INCREASING KESSIL COLOR

[chum]

i have been running my A160WE at zero color and 75% intensity for 8 hours a day for the past 6 months. i have zoas and palys only and i have kept the color this low to make the colors pop. i have a royal gramma and two clowns . i would like to set the color at around 25-30 percent so i can see the color of the fish better and still get the pop for the zoas and palys. i am wondering if i can just set it at the color i like or should i slowly increase it by 5% over a month or two at a time. thanks for any input.

 

[Montiman]

Just set the color. I have never had the color change cause any negative effects. Kessil’s kessil logic will ensure that any spectrum you tune it to is acceptable.

 

[chum]

Just set the color. I have never had the color change cause any negative effects. Kessil’s kessil logic will ensure that any spectrum you tune it to is acceptable.

thanks for the info. i had read that on there web site but than i read on here where a guy said that 5% adds 3-4%par and i was afraid to mess things up.

 

[Coralick]

I actually have 360 we did the same thing set the color about 5 and then raised to 90 intensity over 2 months, been this way for 2 years, love the way corals morph under kessils, bought controller for it and never used it :), because love the way everything looks

 

[Montiman]

Frankly an a 160 should be able to go to 100% on most tanks immediately at any color they are not that bright unless you have a very small tank. I had an old non adjustable a150 over a 10 gallon tank at full power and nothing bleached

 

[Coralick]

How long did you have that tank and what corals, actually it doesn't matter, everything should be aclimated unless you willing to play russian roulette with live corals, emphasis on live

 

[Daniel Waters]

The increase in color from 0% up to about 50% (or it may be 60%) will increase the par slightly for each 5% color bump up. In your case, you can expect an approximate 15% to 20% increase in par from that color adjustment. However, the A160WE is not that powerful of a light, so you're not talking about a huge change in total par. Plus, I think zoas and palys are pretty resilient, so I think you could make the change immediately versus incrementally. Your zoas and palys may be a bit more closed up for a few days after the initial change, though. If you're worried about it, though, just add 5% color each week over a 5 week period. The spectrum will be fine. All you're essentially doing (or rather the "kessil logic" is doing) is adding in a bit of the white LEDs.

 

[chum]

The increase in color from 0% up to about 50% (or it may be 60%) will increase the par slightly for each 5% color bump up. In your case, you can expect an approximate 15% to 20% increase in par from that color adjustment. However, the A160WE is not that powerful of a light, so you're not talking about a huge change in total par. Plus, I think zoas and palys are pretty resilient, so I think you could make the change immediately versus incrementally. Your zoas and palys may be a bit more closed up for a few days after the initial change, though. If you're worried about it, though, just add 5% color each week over a 5 week period. The spectrum will be fine. All you're essentially doing (or rather the "kessil logic" is doing) is adding in a bit of the white LEDs.

thanks, i believe it was your post i saw on here where you said about the increase in par. not sure which way i am going to go yet. i am always terrified to make changes when things are doing well. thanks again.

 

[Mjl714]

Just make small 5% changes towards your goal / target, over a couple of week period and be patient.

 

[chum]

Just make small 5% changes towards your goal / target, over a couple of week period and be patient.

i just got done doing a 5% increase. probably wait a week or two and do another 5%. i am sure if i went straight to 30% it would be ok but i am in no rush so i will take it slow. thanks for the help.

 

[Jay Z]

Only issue I noticed on color increase was algae growth. Nothing noticeable on the livestock or corals.

 

[chum]

Only issue I noticed on color increase was algae growth. Nothing noticeable on the livestock or corals.

that is why i want to keep it more on the blue side. i just don't like the windex look anymore. want to find the perfect mixture for making the zoas pop and bringing out the colors of the fish. i have been using vibrant every two weeks and it has really helped with algae.

 

[Jay Z]

that is why i want to keep it more on the blue side. i just don't like the windex look anymore. want to find the perfect mixture for making the zoas pop and bringing out the colors of the fish. i have been using vibrant every two weeks and it has really helped with algae.

I'm running a mixed, so I need the algae growth to keep everyone happy. Just have to find the happy median.

 

[Montiman]

How long did you have that tank and what corals, actually it doesn't matter, everything should be aclimated unless you willing to play russian roulette with live corals, emphasis on live

An a150 is not that bright. it was an SPS dominant tank though I later moved the light to a 1ft cube with LPS. Acclimation is only needed when going brighter but since almost any coral at any LFS is under more light than an a150 you don’t need to acclimate.

 

[a4edwin]

Frankly an a 160 should be able to go to 100% on most tanks immediately at any color they are not that bright unless you have a very small tank. I had an old non adjustable a150 over a 10 gallon tank at full power and nothing bleached

You can’t compare both these lights as the wattage is different and so are the lenses.

 

[chum]

so i did a 5% increase weekly till i got to 15% color with 75% intensity for 8 hours and it fried my rastas, tubbs blues, and blondies. the red hornets which are at the top seem to love the setting and the ones lower don't seem to mind. i like the 15% color but i think i am going to slowly bring the intensity down by 5% and see what happens. the colors on my bowers and rainbow infusions seem a little duller also with this setting. looking for input as for lowering my intensity. thanks.

 

[Daniel Waters]

so i did a 5% increase weekly till i got to 15% color with 75% intensity for 8 hours and it fried my rastas, tubbs blues, and blondies. the red hornets which are at the top seem to love the setting and the ones lower don't seem to mind. i like the 15% color but i think i am going to slowly bring the intensity down by 5% and see what happens. the colors on my bowers and rainbow infusions seem a little duller also with this setting. looking for input as for lowering my intensity. thanks.

Fried? As in they died, or just closed up? I can't imagine that lighting change killing a zoa. It might tick them off given you had been running 0% color for several months (so virtually no whites on that color setting). I think adjusting your intensity down is probably a good idea and work it back up over time as needed. It may take your zoas a bit of time to recover, so don't expect them to be perfectly happy after one day when you make a change. Good luck!

 

[chum]

Fried? As in they died, or just closed up? I can't imagine that lighting change killing a zoa. It might tick them off given you had been running 0% color for several months (so virtually no whites on that color setting). I think adjusting your intensity down is probably a good idea and work it back up over time as needed. It may take your zoas a bit of time to recover, so don't expect them to be perfectly happy after one day when you make a change. Good luck!

i did lose most of the polyps from the frags. looks like i may have two rastas left and one blondie and no tubbs. thanks for the input.

 

[Midrats]

I have found the color setting does makes a big difference on my A360WE. I increased my color to 60% from 45% for the same reason you want to, to appreciate the yellows, reds, and oranges on my fish more. My Lobophyllias protested vehemently. I have returned to a peak of 45% color and things are looking happier, but they still look a little pale and deflated.

 

[chum]

I have found the color setting does makes a big difference on my A360WE. I increased my color to 60% from 45% for the same reason you want to, to appreciate the yellows, reds, and oranges on my fish more. My Lobophyllias protested vehemently. I have returned to a peak of 45% color and things are looking happier, but they still look a little pale and deflated.

that is interesting, i will in the future take those adjustments much slower. thinking about renting a par meter from bulk reef supply to see where things are at.