Kessil A160WE lighting schedule

[Hallowhead]

Howdy all..

I am trying to get the best lighting schedule for my lights.

I am currently growing softies, zoa's, palys & LPS.

My lights are suspended 6" from the mesh on my IM 30 Gallon long, so ~ 8" from the water level.

I made two programs using the spectral controller but I am nervous that they're incorrect. They are as follows:

Program 1:
8:00am 0 Color 10 Int On
10:00am 25 Color 30 Int
12:00pm 50 Color 30 Int
2:00pm 50 Color 40 Int
4:00pm 50 Color 45 Int
6:00pm 30 Color 30 Int
8:00pm 4 Color 20 Int
8:30pm 0 Color 0 Int OFF

Program 2:
8:00am 0 Color 1 Int On
9:00am 10 Color 20 Int
11:00am 40 Color 40 Int
12:00pm 50 Color 60 Int
3:00pm 50 Color 60 Int
5:00pm 18 Color 35 Int
7:00pm 8 Color 17 Int
8:00pm 0 Color 10 Int OFF

I would like any feedback at all!!

 

[Hallowhead]

any comments?

 

[minus9]

You probably won't have to raise the intensity above 50% with two lights. I would start out a little lower, then work your way up 5% every other week. Your corals will tell you if it's too much light, but go slow. I ran my lights 12hrs with a 3hr ramp up, hold peak for 6hrs, then ramp down for 3hrs. I would put a point mid day, which allowed me to raise intensity a little at a time.
From memory, this is what my programing looked like. (my intensity was different, this is just an example, but the color is what I preferred)
Time - Color - Int.
7:55 - 0% - 0%
8:00 - 0% - 5%
11:00 - 30% - 35%
14:00 - 30% - 40%
17:00 - 30% - 35%
20:05 - 0% - 0%
I used the mid day point to raise intensity first, then wait a week or two, then I would raise the intensity at 11:00 and 17:00 to match. This gave the coral a little more time to adjust to the rising intensity. The 5 minutes before and after gave me a full 12hr cycle, as the lights won't turn on until they hit 5% and you can only raise the levels in 5 increments.

 

[Hallowhead]

You probably won't have to raise the intensity above 50% with two lights. I would start out a little lower, then work your way up 5% every other week. Your corals will tell you if it's too much light, but go slow. I ran my lights 12hrs with a 3hr ramp up, hold peak for 6hrs, then ramp down for 3hrs. I would put a point mid day, which allowed me to raise intensity a little at a time.
From memory, this is what my programing looked like. (my intensity was different, this is just an example, but the color is what I preferred)
Time - Color - Int.
7:55 - 0% - 0%
8:00 - 0% - 5%
11:00 - 30% - 35%
14:00 - 30% - 40%
17:00 - 30% - 35%
20:05 - 0% - 0%
I used the mid day point to raise intensity first, then wait a week or two, then I would raise the intensity at 11:00 and 17:00 to match. This gave the coral a little more time to adjust to the rising intensity. The 5 minutes before and after gave me a full 12hr cycle, as the lights won't turn on until they hit 5% and you can only raise the levels in 5 increments.

I unfortunately threw them under the stronger lights right away after upgrading from my A80's so now it's just finding the best light. They're under 60% intensity at peak now but you're saying I should lower to 50?

12 hours of light isn't too much ?

 

[minus9]

If everything looks okay, then I wouldn't change anything, but if your corals looked shriveled up or not opening up all the way, then back down. Light duration depends on spectrum and intensity. If you're blasting them the whole time, then it's probably too long, but if your peak intensity is 6hrs-8hrs, then you're ok. If you were maxing out your 80's, then starting at 50% is probably safe, but a little more shouldn't be a problem. Observe your animals, they'll tell you if it's too much.

