Kessil owners - how do you do it?

[Lylelovett]

Hi all,

Kessil owners/lovers - help me out!

I'm considering upgrading my lighting to move from softie success to LPS and eventually SPS. I had another post here recently and got some great info, but now I need to approach it from a different angle.

Before I go and replace my 3 Kessil A360s on my 5'x2'x2' tank, I wanted to ask Kessil owners how they are successfully growing corals.

1. Do your A360s give you enough light and PAR levels? If so, what's your setup?
2. A common suggestion is to do a hybrid T5 setup. Is that the only way to really make use of my Kessils? I'd like to stay all LED, but maybe hybrid is my only way to go?
3. If I add 1-2 more a360s, will that even be enough or do these just not pack the power to fill a 24" deep tank?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Montiman]

I used to run a kessil T5 combo and now run a Kessil halide combo. Before I added t5s I ran 3 A360s on a 4ft 120 and was able to grow SPS. My only problem was that they grew in weird shapes. Montis bowling around the lights. After adding t5s everything normalized and the results were awesome. Ultimately the greatest weakness of kessils is not the PAR but the coverage. You will need alot to get proper coverage. Usually adding t5s is the cheapest and easiest way to get good results.

On another note A360s are 90 watt lights most of the truly great SPS reefs I have seen use multiple 180W lights spaced more than 1 every 2 feet. This would mean 6 A360s in your case. With 6 you likely would do very well. Some of the most impressive LED displays are tanks like Mike Pelleta's 300 gallon that used 6 XR30 Pros on a 6ft tank. If you want results like that you will need to match the power. In your case this would be 6 A 360s or 3 AP9Xs

What most people realize is that 3 kessils + t5s just makes more sense than 6. you are guaranteed good results with less upfront cost and minimal long term cost since most only run t5s for a short period of time. For me it was 4 hours. If the BRS testing is true t5s last 2 years at 8 hours a day so they likely last 4 years at 8 hours per day. Spending all the money just to have all LED really doesn't make sense for most people.

 

[minus9]

I'm currently running 6 360x's and 3 Orphek blue plus bars on my custom 90g. On the onset I wanted to go all led's and made the transition from T5's to the Orphek bars over a year ago and absolutely love the combo.
With a 24" deep tank, you may want to consider the narrow reflector to get more punch, but you lose coverage, so you'll have to use more fixtures or combine them with a bar or panel style fixture to fill in the spaces. The key with sps is coverage/spread, no matter what light you use. But you could simply use more lights without the narrow reflector and you should have coverage and the pose where the lights intersect.

Just a couple phone pics to give you an idea of what is possible.

 

[Lylelovett]

This is so helpful!

My two biggest concerns with T5 Hybris heat and electricity usage compare to LEDs.

Because of my setup/house, during summer months my tank CANNOT get below 80deg. Do I need to worry about heat from the T5s?

I don't care so much about cost if the more expensive solution (LED) is the better way to go. If I can get just good results I think I'd rather go LED. I do like the fact they use less electricity and potentially give off less heat. But if T5 hybrid is the more successful way, then I'll do that and keep using these Kessils.

The tank is open top in the middle of our great room so it needs to be elegant. (photo attached - add 40PAR to each reading, I haven't updated that photo)

To add the DX18 to my Kessil mix (with all mounts and bulbs and Profilux interface) it's $1700.

OR I could add 2x Radion XR30 G5 pro for $1800
OR I could add 3x Radion XR15 Pro for roughly the same price
OR I could add 2x Mitras LX7206 for roughly the same price
AND to add 2-3 more Kessils is another $900-$1200
And so on...

And these could be added into the Kessils, or replace them... *sigh* LOL!

 

[Lylelovett]

And those PAR readings (+40) are with the lights cranked up to 90%, so they can't push much more...

 

[Lylelovett]

I'm currently running 6 360x's and 3 Orphek blue plus bars on my custom 90g. On the onset I wanted to go all led's and made the transition from T5's to the Orphek bars over a year ago and absolutely love the combo.

Why did you switch to LEDs from T5s? I guess that's part of what I'm trying to avoid... Go to T5s now, then end up going to all LEDs anyway down the road...

 

[minus9]

You could probably get away with 4 360x's mounted about 6" above the water and be done. Another option is a floating canopy with Kessil's (or whatever led) and some bars for the front and back? You could do a canopy from 8020 and wrap the outside with some nice wood panels (or the same panels from your stand?) for a nice clean look.

 

[minus9]

Why did you switch to LEDs from T5s? I guess that's part of what I'm trying to avoid... Go to T5s now, then end up going to all LEDs anyway down the road...

