Examining the Kessil A360 Tuna Blue deeper than ever before! | BRStv Investigates

[Crabs McJones]

Anyone max out at 100% intensity?

Don't do it!

Unless your corals are well acclimated to it or you have them very high off the water surface I would not recommend it lol

 

[randyBRS]

Anyone max out at 100% intensity?

Unless your corals are well acclimated to it or you have them very high off the water surface I would not recommend it lol

Interestingly enough, 50% color intensity has higher in PAR than 100%.

Personally, I use 100% color on my mangrove shallow tank in my cubicle mounted pretty high.

-Randy

 

[Crabs McJones]

Anyone max out at 100% intensity?

Interestingly enough, 50% color intensity has higher in PAR than 100%.

Personally, I use 100% color on my mangrove shallow tank in my cubicle mounted pretty high.

-Randy

Not sure if you mean 100% intensity or 100% color...My understanding was they were asking if anyone maxes out at 100% brightness intensity, not color intensity..I may be wrong.

 

[Eggpaul]

I was asking about brightness intensity, not color. but I understood what everyone is saying.

 

[randyBRS]

I was asking about brightness intensity, not color. but I understood what everyone is saying.

Oh, in that case it is probably dependent on your specific tank and requirements, but generally I don't know of too many situations where 100% intensity is used. As the PAR numbers show on this test, these can push out some decent PAR. Here's another video we did on the A360s that help with spacing, intensity and color settings.

 

[Eggpaul]

Oh, in that case it is probably dependent on your specific tank and requirements, but generally I don't know of too many situations where 100% intensity is used. As the PAR numbers show on this test, these can push out some decent PAR. Here's another video we did on the A360s that help with spacing, intensity and color settings.

Thanks a lot, will watch that!!

 

[brandon429]

Kessil tuna blue 360 we on bottom runs this old planted bowl the blue hitting the wall is apparent

I used a 150 tuna sun up top to hit the canopy but the full production at the base is ran on 10k 60% intensity 360 we tuna blue. They grow plants just fine too along with coral neat duality.

I'm not trying to win aquascape contests lol it's just to force grow tons of plants for trade. That Kessil makes the only local source for mini pellia so far at least.

 

[Eggpaul]

Oh, in that case it is probably dependent on your specific tank and requirements, but generally I don't know of too many situations where 100% intensity is used. As the PAR numbers show on this test, these can push out some decent PAR. Here's another video we did on the A360s that help with spacing, intensity and color settings.

Great video! Thanks

 

[madweazl]

Great info. I'm setting up a 150 , upgrading from a 29. I have 3 kessils in their boxes.
So do you also ramp up/down the intensity? When the color is at 0 does it look very white during dusk/dawn?

I ramp both as well; for me, color ramps from 0% to 60% over two hours (10am - 12pm) where it remains 60% for eight hours before ramping back down to 0% (8pm - 10pm) for a 12 hour photo-period. Intensity ramps from 0% to 75% over the course of six hours and then drops back to 0%.

Anyone max out at 100% intensity?

I haven't found a need to do so in my tank (maxes out at 75% and that only happens for about three minutes each day before it ramps back down) but also don't think it would hurt anything given the PAR levels.

PAR measurements (Apogee MQ500 with full spectrum sensor)

Without T5s

Notes:
1) Location 3 is centered under one light right to left but not front to back (approx 4" behind the center line front to back).
2) Locations 6 is very close to the center of the tank (left to right and front to back).
3) The lights are centered over the tank front to back and 15" apart (7.5" left and right of center).
4) The lights are mounted 5" above the water line.
5) There is a bit of light spillage on all viewing sides of the aquarium so the lights could be mounted closer to the water to increase PAR values without losing coverage.
6) PAR values were measured on our local clubs Apogee MQ-500 with full spectrum sensor using an immersion correction factor of 1.32.
7) Standard 75g Marineland aquarium 48"x18"x21" (LxWxH).
8) Two Kessil A360WE with two 54w T5s on LET retrofit (Actinic+/Coral+)
9) MP40s set to feed mode while measurements were taken.
10) Return from sump remained on but has fairly low flow and doesn't agitate water surface much.
11) Kessil H80 mounted 8" above refugium produced 132 PAR just under the surface directly under the light.

 

[Eggpaul]

I ramp both as well; for me, color ramps from 0% to 60% over two hours (10am - 12pm) where it remains 60% for eight hours before ramping back down to 0% (8pm - 10pm) for a 12 hour photo-period. Intensity ramps from 0% to 75% over the course of six hours and then drops back to 0%.



I haven't found a need to do so in my tank (maxes out at 75% and that only happens for about three minutes each day before it ramps back down) but also don't think it would hurt anything in my tank given the PAR levels.

