Kessil Show Off Thread (Warning, may be picture heavy!)

[choss]

If they look like the image below, they're fine. The two emitters that appear to be out are UV (our eyes dont see them well). My A360s were used when I bought them and have been over my tank for two years without issue (I have five total).

Here is what mine looks like

 

[Kyl]

Heat is what kills LED lighting more than anything else by far. One thing to note, when blowing, you need to block the rotor of the fan somehow so it doesn't spin. That can cause damage to the PCB as you're essentially making an electric generator by having the fan blade rotate unpowered, especially when it's rotating very fast with compressed air / compressor / datavac use.

The oldest of my A160's is about 2.5 years, and it hasn't skipped a beat (with regular heat sink cleaning).

 

[Crabs McJones]

Heat is what kills LED lighting more than anything else by far. One thing to note, when blowing, you need to block the rotor of the fan somehow so it doesn't spin. That can cause damage to the PCB as you're essentially making an electric generator by having the fan blade rotate unpowered, especially when it's rotating very fast with compressed air / compressor / datavac use.

The oldest of my A160's is about 2.5 years, and it hasn't skipped a beat (with regular heat sink cleaning).

Agreed, I always wedge something into my fan to prevent it from spinning when I blast it with the air compressor.

 

[madweazl]

Here is what mine looks like

The unit will also shut down certain emitters depending on what color you've set. I believe your light is working as intended.

0% color 100% intensity

100% color 100% intensity

 

[choss]

The unit will also shut down certain emitters depending on what color you've set. I believe your light is working as intended.

0% color 100% intensity

100% color 100% intensity

Well the light is significantly whiter than my other 360WE and they are set for exact same settings (Max 45% color and 50% intensity). I sent the pic to Kessil and they thought an array was out. What is the best way to take a pic to expose the maximum blue intensity? Its not 100% of the blue light that is missing but most of it.

 

[madweazl]

The first pic I posted was 50% color and 100% intensity and the other two were labeled so you could check to see if yours match those images.

Edit: changing the intensity also changes the emitters that come on IIRC.

 

[madweazl]

Pretty sure this was 0% color and just enough intensity to get it to turn on.

 

[choss]

Kessil contacted me yesterday and offered to swap my light out for a refurbished one. I thought that was really nice of them. I have to say they do have the best customer service I've encountered in this hobby.

 

[Matthias7]

I am considering changing back to kessils had them a while back and loved them. My tank is a marine land 250dd so the footprint is 60x36x30. I will be using t5 to supplement as well. I was thinking of 2 ap700. How many t5’s would you guys recommend and will this be enough for a mixed reef that leans more towards sps

 

[Crabs McJones]

I am considering changing back to kessils had them a while back and loved them. My tank is a marine land 250dd so the footprint is 60x36x30. I will be using t5 to supplement as well. I was thinking of 2 ap700. How many t5’s would you guys recommend and will this be enough for a mixed reef that leans more towards sps

2 ap700 and 4 t5s

 

[madweazl]

I am considering changing back to kessils had them a while back and loved them. My tank is a marine land 250dd so the footprint is 60x36x30. I will be using t5 to supplement as well. I was thinking of 2 ap700. How many t5’s would you guys recommend and will this be enough for a mixed reef that leans more towards sps

At 36" wide, I'm not sure the AP700 is viable option with T5s. The AP700 would work best run perpendicular to the tank and that really restricts the T5s. You need a 10 bulb T5 fixture in my opinion.

 

[Matthias7]

There is about 6 inches of nothing behind my rock work I keep it off the back wall to allow flow behind the structure

 

[madweazl]

There is about 6 inches of nothing behind my rock work I keep it off the back wall to allow flow behind the structure

You may be able to get away with three run perpendicular to the tank with eight T5s running the same direction (visualize three, 36" Aquatic Life hybrids turned 90° from the norm). You have a difficult tank to light with the width and depth.

 

[itisjp]

I am considering changing back to kessils had them a while back and loved them. My tank is a marine land 250dd so the footprint is 60x36x30. I will be using t5 to supplement as well. I was thinking of 2 ap700. How many t5’s would you guys recommend and will this be enough for a mixed reef that leans more towards sps

I have a similar setup 60x30x24 I have 4 360’s and 4 t5 bulbs I have all the light I need and run a mixed reef. If you go with the 700’s then two of those and 4 t5 bulbs will work great.

 

[Matthias7]

Ya I think that would work as well

 

[madweazl]

Ya I think that would work as well

People are running four T5s with an AP700 on 40g tanks; you really think one more AP700 is going to work well on a tank 4.5 times as big? If your end goal is low light corals throughout with a couple that grow at medium light levels in certain areas, they will work. If your goal is anything else, you're going to be disappointed.

 

[choss]

People are running four T5s with an AP700 on 40g tanks; you really think one more AP700 is going to work well on a tank 4.5 times as big? If your end goal is low light corals throughout with a couple that grow at medium light levels in certain areas, they will work. If your goal is anything else, you're going to be disappointed.

Feels like a ton of light for a 40 gallon tank. IMO running two APs plus 4 T5 bulbs on the above mentioned tank should work out fine as long as the coral placement takes into consideration somewhat reduced coverage along the outside edges of the tank. But is should allow for nice SPS growth in the center areas. I would go for a two island scape and I can't see why it wouldn't work. I guess all depends on coral placement

 

[Matthias7]

So think I have decided to go with 2x kessil ap700 and 6x 54 watt T5HO. I have most of the parts necessary to do a retrofit for the t5

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Kinda sorta mahbe completely forgot about this thread. I got a new tank!!! And of course I've got a Kessil or 3 hanging above it. I decided to supliment the Kessils with a little T5 action. My equipment is 3 Kessil A160WE in an Aquatic Life hybrid fixture with 4 36" ATI True Actinic T5HO. Lights are 6" off the water surface.

Lighting schedule is as follows.

1100 Kessils turn on 0% color 5% intensity
1200 Kessils ramp to 35% color and (will edit intensity tomorrow)
1400 Kessils at 35% color and 100% intensity, T5s turn on
2000 T5 turn off, Kessils start ramp down in intensity, still 35% color
2200 Kessils at (will edit intensity tomorrow) and start ramp to 0% color
2300 Kessils turn off

Sorry about forgetting the intermediate intensity, I'll get that in the morning when I get home. Here's a shot of my tank all lit up to make up for it.

And here is one with just Kessils, because Kessils are sexy and I know you wanted to see.

 

[sstanley223]

Just stocking this 36gal bowfront. I was skeptical about these lights at first, but really fallen for them. Now I don't see anything better at this price point. A360ne