 

[Hallowhead]

If everything looks okay, then I wouldn't change anything, but if your corals looked shriveled up or not opening up all the way, then back down. Light duration depends on spectrum and intensity. If you're blasting them the whole time, then it's probably too long, but if your peak intensity is 6hrs-8hrs, then you're ok. If you were maxing out your 80's, then starting at 50% is probably safe, but a little more shouldn't be a problem. Observe your animals, they'll tell you if it's too much.

My 80's were peaking at 60/70 maybe? So the 160's are tossing some serious sun.

I think I will back them down just a hair as some of the polyps on some zoa's are not opening.

 

[hart24601]

I also agree to just watch the corals. I ran a 160WE on a 3g pics at 100% with the light resting on the lid. Granted this was SPS, but it wasn't too much light.

Edit attached a pic of the top down of the 3g.

 

[Kyl]

I ran this with my fusion 20 and 2x A160.


a160settings by Kyl Aquaria, on Flickr

It supported this:

FTS_July2017 by Kyl Aquaria, on Flickr

 

[Hallowhead]

I ran this with my fusion 20 and 2x A160.


a160settings by Kyl Aquaria, on Flickr

It supported this:

FTS_July2017 by Kyl Aquaria, on Flickr

What a pretty tank ! Upgraded or ?

You grew sps? So I'd probably be okay with like max 55 INT

 

[Kyl]

Yes, to my current 60 gallon "shallow" build. Still trying to chase the success I had in that small package, but it's getting there. Yes I had a few acro sticks in there, along with the easier SPS like monticaps, and the RBTA which was about 8" wide when I upgraded. Great lights for that tank size I found, though I didn't mind the aesthetics some hated the look of the cans. As a matter of fact, I have the same lights running on my new tank, albeit with T5 hybrids to help since I'm transitioning to mostly acropora.

This is how they were mounted:
lighting by Kyl Aquaria, on Flickr

 

[Hallowhead]

I just brought my lights down just a smidge..

This LPS seems to be melting.. It was looking great a couple days ago - around the time of old lights. Also adjusted it the other day and snails were practically hosting it for a day. Thoughts?

 

[minus9]

Here's the last pic I took off my 22g before I upgraded. You can see the three 160's in the reflection. Kinda miss this tank. My sps were growing out of the water.

 

[Mike's R33f]

Hi! Did you leave you color at 30% at both midpoint at 11:00 and 17:00 as you ramped up intensity?
I’m running a very similar schedule but leave the color at 25% and and slowly ramping the three middle points intensity up to 100% (I have two over a 65g Redsea Reefer). However, I would like to leave color at 25% as I think the corals pop more here and I prefer the bluer look but still enough to let my fish look good also.

 

[Hallowhead]

I am working towards a lighting schedule peaking at 100% my color doesn't go over 35

 

[Mike's R33f]

Cool! Thanks for the reply. Looks like we are working towards same thing.

 

[Semper.Reefing]

Hi! Did you leave you color at 30% at both midpoint at 11:00 and 17:00 as you ramped up intensity?
I’m running a very similar schedule but leave the color at 25% and and slowly ramping the three middle points intensity up to 100% (I have two over a 65g Redsea Reefer). However, I would like to leave color at 25% as I think the corals pop more here and I prefer the bluer look but still enough to let my fish look good also.

I’ve been slowly ramping mine up to %100 and leave the color the same. I have 2 A160’s and 1 Blue Plus ATI T5 over a standard size 55G.

 

[Chris37]

Here's the last pic I took off my 22g before I upgraded. You can see the three 160's in the reflection. Kinda miss this tank. My sps were growing out of the water.

What did your schedule look like?

 

[Chris37]

Here's the last pic I took off my 22g before I upgraded. You can see the three 160's in the reflection. Kinda miss this tank. My sps were growing out of the water.

What was your schedule?

 

[minus9]

What was your schedule?

Kessil's were on a 12hr cycle with a 2 to 3hr ramp up and down, max intensity was 70%. Color started at 0% and followed the intensity ramp time and I usually had the peak color at 25% to 35%. T5's were only on 4 to 6hrs during the peak period.