Recommended intensity setting for a kessil A500x over an 18" sps cube?

[samb5590]

What is your coral list and what do you want to keep?
How low are the corals in the tank from the top of the water?
How high is your A500X mounted above the water and are you using a reflector?

Mostly LPS/soft corals currently, but eventually want to move toward more of a mixed reef and have a few SPS.

My light is about 8.5” from the water line, 7.5” from the rim line. I am using the included 55 degree reflector for it, b/c there was so much spill without it.

Here is a list of coral/location
(all will be “ from rim)

**Note; all corals are >3mo in this tank, moved at the end of summer.

- duncan (11”, right third): Overall, doing great. He went through a tough period (couple tank moves, stung by anemone and presumed dead) but always held onto him. His heads are pretty white, but always have been ever since he was stung.

- BTA (10”, left third): Bought him bleached from LFS, and he’s claimed his current place as home. Still bleached, but slowly getting better (1mo old)

- leptoseris (12”, right third): just moved this guy over here from sand bed today. Got it 50% off so still looking for its home. Forums said moderate light so he got the middle of the tank!

- hammer (14”, center): looking good today, he sits just outside of a ledge, so has some shadow close by. Good color. I’ve been running my nitrates a little high to beat out cyano so he’s been closed more recently.

- plating monti (16” right third): not doing the hottest. Either changing color or has algae growing on him. It accepts food & never bleached so I assume it’s changing colors.

- ricordea (17.5” center): absolutely thriving. Chunky, fleshy, beast of a man who’s not missed a beat. Steadily growing and happy!

- cyphastrea (21”, left of center): new coral, hasn’t had much time to get used to tank.

- xenias (21”, back right): thriving as always.

- stylocoeniella (20”, right quarter): new coral, polyps are closed pretty tight on it but again running nitrates high.

Edit: here is a pic to put locations perspective! I can get a closer/better pic of any specific coral if you’d like for better inspection if needed.

 

[Hurricane Aquatics]

Mostly LPS/soft corals currently, but eventually want to move toward more of a mixed reef and have a few SPS.

My light is about 8.5” from the water line, 7.5” from the rim line. I am using the included 55 degree reflector for it, b/c there was so much spill without it.

Here is a list of coral/location
(all will be “ from rim)

**Note; all corals are >3mo in this tank, moved at the end of summer.

- duncan (11”, right third): Overall, doing great. He went through a tough period (couple tank moves, stung by anemone and presumed dead) but always held onto him. His heads are pretty white, but always have been ever since he was stung.

- BTA (10”, left third): Bought him bleached from LFS, and he’s claimed his current place as home. Still bleached, but slowly getting better (1mo old)

- leptoseris (12”, right third): just moved this guy over here from sand bed today. Got it 50% off so still looking for its home. Forums said moderate light so he got the middle of the tank!

- hammer (14”, center): looking good today, he sits just outside of a ledge, so has some shadow close by. Good color. I’ve been running my nitrates a little high to beat out cyano so he’s been closed more recently.

- plating monti (16” right third): not doing the hottest. Either changing color or has algae growing on him. It accepts food & never bleached so I assume it’s changing colors.

- ricordea (17.5” center): absolutely thriving. Chunky, fleshy, beast of a man who’s not missed a beat. Steadily growing and happy!

- cyphastrea (21”, left of center): new coral, hasn’t had much time to get used to tank.

- xenias (21”, back right): thriving as always.

- stylocoeniella (20”, right quarter): new coral, polyps are closed pretty tight on it but again running nitrates high.

Edit: here is a pic to put locations perspective! I can get a closer/better pic of any specific coral if you’d like for better inspection if needed.

Thanks for the picture, it helps greatly.

I didn't see what percentage you were running for intensity?

That's a very low mounting for the 55 degree reflector. If you can, I would bring it up to about 14 to 15 inches above the water line and then the 55 degree reflector will be perfect. The height you have it right now will shoot straight down into the center and the sides will receive hardly any.

Looks like you're doing good, the only coral I would change is your Montipora. It could be up higher if you want, but if it's doing well and you're happy with it, it's probably done where it is with the 55 degree reflector.

I posted some PAR results earlier in the thread at different mounting heights in my 40 cube which is only a couple of inches smaller than your 60.

The A500X is powerful and if you go to 14 inches high, you can probably adjust to 50 intensity and have plenty of light for those corals.

 

[rennjidk]

Any update to this? Running an a500x on a 60g cube (24x24x24) and I’m doing what I can to not buy/rent a par meter lol…

This is at around 60% intensity with the narrow reflector attached. Keep in mind, mine is an 18" cube.

 

[samb5590]

This is at around 60% intensity with the narrow reflector attached. Keep in mind, mine is an 18" cube.

Thanks for the picture, it helps greatly.

I didn't see what percentage you were running for intensity?

That's a very low mounting for the 55 degree reflector. If you can, I would bring it up to about 14 to 15 inches above the water line and then the 55 degree reflector will be perfect. The height you have it right now will shoot straight down into the center and the sides will receive hardly any.

Looks like you're doing good, the only coral I would change is your Montipora. It could be up higher if you want, but if it's doing well and you're happy with it, it's probably done where it is with the 55 degree reflector.

I posted some PAR results earlier in the thread at different mounting heights in my 40 cube which is only a couple of inches smaller than your 60.

The A500X is powerful and if you go to 14 inches high, you can probably adjust to 50 intensity and have plenty of light for those corals.

I run around 60% at its peak, so this is helpful! I just went through my tank with the Photone app (a few threads say it is accurate/better than nothing, so figured let’s try it out lol)

With my light at 50%, the readings were:
sand bed: 120-180
Lower 1/4 (ricordea/monti height): 200-230
Middle (hammer/lepto/duncan): 280-350
Top: 400 to the sides, like 700+ dead center.

Definitely a hot spot, so I’ll probably raise my light AND lower the % down to a peak of 50. I did take the reflector off to test a difference and it was significantly more consistent across the board per-height, so we will start by raising the light and seeing how that helps!


Edit:
Re-measured par with the app after adjusting height. (Light now at 14”)

Sand bed: 110-130
Bottomg 1/3: (ricordea/monti):160-170
Middle 1/3 (Duncan/lepto): 220-250
top 1/3 (bra/top of rock): 270-300, max of 330 direct center.

 

[ygbsmww]

How is the fan noise of the a500x?