Newly with Kessil's and Not Nearly Enough Experience

[Timmohre]

Hi All,

Lurker for a while but finally wanted to chime in with a question. I have a 55 gallon tank that is 20" deep. 48" long. I was running the Current Orbit Marine LED. Tax season came and I put in two Kessil A160 lights with the spectral controller to take over. I have hashed out some starting program but just do not know if I am in a good place and hate to have it go too far one way or another for light. Below are my current inhabitants. There is not a lot of live rock elevation in there yet so I'd say they are mostly 10" to 20" down in the water.

Frog Spawn
Hammer Coral
Duncan Coral
Mushrooms and Leathers
Birds Nest
Sun Coral
Gonopora (sp?)
Zoas
Blue Ridge Corals


The SPS are as high as I can get them in the water column. I ramped it up the last couple of days and took the Current LED offline. For these parameters what would you recommend for a profile of color and intensity of time.

Settings are:
8:00 a.m. Color = 0% Intensity = 10%
10:00 a.m. Color = 40% Intensity = 30%
12:00 p.m. Color = 80% Intensity = 60%
2:00 p.m. Color = 80% Intensity = 90%
6:00 p.m. Color = 10% Intensity = 50%
11:00 p.m. All Off

The parameters are pretty solid. Just hate to lose these items. Will appreciate any feedback on the setting and species I have.

 

[Zacco]

You need to cut your color and Intensity back from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm. I would go no higher than 45 to 50% starting out. Have to remember , Kessil's have true UV. My A360-W's are set at 45% peak and will stay that way for a good month to let corals acclimate.
These are powerful lights.

 

[Timmohre]

Ok cool. That seemed to be the trend I have dug up from a whole bunch of web searches with the string = "Kessil A160 Controller Program". I just got a little worried when I took the Current Maine light off things seemed set back. I only just bumped the intensity up today. Would you think the rest of the program safe?

 

[Zacco]

Your schedule looks good in the morning and evening. I would just cut the afternoon hours back a bit and not chance bleaching. Work up slowly. If the corals were under a LED Unit before hand , they should acclimate pretty quick. It's the people that switch from T-5's to Kessil's that should really take caution. Im truly amazed at the Kessil"s. When I first suspended them over my tank, they were a little high and they were casting light onto the walls and there was actually a rainbow cast on the wall! Very close to ROY-G-BIV. I have never seen any other unit able to do that. Dense Matrix LED Technology.

 

[Zacco]

My final schedule will be at 70%-70% Peak. And for a reason. A buddy of mine just got back from the Key's Scuba Diving. I was showing him the Kessil's and playing around with the intensity and color. When I hit 70% color and 70% intensity, he said, "That's exactly how it looks under water in the Key's" He was quite impressed with the units. He went home and ordered 2 A360-W"s for his tank.

 

[Timmohre]

Wow thanks so much for replying. To think of all the variables and going blind terrifies me. Really appreciate it. Have you noticed corals actually growing with your kessil's? My model for longest time was get new stuff. Alive for a while. Then a die off. I have made a resolution to keep water parameters perfect, add a refugium, and give real good light. What is your tank size and models used if I might ask? My lights are only A160's btw.

 

[Zacco]

I just got my A360W-e's a few weeks ago for my new 40 breeder build. Im housing both LPS and SPS. Here are some pics of what I added so far. Kessil's are ramping down for the evening at 20%-20%. Added them about 5 days ago. Pics are a little hazey. Gotta get a new phone soon that can filter blue light better.

 

[Timmohre]

Looks stunning.

 

[Zacco]

Thank You. Im not seeing any signs of stress or bleaching, so im going to bump my color and intensity to 50% early next week. What's in the bags that your introducing into the tank in post #1?

 

[Timmohre]

That was a Hammer, Duncan, and gonapora. Also added a couple blue ridge, moved a plate and doughnut coral. I am the worst at planning moves and additions. Very immature in the hobby I'd say. But will get better.

 

[GreatWhiteTang]

If you have the controller use their acclimation mode works well

 

[reid429]

The 160s won't be enough lighting for that tank unless it's softy only. Should had gone the 360 route or go with a reef breeder fixture or reef radiance for price