea hammers off to side to not get hot spotted

What do you run your lights at? And how far above water surface are they mounted?

 

[Seansea]

They are 9" above water. I run them with spectral controler. Ramp up to 100% intensity from 1200 to 1600. Then 100% intensity and 30% color (around 15k color im guessin) FROM 1600 TO 2100. ramp down until 0000 lights go off.

 

[helwrj28]

They are 9" above water. I run them with spectral controler. Ramp up to 100% intensity from 1200 to 1600. Then 100% intensity and 30% color (around 15k color im guessin) FROM 1600 TO 2100. ramp down until 0000 lights go off.

Thanks! You're getting good growth with just 4 hour peak time?

 

[Seansea]

5 hours and yes if i go much longer at 100 my hammers start to shrivel up.

 

[helwrj28]

5 hours and yes if i go much longer at 100 my hammers start to shrivel up.

Appreciate the information! Have you ever checked the par output you're getting?

I'm just curious because I have a reefer 350 as well with just plans for some soft coral and Zoas, and curious if I need to run at 100% intensity or something more like 70-80%. Most if not all my coral will be placed near the sandbed or lower half of the tank

 

[Seansea]

100%. Par is around 250 right at top under beam. Like 50-75 down low. Most zoas like light. Prob higher. Alot of softies like light too. Shrooms and and acans and blastos down low good. I got a jack olantern and cyphastrea midway and they are growing well. Have a tropic thunder monti at top that is out of control growing.

 

[Seansea]

Tank is right at 6 months old. This pick is a couple weeks back. Added 16 corals in cherry coral live sale so need an updated pick.

 

[Seansea]

You can see hljust from pics the shimmer is nuts.

 

[helwrj28]

Tank is right at 6 months old. This pick is a couple weeks back. Added 16 corals in cherry coral live sale so need an updated pick.

Tank looks great! Thanks for the assistance! What are your par levels for the high rock portions? And do you run 100% on color too?

 

[Seansea]

Never taken par readings but seen many write ups so guessing 240 right at top of rocks and prob 100 right under tractor beam at bottom. Then tails off towards sides. I run mine at 30% color so guessin around 14k. Still blue but can see colors on fish instead of just washed out by blue