To eliminate bulb replacement, heat, etc.... That and I wanted something that would add a little extra pop and the Orphek's fit that bill perfectly. I'm running my Kessil's at 30% to 35% color to counter the extra blue from the Orphek's. I hate super blue tanks, there's absolutely no contrast or dynamics. I really wanted to capture that lagoon in Tahiti look, that crisp white and blue shimmer.

 

[Montiman]

You could add the regular hybrid with bulbs and the brackets for around $500. Sounds like the most affordable option to me.

 

[Lylelovett]

You could add the regular hybrid with bulbs and the brackets for around $500. Sounds like the most affordable option to me.

I assumed I needed the T5s to be dimmable? Instead of dimming them up and down would I just dim up the Kessils until peak lighting, then turn on the T5s for 4-5 hours until later in the day?

 

[Lylelovett]

To eliminate bulb replacement, heat, etc.... That and I wanted something that would add a little extra pop and the Orphek's fit that bill perfectly. I'm running my Kessil's at 30% to 35% color to counter the extra blue from the Orphek's. I hate super blue tanks, there's absolutely no contrast or dynamics. I really wanted to capture that lagoon in Tahiti look, that crisp white and blue shimmer.

I don't like the blue look either.

 

[Crustaceon]

This is so helpful!

My two biggest concerns with T5 Hybris heat and electricity usage compare to LEDs.

Because of my setup/house, during summer months my tank CANNOT get below 80deg. Do I need to worry about heat from the T5s?

I don't care so much about cost if the more expensive solution (LED) is the better way to go. If I can get just good results I think I'd rather go LED. I do like the fact they use less electricity and potentially give off less heat. But if T5 hybrid is the more successful way, then I'll do that and keep using these Kessils.

The tank is open top in the middle of our great room so it needs to be elegant. (photo attached - add 40PAR to each reading, I haven't updated that photo)

To add the DX18 to my Kessil mix (with all mounts and bulbs and Profilux interface) it's $1700.

OR I could add 2x Radion XR30 G5 pro for $1800
OR I could add 3x Radion XR15 Pro for roughly the same price
OR I could add 2x Mitras LX7206 for roughly the same price
AND to add 2-3 more Kessils is another $900-$1200
And so on...

And these could be added into the Kessils, or replace them... *sigh* LOL!

My house never gets below 80 in summer here in San Diego. I run two fans set to come on at 82 and blow air over the top of the tank. Even then, I wouldn’t be too worried if my tank hit 83-84. Also, I’m running a 6-bulb t5ho fixture. It’s really not that bad heat-wise TBH.

 

[Ippyroy]

Have you checked out the BRS new lighting video? The Kessil Reefbrite combo seems pretty awesome. i am also very intrigued by the Orphek Bars and BRS is about to do a test on them.

 

[stiffljp]

Like many others, I have the 360 with T5's. 4 - 360WE with 8 60" T5 on a 72 * 32*24. It gives good spread and I don't have any issues growing SPS. With that said, BRS recently did a videa where Ryan was going to use Reef Brite LED in place of the T5. Might be food for thought. I don't see noticeable

heat differences with the lights on, maybe .2 - .4 degrees.

 

[minus9]

I assumed I needed the T5s to be dimmable? Instead of dimming them up and down would I just dim up the Kessils until peak lighting, then turn on the T5s for 4-5 hours until later in the day?

When I used T5's I only turned them on during peak hours, so initially 6hrs. When I first added them, I started with 4hrs a day, then added a half hour each week or so until I hit 6hrs. I ramped the Kessil's up and down, for a 12hr cycle.

 

[Lylelovett]

My house never gets below 80 in summer here in San Diego. I run two fans set to come on at 82 and blow air over the top of the tank. Even then, I wouldn’t be too worried if my tank hit 83-84. Also, I’m running a 6-bulb t5ho fixture. It’s really not that bad heat-wise TBH.

I'm in AZ. I'm using a GHL fan unit across the sump and that keeps it right at 80.

 

[Lylelovett]

Have you checked out the BRS new lighting video? The Kessil Reefbrite combo seems pretty awesome. i am also very intrigued by the Orphek Bars and BRS is about to do a test on them.

I have not. I will look at that.

 

[Paleozoic_reefer]

I'm running 4- 360's (7am-9pm never going past 40%) with an Aquatic Life T5 hybrid set up (1actinic and 3 blue+ For 4hrs). Been doing great for my LPS And softie tank but not sure for SPS...

 

[Montiman]

I assumed I needed the T5s to be dimmable? Instead of dimming them up and down would I just dim up the Kessils until peak lighting, then turn on the T5s for 4-5 hours until later in the day?

This is what I do. Just turn on the t5s (Now Halides) for a 4 hour peak and let the kessils do the rest.

 

[Ippyroy]

I have not. I will look at that.

They have some great info on that setup and they will be doing the Orphek bars soon. Good Luck and make a build thread. Makes it easier for all of us to learn new things!