I am currently running (3) A360X on my 210 6ft tank with Controller. It seems that it is very hard to get help with lighting schedules and what is very concerning is my LFS who initially had Kessil on everything before the A360X to include A700 on lockdown tanks has now gone to AI Prime and other types of lighting. This is concerning. Any and all input, lighting schedules for ALL SOFTIES tank, and feedback into this subject is welcomed. Also i sort through posted pics of the many beautiful reefs i seldom see Kessil as often as i was lead to believe.
IF KESSIL A360X LIGHTS ARE SO GREAT WHY HAVE LFS GONE AWAY FROM THEM ON DISPLAY TANKS
- Thread starter Earthquake
- Start date
- Tagged users None
jlts21
Well-Known Member
I think some of it has to do with that "I gotta have the latest and greatest" thing. I have 2 AP700 (one over my 120g and a second one in the box to add to the first one when I finish my 180g build and switch everything over). IMHO they are all pretty comparable. But when that new light or piece of equipment comes, there is always the large group of people that "GOTTA HAVE IT!" even if they just bought an AP700 a year ago, the AI Prime is new so it has to be better right?
I'm not saying I would get rid of both of my AP700s, but if I could trade em for a couple XR30 radions, I'd probably do it. (I don't see that happening since people who have radions don't want to trade them for AP700s lol)
I'm not saying I would get rid of both of my AP700s, but if I could trade em for a couple XR30 radions, I'd probably do it. (I don't see that happening since people who have radions don't want to trade them for AP700s lol)
Agree with what your saying. I feel the same way. Wish there was more support for lighting schedules and programming tho.
Very True Not to mention I also Have the Apex system.
U
User1
Guest
I wouldn't judge a lights popularity or effectiveness based on what your LFS is using. The 360x's are still someone new and not everyone fidgets with their lighting schedules. There is a thread somewhere on this forum that talks about sharing the 360x's schedules. They are solid lights, well built, great form factor, and support a narrow lens should you require one. I believe a bit more expensive than most want to pay so that may have something to do with it all things being equal.
There are schedules out there but even then it all comes down to personal preference at the end of the day.
There are schedules out there but even then it all comes down to personal preference at the end of the day.
I’m in the camp if it’s not broke don’t fix it. I definitely don’t switch things out for the latest and greatest. I have run Kessils for 4 years, have 4 360’s over my tank and have no complaints. Maybe the companies that switch are getting paid to switch and promote the new lights or maybe if your selling corals and the new lights grow corals faster then they can maximize profits. In my case they have seemed to work just great. My lfs"s still run alot Kessil's so I haven't noticed a change locally.
Solid advice thank you
im in agreement. my corals are doing great. Appreciate your solid response as it also is along the lines of some of my self made beliefs.
A softies tank does not require a lot of light. 3 kessil A360x on a 6 foot tank should provide you a pretty good blanket of even par across the tank where you shouldn't have to worry about hot spots or large overlaps. I think most softies can do fine in 50 to 100 par, but it's impossible to tell you a specific lighting schedule without knowing your tank depth, how high you have the lights mounted, and where the corals are placed. In general, the kessils are probably giving you 100 to 150 par depending on your mounting height and water depth. You can use the BRS video link below as a reference for their par numbers in the kessil A360x. Using that as a guide, I think you can run your intensity from 50% to 100% depending on your tank, corals, and coral placement. As far as duration, I don't think it matters that much. Anywhere from 8 to 12 hours is fine, and you can do a ramp up and down period if you like, but it is hardly needed for the health of the corals. If you like a dawn / dusk look, then by all means use it. In regards to the various channels, I'd run your violets at max and pick an overall color you like visually with the violets at 100%. Then add in red and green channels till you get to the overall tank color you like. You might want to tweak your color setting a bit after that again depending on how satisfied you are with the look visually. If you want that black light look in the morning and / or evening, then reduce or turn the red and green channels to 0 and just run the violets at 100% and you may need to turn your color setting down lower. In general, the "color" channel or selection simply controls the blue and white LEDs. Lower color means more blue and less white LEDs, more color means more white LEDs being added in. At a certain color %, the white LEDs max out and blue leds begin decreasing. I'm over simplifying the "kessil logic" but this is the gist of it. Honestly, you aren't going to screw the spectrum up or bake your corals if you set the red channel to 80% versus 20% or anything like that. There's not that many green and red diodes to make that kind of impact. Think of them being there more for your visual appeal.
