Kessil Intensity for SPS

[JoeD_]

I am new to LEDs as I switched over from T-5s

My ALK is 9.9 - I check every 3 days, it never goes below 9.8 or higher than 10
Phos .10
Nitrates 10ppm
Calcium 420
Salinity 1.025

My params are super stable, I have an ATO

Right now I have 2 A-160 WEs over my 29G. They are 5.5 inches off the surface

My Acros are about 70% up from the bottom. They are starting to look a little pale. It can't be the nutrients. The only thing I can think of is the lighting. I was running them at 100% intensity which seemed to be fine for a month up until now. I am running about 20% color and the lighting schedule is on for 12 hours a day.. Maybe try 80% intensity? What is everyone else running?

 

[Guttersnipe]

I loved my kessils when I had them. They’re great at keeping everything but sps. If you want to keep sps stick with t5.

 

[HB AL]

I have 6 Kessils over my 90g 4 160’s and 2 360’s and run them all at 100% the whole time they are on. The first 2 hours at all blue then at 50/50 color most of the time then back to all blue for the last hour or so. The lights are on for 13.5 hours a day. Hers some recent fts's with 1 at 50/50 color, all white, and all blue with orange filter, taken with my cell camera.

 

[Makers Marc]

Which kessils do you have? And how far from water lvl are they mounted?
100%can definitely pale things out and bleach em.

 

[madweazl]

The mounting height is appropriate for your Kessils to get the most out of them in regard to PAR. Do you have any idea what the PAR was with your T5s compared to your Kessils? It's unlikely that you need to run them at 100% intensity; you can drop intensity without killing the corals (they'll tolerate longer period of lower than ideal PAR) but they're quite sensitive when blasted with too much. Also, there is no need to run them at 20% color unless that is what you prefer in the looks department. I haven't tested the 160s but the 360s produce the highest PAR at 50-60% [color] (X at 50% and the WE at 60%).

 

[JoeD_]

Which kessils do you have? And how far from water lvl are they mounted?
100%can definitely pale things out and bleach em.

per the OP... 5.5 inch of water and they are 160 wes

 

[JoeD_]

The mounting height is appropriate for your Kessils to get the most out of them in regard to PAR. Do you have any idea what the PAR was with your T5s compared to your Kessils? It's unlikely that you need to run them at 100% intensity; you can drop intensity without killing the corals (they'll tolerate longer period of lower than ideal PAR) but they're quite sensitive when blasted with too much. Also, there is no need to run them at 20% color unless that is what you prefer in the looks department. I haven't tested the 160s but the 360s produce the highest PAR at 50-60% (X at 50% and the WE at 60%).

I prefer the blue look

 

[minus9]

When did you switch lights? Also, if your NO3 & PO4 drop any and your alk is that high, you could have some issues? In smaller sps tanks, I've always tried to stay in the 8's for alk, gives you a little buffer if anything changes. Also, Kessil will absolutely grow sps.

 

[Makers Marc]

I'd be hesitant to assume bc your par in one area is only 200, that there's no way to led burn a coral that normally has 300+ par with t5s or MH.

I've put acros under 200 par only with my ap700s (rented BRS newest Apogee 500 series) that have burned/bleached , even after coming from tanks where the piece got 350+ par from t5 fixtures.

 

[GregOyeah]

I have a successful sps dominant reef using kessils, anyone who says they can’t support sps are full of it.

I keep mine at 100% intensity and have had no bleaching issues. I used to keep them around 75-80 but I SLOWLY increased the intensity so I could keep some new frags a bit lower

 

[minus9]

Switching from one type of lighting to another can be tricky. I've always started lower when switching and slowly increase intensity over time. You can't kill (bleach) a coral when starting lower, but you can if it's too much at first.

 

[Makers Marc]

I have a successful sps dominant reef using kessils, anyone who says they can’t support sps are full of it.

I keep mine at 100% intensity and have had no bleaching issues. I used to keep them around 75-80 but I SLOWLY increased the intensity so I could keep some new frags a bit lower

I love seeing examples like this. Can you share pics and details of your Kessil setup?

 

[minus9]

This was my 22g before I upgraded. Rocked three 160's and T5's (T5's for the last year of its life). Also ran skimmerless for the first 2 1/2 years.

 

[LARedstickreefer]

Nice work! Man oh man!

 

[GregOyeah]

I love seeing examples like this. Can you share pics and details of your Kessil setup?

90gal sps dominant. 4 Kessil A360WE with two t5 bulb b+ fixtures. Kessils run from 10am to 10pm starting at 30% intensity, peaking at 100% from 2pm to 5pm then ramping back down.

 

[Makers Marc]

90gal sps dominant. 4 Kessil A360WE with two t5 bulb b+ fixtures. Kessils run from 10am to 10pm starting at 30% intensity, peaking at 100% from 2pm to 5pm then ramping back down.

How high are they mounted from water level?

 

[GregOyeah]

How high are they mounted from water level?

They’re mounted about 8” above the water line

 

[Ranjib]

I am new to LEDs as I switched over from T-5s

My ALK is 9.9 - I check every 3 days, it never goes below 9.8 or higher than 10
Phos .10
Nitrates 10ppm
Calcium 420
Salinity 1.025

My params are super stable, I have an ATO

Right now I have 2 A-160 WEs over my 29G. They are 5.5 inches off the surface

My Acros are about 70% up from the bottom. They are starting to look a little pale. It can't be the nutrients. The only thing I can think of is the lighting. I was running them at 100% intensity which seemed to be fine for a month up until now. I am running about 20% color and the lighting schedule is on for 12 hours a day.. Maybe try 80% intensity? What is everyone else running?

I would recommend lower the intensity and slowly ramp it up over course of couple of months. A160 are 40watts each. You don’t want to give more than 2.5x watts per gallonwithout acllimation. After acclimation you can go to 3-5 watts per gallon.

 

[JoeD_]

Update: Day 2 of about 75% intensity and I am already seeing better results. Color has not returned yet on my WD, but color has been WAY better on my Cherry Bomb and Bill Murray acro. The other reason why I thought it may have been lighting was the only zoa frag I have curled it's skirt only revealing aobut 30% of the head, which I assume is trying to only consume what light it needs. Thank you all for the replies. I do love LEDs but I will say the learning curve is a bit annoying with the intensity/color settings.