Kessil lighting for dummies

[HalleyA]

I am new to the reefing community and I am about ready to turn on my lights and start adding coral... that being said I have a 62g tideline with 2 a360xe tuna blue kessil lights. I also have the kessil controller for the lights. Can someone please walk me through what is the best settings to use and how to program it for the light to accommodate my mixed reef? Like a toddler. Timing will be 10am-10pm with ramp up and ramp down.

 

[Fish Fan]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

#WelcometoR2R

I'm sure someone on the R2R #reefsquad will be able to help. @Crabs McJones didn't you have this controller?

@Reefer Matt likes Kessil lighting if he's got a minute to help.

Good luck!

 

[Fish Fan]

See if this gets you started:

 

[HalleyA]

See if this gets you started:

Thank you!

 

[HalleyA]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

#WelcometoR2R

I'm sure someone on the R2R #reefsquad will be able to help. @Crabs McJones didn't you have this controller?

@Reefer Matt likes Kessil lighting if he's got a minute to help.

Good luck!

Thank you!

 

[Evil1]

I am new to the reefing community and I am about ready to turn on my lights and start adding coral... that being said I have a 62g tideline with 2 a360xe tuna blue kessil lights. I also have the kessil controller for the lights. Can someone please walk me through what is the best settings to use and how to program it for the light to accommodate my mixed reef? Like a toddler. Timing will be 10am-10pm with ramp up and ramp down.

What are the dimensions of your tank? Length, width & height?

 

[HalleyA]

What are the dimensions of your tank? Length, width & height?

48.5”L x 18.5”W x 15.75”H

 

[Evil1]

48.5”L x 18.5”W x 15.75”H

Ok I would start off at 50 to 60% total for now. I would also start with mushroom coral and some Zoa’s and see how it goes. Once you’re confident your corals are doing well we can discuss next steps. Please ask we are all willing to help

 

[HalleyA]

I plan to do the 50% to 60% for my full intensity but what about the colors with that and with the ramp up an down?
That's what I was going to go for when I turn them on was a couple mushies, zoas, and maybe a duncan?

 

[Reefer Matt]

@Reefer Matt likes Kessil lighting if he's got a minute to help.

Looks like you guys got it covered.

 

[Evil1]

I plan to do the 50% to 60% for my full intensity but what about the colors with that and with the ramp up an down?
That's what I was going to go for when I turn them on was a couple mushies, zoas, and maybe duncan?

Looks like you guys got it covered.

matt can you give some advice on color ratios? I don’t have kessil lights however I was just concerned about intensity with a 16” deep tank.

 

[Reefer Matt]

Kessil lights have Kessil Logic. No matter which color spectrum you pick, it will grow coral. Go with what you like. Obviously make sure to at least have the blue and/or white on when using the controller though. I don’t mean to use red only, green only, etc.

 

[HalleyA]

Kessil lights have Kessil Logic. No matter which color spectrum you pick, it will grow coral. Go with what you like. Obviously make sure to at least have the blue and/or white on when using the controller though. I don’t mean to use red only, green only, etc.

So just go with what we like basically? I was thinking about doing more white during the day and then more blue in the afternoon till shut off....

 

[Reefer Matt]

So just go with what we like basically? I was thinking about doing more white during the day and then more blue in the afternoon till shut off....

Yes. Intensity is more of a factor with Kessils than spectrum. I personally use a whiter color during the afternoon hours and taper off to blues for a night time show of color pop. I use about 20% red and green, and 50% violet during the day, and mix blue and white to preference. 50% intensity for your tank sounds about right. If you can borrow a par meter, it helps to show where the lower light zones are in the tank for lower light coral. Good luck!

 

[Boehmtown]

Kessils assist the spectrum for whatever color you want. Pick something you like and I would personally try 40% intensity Max. Most corals will survive months under lit. And can die in a day over lit. I had a blasto in my unlit sump for a couple months and it survived. I just had a toadstool get lost under a rock for maybe longer and it survived. They didn't thrive and certainly were pretty close to not making it. But both did. I have a couple strains of acropora that grow in under 100 par. They are doo doo brown and grow slow, but surviving.

 

[Fish Fan]

Most corals will survive months under lit. And can die in a day over lit.

I think that's solid advice

 

[RobertK]

I use violet at 70, and red and green at 10. I got those settings from my LFS, who have some really nice looking display tanks under Kessils. I ramp color and intensity up during the first 2 hours in the morning and ramp down for 2 hours in the evening.

 

[Rocks reef]

So just go with what we like basically? I was thinking about doing more white during the day and then more blue in the afternoon till shut off....

Perfect!

When I ran two Kessil a360x over my 40g breeder which is the same width and height, but 36” length. I had the peak hours set to 50 color and 70% intensity with 5% green and 5%red and was getting 200+ PAR on the sandbed. I slowly increased intensity over time, I didn’t just start at that. The acros at the top were 400+.
It would automatically ramp up color and intensity through my lighting schedule.
It really comes down to what color is pleasing to your eye. I, like you, prefer a more white peak spectrum versus the windex blue look. My corals respond better to a more “natural” peak spectrum…more in line with what happens in nature.

 

[Piotrek]

I plan to do the 50% to 60% for my full intensity but what about the colors with that and with the ramp up an down?
That's what I was going to go for when I turn them on was a couple mushies, zoas, and maybe a duncan?

I know a guy who run his tank of 4 Kessil a360x. We measured the green and red channels influence on PAR - the results where "it doesn't really matter". It was +/- 5% of the PAR changing both channels from 0 to 100%.
So the red and green only matter for your visual taste - at least with these lamps.

 

[vittpsu21]

I have used my Kessils for about 1.5 years, I run Default Tuna Blue, ramp up to a max of 60% for 2 hours of peak time with a 12 hour lighting window.