Hope that helps.
Aardvark1134
Well-Known Member
I don't know about your LFS but all 3 decent ones in my city have just about every major light on one of their tanks...Mars, kessil, radion, t5s, AI, hybrid, metal hylide...its hard for them to sell lights if they don't have any choices to look at actully up and running.
45ZoaGarden
2500 Club Member
- Joined
- Nov 24, 2019
- Messages
- 2,672
- Reaction score
- 2,218
I’m not sure why they don’t use kessils. My lfs uses radions and hydras. Radions on the show tank and over all the frag tanks. Sorry but I do think because ecotech and Ai have controllable channels uv, violet, royal blue, blue, white, red, and green I think that you could definitely get a better spectrum. It’s not necessarily the latest and the greatest, the ai primes have been around a lot longer than the ap700. As for new tech, the Ai prime 16’s just came out after the prime HD’s 3-4 year run. Latest and greatest thing is just bleh. I personally like my ai’s better than kessil. Plus the kessils make some people dizzy. Why would you go to a fish store where you get dizzy?
Aardvark1134
Well-Known Member
Why would you go in a fish store to look at hardware if they only have 1 brand of light on display to look at? Would be like walking in walmart or best buy and finding out they only have 1 brand of tv turned on.
45ZoaGarden
2500 Club Member
- Joined
- Nov 24, 2019
- Messages
- 2,672
- Reaction score
- 2,218
Because you should be an informed buyer and not just blindly buy what the lfs says is the best since sliced bread ;Hilarious
Aardvark1134
Well-Known Member
Yes and the way you get informed...is yep walking in a store that has all the choices for you to look at and play with...watching videos and reading a pdf will not tell you if you will like it in person. Which is why you do NOT go in that store that only displays their high margin push brand. Basically everything echotech has insane map prices that ensure retailers can make a ton selling it and why they push it so hard.
45ZoaGarden
2500 Club Member
- Joined
- Nov 24, 2019
- Messages
- 2,672
- Reaction score
- 2,218
Doesn’t matter if I like it in person. It matters what the corals like. After all, it is a hobby providing needs for other animals, not for providing ourselves with the lights we like. In that case, half of us would have disco lights and lasers ;Hilarious
Aardvark1134
Well-Known Member
Every single major brand will grow corals well with enough of them and the correct settings so that point makes no sence as they will all make the corals happy if done right.
45ZoaGarden
2500 Club Member
- Joined
- Nov 24, 2019
- Messages
- 2,672
- Reaction score
- 2,218
You’re like talking to a wall lol. Do your research. The different lighting options out there all provide VERY different spectrums. Sure one may “grow” coral but you can grow anything under Christmas lights. Grow doesn’t mean thrive. Different lights, different spectrums. Better the spectrum, better the coral will grow. As for me, I’ll give my corals the spectrum engineered to provide maximum coral growth and color.
very good point made!
I see you got some nice sps there, you dont supplement the lights at all? Lots of people going T5 LED hybrid nowadaysI’m in the camp if it’s not broke don’t fix it. I definitely don’t switch things out for the latest and greatest. I have run Kessils for 4 years, have 4 360’s over my tank and have no complaints. Maybe the companies that switch are getting paid to switch and promote the new lights or maybe if your selling corals and the new lights grow corals faster then they can maximize profits. In my case they have seemed to work just great. My lfs"s still run alot Kessil's so I haven't noticed a change locally.
Similar threads
