Kessil 360 only SPS tanks

[andyman]

Are there any people using the Kessil 360 in an SPS only tank? I'm just curious and I can't seem to find any pix on threads on it.

 

[Scorpius]

They shade like crazy and need supplemental T5's sooner or later to reduce shadowing or you can guarantee coral tissue death in the shadowed areas.

 

[Hemmdog]

You will need t5 supplements or a ton of 360’s. It will grow montis, birdsnest, easy sps without the t5, but acros will need the extra light and full coverage.

 

[andyman]

Yup.. Thats why I'm asking. I'm in that camp right now where I can't seem to keep any good SPS. bigE has convinced me to go T5 but I just wanted to see people who's done it with only kessils 360w. Its pretty annoying when these lights don't put out enough PAR then I see people posting saying don't go too high or you'll burn the corals.

So the most common response I see, don't go too high or you'll burn it

OR

Go to 100% and get more so you can get the PAR you need.

I don't think I've ever read somewhere where some one says turn down the T5 or halides from 100% .

 

[dohc97]

I tried to make it work, tried it for about a year, all my sps looked great but had all kinds of shadowing and nothing really grew. i liked the color but will not try led again anytime soon. T5 is doing fine for me besides missing the shimmer.

 

[Joedubyk]

Home wrecker colony, culture shock and po m panther colony

. All grown under 360s

 

[Mcdy]

How is everyone feeling about the Kessil A360X Tuna Blues? I have 2 over a 75 Gallon tank. The tank is only a couple of months old though. Should I substitute with T5's?

 

[Joedubyk]

How is everyone feeling about the Kessil A360X Tuna Blues? I have 2 over a 75 Gallon tank. The tank is only a couple of months old though. Should I substitute with T5's?

You may, I have 4 over a 525xl (108g)

Get a par meter. Check your distribution. I have 2 reef brite blue strips to supplment. All the top of my acros are getting 350 par. The top of my tank is all 400+++ The distribution is quite good. People who say kessils can't grow SPS are totally talking out of their butt

 

[Joedubyk]

I tried to make it work, tried it for about a year, all my sps looked great but had all kinds of shadowing and nothing really grew. i liked the color but will not try led again anytime soon. T5 is doing fine for me besides missing the shimmer.

It wasn't the LED - it was the user. Have seen over and over again SPS colonies grow quite well under Kessils. I will grant you there is a steep learning curve versus T5s and other plug and play lighting systems

 

[Mcdy]

It wasn't the LED - it was the user. Have seen over and over again SPS colonies grow quite well under Kessils. I will grant you there is a steep learning curve versus T5s and other plug and play lighting systems

I have scheduled to have the LFS to come out to the house and bring their PAR meter and give me some ideas as to lighting schedule and parameters.

 

[dohc97]

tell me how it was my mistake that i had shadowing? from where i stand it looked like i would need 3 kessils to not have shadowing in my tank, we are talking bout a 25 gallon tank

 

[Joedubyk]

tell me how it was my mistake that i had shadowing? from where i stand it looked like i would need 3 kessils to not have shadowing in my tank, we are talking bout a 25 gallon tank

Because you don't need 3 for a 25 g, that's ridiculous and you know it. My guess is you didn't use a par meter and you didn't figure on putting your lights up higher to remedy the situation. I have mine 12 inches off the water for better distribution and less shadowing which is something the community is starting to do, even though manufacturers will say 8-9.

I will grant you manufacturers have done a terrible job for guidelines on LEDs, and most of the learning curve has had to been figured out by the hobbyist. But what makes it tougher is when people say LEDs dont work, or can't grow SPS,etc...They can and do very well. And that's not including their terrible overall job of lighting intensity and spectrum recommendations. Though they have gotten better.. And I will say the learning curve as opposed to plugging in t5s or MH is way steeper..

 

[dohc97]

All i am doing is state my opinion, i have been around this hobby long enough to do all types of experiments and proven methods, LEDs by kessil did not work for me. My own diy fixture did work but i was not happy with the disco ball effect, if i could have the light mixing of a kessil with the coverage of my diy lamp i would be a happy camper. To get the even color i get with t5 i would for sure need 3 kessils or at least some strips pointed at the back side of the corals and at the front. Height was not going to fix this(i tried) and par has nothing to do with it either.