Spotlight on the Kessil AP700 LED Lighting Panel | BRStv

BWilliby · Feb 27, 2018

Thanks for the clarification...makes sense for your purposes of filming often. I don’t plan on messing with them much once they are up and running. [emoji846]

bif24701 · Feb 27, 2018

randyBRS said:
Correct, we did not test a single light at 7", over the 4ft tank. Given the numbers on a 24" tank, I'd imagine you'd be pretty close to right about how they would perform on a 36" tank!

I think that 36” isn’t stretching it too thin, mounted at 8-9” doesn’t reduce PAR all that much but what you gain in spread is huge.

Rookie_reefer_420 · Feb 27, 2018

@Ryanbrs i have a 225 that’s 72Lx30Wx24H and I currently have 2) AP700’s over the tank (I posted a pic of it earlier in the thread) and I’m going to go SPS dominant with a few lps here n there. My question is would adding a third ap700 a better option then adding duel t5’s Infront and behind the kessils (similar to what you guys did for the brs160) to get a better spread over the tank and a higher PAR.

Ryanbrs · Feb 28, 2018

Rookie_reefer_420 said:
@Ryanbrs i have a 225 that’s 72Lx30Wx24H and I currently have 2) AP700’s over the tank (I posted a pic of it earlier in the thread) and I’m going to go SPS dominant with a few lps here n there. My question is would adding a third ap700 a better option then adding duel t5’s Infront and behind the kessils (similar to what you guys did for the brs160) to get a better spread over the tank and a higher PAR.

If I could only do one I would do the t5's. The t5s represent better coverage and fewer shadows for the SPS and will mute the shimmer into something that looks really nice.

BWilliby · Mar 1, 2018

Well I pulled the trigger on 3 that should arrive tomorrow. Can't wait to get them set up over the weekend!

bif24701 · Mar 2, 2018

BWilliby said:
Well I pulled the trigger on 3 that should arrive tomorrow. Can't wait to get them set up over the weekend!

Good call, you are going to love it.

BWilliby · Mar 5, 2018

I got my 3 AP700's installed over the weekend and I am already very impressed with the way the tank looks! Even my wife noticed immediately and commented how much prettier the tank looked with the new lights; I think we both love that underwater shimmer look. And after reading some of the forum posts on trouble with the programming app, I must say it could not have been easier for me to create a new custom program so in my mind Kessil has worked out any bugs with the software side of these lights. I am only ramping up to 30% max right now and will add 5% each week. I tried to get some PAR numbers with my Seneye, but was having technical issues with the computer it was hooked to so I'll get those as soon as I can trouble shoot that issue.

bif24701 · Mar 5, 2018

BWilliby said:
I got my 3 AP700's installed over the weekend and I am already very impressed with the way the tank looks! Even my wife noticed immediately and commented how much prettier the tank looked with the new lights; I think we both love that underwater shimmer look. And after reading some of the forum posts on trouble with the programming app, I must say it could not have been easier for me to create a new custom program so in my mind Kessil has worked out any bugs with the software side of these lights. I am only ramping up to 30% max right now and will add 5% each week. I tried to get some PAR numbers with my Seneye, but was having technical issues with the computer it was hooked to so I'll get those as soon as I can trouble shoot that issue.

I have said it before that the vast majority of folks now have had no problems. It’s typical with all products that folks with problems are much much more likely to review or post comments than someone that has no issues at all. However at launch the AP700 did have some real app issues but like you said they were addressed and now things go pretty well.

Now that you have the lights programmed remember if you increase intensity no more than 5% weekly to allow time for corals to acclimate. Once you have the amount of light the corals need set it and forget it. Just walk away and don’t go changing things, because you may just cause a set back. Stability is more important than perfection.

BWilliby · Mar 6, 2018

bif24701 said:
I have said it before that the vast majority of folks now have had no problems. It’s typical with all products that folks with problems are much much more likely to review or post comments than someone that has no issues at all. However at launch the AP700 did have some real app issues but like you said they were addressed and now things go pretty well.

Now that you have the lights programmed remember if you increase intensity no more than 5% weekly to allow time for corals to acclimate. Once you have the amount of light the corals need set it and forget it. Just walk away and don’t go changing things, because you may just cause a set back. Stability is more important than perfection.

Thanks for the advice; that is definitely my plan!

svandive · May 5, 2018

I’m curious what folks who have the ap700s over sps and mixed tanks are running for photo periods...

Crabs McJones · May 5, 2018

svandive said:
I’m curious what folks who have the ap700s over sps and mixed tanks are running for photo periods...

Mixed reef. Ap700 with t5s. 10 hour photo period. On at 11am, ramp up 1 hour to my set max intensity, stays there for 8 hours and then ramps down to off. Check out my kessil show off thread (link in my signature) for a bunch of different schedules from other users as well as show off your light if you haven't already