Kessil Owners

Brad Bessett · Jul 14, 2016

I currently have a JBJ 45 rimless and the dimensions are 26.5” x 21” x 19”.

I run a single A360WE (with a Kessil controller) on it now and feel like my SPS to the left and right of center suffer. Duller colors, very slow if no growth. Do you think it would be too much to add an additional A360WE and space them about 3”-4” apart?

My thinking is that I could run them at a little lower intensity but it's still probably a lot of light for 26.5" wide.

It's a mixed reef, LPS and zoas down low, LOTS of SPS (primarily acros) from the middle up.

Let's discuss, and I really don't want to downgrade to the 160's because I see a tank upgrade in less than a year happening (and I'd want the stronger lights).

Joeganja · Jul 15, 2016

I have a kessil a160we tuna blue and I hated it. I'm not trying to diss on kessil or anything but they always need supplement lighting. I tore down my 25 gallon tank because of the light. I feel they don't have enough to grow corals. If I were you I'd sell that kessil and get a hydra 52 HD. I have 2 hydra 26s on a 90 gallon tank and I have sps growing like nothing. Even at the bottom

Brad Bessett · Jul 15, 2016

The frustrating thing is that every SPS in the middle 1/3 grows like weeds and has excellent coloration. My Pink Floyd has some of the brightest yellows I've ever seen on one. I decided to raise the light another 2 inches and upped the intensity by 5%. I']ll do another round of that next month in hopes the coverage gets better on the edges.

Blainpeters801 · Jul 20, 2016

If your planning on upgrading in the near future, I wouldn't see the harm in running a second one and maybe just tuning them down a little, at least that way you would get full coverage, and if your seeing good growth with the coral's covered by the one. I wouldn't even question a second one in this scenerio.