Kessil lighting coral coloration

[willthethrill]

I have 2 Kessil A360s over my 120. My question is has anyone else had issues with the way their coral actual look vs what they looked like at the store. The pieces I bought were so full of color and had pop and under the Kessils it almost looks like it all blends in together. I've tried disconnecting the controller and manually turning the knobs to find a better balance between the intensity and color but it's kind of the same. These were an upgrade from a 4 bulb T5 fixture I had over my old 55g but atleast that thing made my coral pop!

 

[njtiger aquariums]

You might want to see what the LFS is using. Now I have 1 A360WE and 2 A150w Deep Ocean Blues over my 54. The 150s help bring out the colors in the corals as where the A360 gives the full spectrum.

 

[andys]

Well 2 over a 120 is not enough. I have 4 over a 108 (Red Sea 525XL) and i will most likely add 3 more for a total of 7 A360WE's

 

[mcarroll]

that thing made my coral pop

For starters, as @cromag08 always says: leave your pop in the refrigerator

My question is has anyone else had issues with the way their coral actual look vs what they looked like at the store.

Are you talking about after some amount of time in your tank, or immediately after bringing them home?

I have 2 Kessil A360s over my 120. [....] These were an upgrade from a 4 bulb T5 fixture I had over my old 55g

Did you use any kind of light meter to check your old lights before switching so you could see if intensity was the same or at least similar?

If you still have the old fixture, do the comparison now.

If you don't have a light meter, start with a free lux meter app for your smartphone. It uses your camera's light meter to compute a normal lux reading. "galactica luxmeter" on IOS is one of dozens of similar apps. I'd suggest ordering a $15 handheld lux meter from any of the online resellers. Search for the "LX-1010B" or similar. It'll give better readings and is going to be safer to use around your tank!

Try to match the Kessils' intensity at the water level with readings from the T5 fixture at the same distance from the fixture.

It'd be cool if you reported back what you found for your readings too!

Since you've switched from T5 to a spot-type LED fixture, I also suspect @andys could be right about needing more fixtures. Though I think so for different reasons - shadows and coverage. Matching intensity with a light meter may fix the coral color issue, but it isn't going to do anything about this. Additional spot lights do help to cut the intensity and size of the shadows, though, in addition to giving you the option of more intensity. Light still won't be as shadow-free as T5 light or strip-format LED's though. Of course whether this is a concern is mostly up to @willthethrill's tastes and intentions for the tank.

 

[mcarroll]

Kessil A360s

BTW, is the A360s the freshwater "sun" model?

It looks like the saltwater models (which give you much more blue and less middle-colors and reds) are the A360N or A360W. Or am I reading the Kessil site wrong?

If so, that could have a lot to do with the color change, so let me know!

 

[andys]

For starters, as @cromag08 always says: leave your pop in the refrigerator



Are you talking about after some amount of time in your tank, or immediately after bringing them home?



Did you use any kind of light meter to check your old lights before switching so you could see if intensity was the same or at least similar?

If you still have the old fixture, do the comparison now.

If you don't have a light meter, start with a free lux meter app for your smartphone. It uses your camera's light meter to compute a normal lux reading. "galactica luxmeter" on IOS is one of dozens of similar apps. I'd suggest ordering a $15 handheld lux meter from any of the online resellers. Search for the "LX-1010B" or similar. It'll give better readings and is going to be safer to use around your tank!

Try to match the Kessils' intensity at the water level with readings from the T5 fixture at the same distance from the fixture.

It'd be cool if you reported back what you found for your readings too!

Since you've switched from T5 to a spot-type LED fixture, I also suspect @andys could be right about needing more fixtures. Though I think so for different reasons - shadows and coverage. Matching intensity with a light meter may fix the coral color issue, but it isn't going to do anything about this. Additional spot lights do help to cut the intensity and size of the shadows, though, in addition to giving you the option of more intensity. Light still won't be as shadow-free as T5 light or strip-format LED's though. Of course whether this is a concern is mostly up to @willthethrill's tastes and intentions for the tank.

The Kessils grow corals great but you just need a lot of them. the shadowing effect is nice but you have to have them closer together witch means more fixtures

 

[Mike_J]

I too have Kessil A360WE (x2) over my 126g and while I loved them at first, but over the past 2 years have come to the conclusion that it is just not enough and I need to either supplement or go in a different direction altogether. I had originally reached out to customer service and was told that 2 was all I needed for my tank's dimensions, but I just haven't been getting the color or growth I was hoping for. I'm moving within the month and have decided to invest in a different lighting fixture for my main tank in the new space.

 

[reefwiser]

Add some T5's add get back to growing and color.

 

[njtiger aquariums]

BTW, is the A360s the freshwater "sun" model?

It looks like the saltwater models (which give you much more blue and less middle-colors and reds) are the A360N or A360W. Or am I reading the Kessil site wrong?

If so, that could have a lot to do with the color change, so let me know!

I think the s is to show he is using more than 1. The freshwater 360 is the Tuna Sun and the saltwater is Tune Blue. The A360w covers a 24in diameter. I don't think the 360 alone will give you the colors you are looking for. Just like T5s you use actinic to bring out color you need to add actinics with the A360s. You can do T5s or you can get the A150s Deep Ocean Blues. I am getting good growth on my corals with my 2 A150s and 1 A360 but I never ran T5 so I can't compare to them.

Also I noticed if I don't lower my lights and ramp them up (over 7 days) then my corals lose color and sometimes bleach.

 

[andys]

The Kessil is a great light. but you just need a lot of them. my green slimmers i have to cut back about ever month and a half the grow so much

 

[mcarroll]

I too have Kessil A360WE (x2) over my 126g and while I loved them at first, over the past 2 years have come to the conclusion that it is just not enough and I need to either supplement or go in a different direction altogether. I had originally reached out to customer service and was told that 2 was all I needed for my tank's dimensions, but I just haven't been getting the color or growth I was hoping for. I'm moving within the month and have decided to invest in a different lighting fixture for my main tank in the new space.

What are the dimensions?

Also, any chance you'd be willing to do the free lux meter app thing I mentioned and take some readings?

 

[mcarroll]

@andys ditto the above to you?

 

[mmw64]

I have the same problem with the 360 tuna blue over a Red Sea Reefer 350. Buy corals on line from good vendors and although they grow, the colors in my tank are brown rather than blue.

 

[andys]

Here is a full tank view. What is that free lux app called

Andy

 

[willthethrill]

Well 2 over a 120 is not enough. I have 4 over a 108 (Red Sea 525XL) and i will most likely add 3 more for a total of 7 A360WE's

My 120 is 48x24 footprint so I was told one 360we would be perfect for each 2ft x 2ft area

 

[willthethrill]

What are the dimensions?

Also, any chance you'd be willing to do the free lux meter app thing I mentioned and take some readings?

Well I just downloaded the app. I don't have the t5s to compare anymore. I'm trying to figure out how to use the app though. Don't I have to hold the phone under the lights though

 

[andys]

Red Sea 525XL is 59 x 22 x 22

 

[willthethrill]

Red Sea 525XL is 59 x 22 x 22

Yea for those dimensions definitely more than 2 are needed

 

[njtiger aquariums]

Here is a full tank view. What is that free lux app called

Andy

I love how you mounted those lights

 

[andys]

I love how you mounted those lights

I had to come up this something nice. wife prerequisites. That is a aluminum I beam. i also pre tapped the holes between each light for 3 more