PAR measurements (Apogee MQ500 with full spectrum sensor)

Without T5s

Notes:
1) Location 3 is centered under one light right to left but not front to back (approx 4" behind the center line front to back).
2) Locations 6 is very close to the center of the tank (left to right and front to back).
3) The lights are centered over the tank front to back and 15" apart (7.5" left and right of center).
4) The lights are mounted 5" above the water line.
5) There is a bit of light spillage on all viewing sides of the aquarium so the lights could be mounted closer to the water to increase PAR values without losing coverage.
6) PAR values were measured on our local clubs Apogee MQ-500 with full spectrum sensor using an immersion correction factor of 1.32.
7) Standard 75g Marineland aquarium 48"x18"x21" (LxWxH).
8) Two Kessil A360WE with two 54w T5s on LET retrofit (Actinic+/Coral+)
9) MP40s set to feed mode while measurements were taken.
10) Return from sump remained on but has fairly low flow and doesn't agitate water surface much.
11) Kessil H80 mounted 8" above refugium produced 132 PAR just under the surface directly under the light.

Thanks for all that. My tank is 60x24x24. I will have 3 kessil lights. Planning to have them about 6.5 inches above the water.

 

[madweazl]

Thanks for all that. My tank is 60x24x24. I will have 3 kessil lights. Planning to have them about 6.5 inches above the water.

I recently picked up and 150g of the same dimensions; I'll be using four A360WEs and a pair of 80w T5s for it. I plan on staggering the Kessils about six inches front to back every other light. Three will work for a mixed reef but if you plan to go SPS dominant, you'll want to supplement with T5s for add more Kessils (or both).

 

[Eggpaul]

I recently picked up and 150g of the same dimensions; I'll be using four A360WEs and a pair of 80w T5s for it. I plan on staggering the Kessils about six inches front to back every other light. Three will work for a mixed reef but if you plan to go SPS dominant, you'll want to supplement with T5s for add more Kessils (or both).

Yes, planning to go mixed reef, so I think 3 kessils would be good for that. 20 inches each. I've had a 29 gallon for 5 years, and I'm amazed how big the 150g looks! bleaching my rock now and just planning everything mentally.

 

[manilaboy1vic]

Hi - im confused on the kessils.. from my understanding.. the PAR of a single 360 at 6.5" above the water line at 12" down is 150-160s..

for my setup my tank is:

68g 35.5(l) x 19.5(w) x 21.5(h)

i have 3 kessils: 2x160s 1x360w

the 360 is the middle light..

i have a BTA on the bottom, no sand..

per this vivid website a bta requires:

Lighting Requirements: Moderate to high (PAR 220-350)

I would say my bta is not right in the middle.. he a bit to the right of the middle, inbetween the 360 and 160.

with 3 360s on the vid at 18" its roughly 250+

im not why my BTA of many years isnt moving to find more par.. being 21" deep and im running my lights at 75% right now..

2 160s equals same watt as 1 360... im assuming at 21" deep at 75% intensity and a max of 20% color my par on the bottom is less than 250.. should i run my kessils at 100% intensity so there is more par for the BTA on the bottom?

i also moved my maxima clam closer to the bottom right of the tank.. am i starving these guys of PAR/Light? Both are free to move and they are not..

 

[randyBRS]

Hi - im confused on the kessils.. from my understanding.. the PAR of a single 360 at 6.5" above the water line at 12" down is 150-160s..
for my setup my tank is:
68g 35.5(l) x 19.5(w) x 21.5(h) i have 3 kessils: 2x160s 1x360w
the 360 is the middle light..
i have a BTA on the bottom, no sand..
per this vivid website a bta requires:
Lighting Requirements: Moderate to high (PAR 220-350)
I would say my bta is not right in the middle.. he a bit to the right of the middle, inbetween the 360 and 160.
with 3 360s on the vid at 18" its roughly 250+
im not why my BTA of many years isnt moving to find more par.. being 21" deep and im running my lights at 75% right now..
2 160s equals same watt as 1 360... im assuming at 21" deep at 75% intensity and a max of 20% color my par on the bottom is less than 250.. should i run my kessils at 100% intensity so there is more par for the BTA on the bottom?
i also moved my maxima clam closer to the bottom right of the tank.. am i starving these guys of PAR/Light? Both are free to move and they are not..

Personally, I wouldn't be too concerned about matching exact PAR recommendations, because chasing numbers leads me to more frustration and headache then I need. In general, it could be said that some BTAs prefer much higher ranges of PAR, but that may not be a blanket statement that covers each individual one. From personal experience, my BTAs choose where they're happiest and typically stay there unless something changes. Trying to force them or impose on them what I think they need has never worked out.

 

[manilaboy1vic]

Personally, I wouldn't be too concerned about matching exact PAR recommendations, because chasing numbers leads me to more frustration and headache then I need. In general, it could be said that some BTAs prefer much higher ranges of PAR, but that may not be a blanket statement that covers each individual one. From personal experience, my BTAs choose where they're happiest and typically stay there unless something changes. Trying to force them or impose on them what I think they need has never worked out.

yea i guess i wont stress out over the numbers.. to be honest all i really want is a thriving monti cap and sunset monti.. i tried a monti cap back in the day, when i first started the tank (years ag0), put it near the top and that thing bleached immediately lol...

i just recently got a sunset monti frag (about 1 week ago) which is sitting on the bottom.. tank is barebottom id like that thing to cover the bottom glass.. id say about 4 days after i got the frag, i moved my light to exactly 6.5 inches above the water line and raised the intensity from 70% to 75%.. im not making any more changes for now,, just will monitor. cheers