Spacing 3x Kessil A360x over a 4x2 tank? With narrow reflector?

[Greenjeans]

I have a 4x2x2 tank, and I'd like to keep some acropora down the road, but I don't need a tank dominated with them.

I have 3x kessil a360x, and I'm inclined to space them evenly (every 12"), but I doubt this will give me the best light distribution.

I added the narrow reflectors to reduce the light spill into the room, but can remove them if recommended...

How would you space these?

 

[Mar344]

Just watched this video since I'm planning on going with kessils. Should help answer your question.

video

 

[oreo54]

This might help..

W/ the narrow reflector you would prob shoot for about 2ft off the water line in order to concentrate most of the light in the tank and have more even coverage top to bottom..
Each light is now covering a 24" radius "spot"..
Now you can center the one and move the other 2 in and out depending on where you may want to concentrate the overlap..
you sort of only need 2 and would be spaced relatively close to each other centered..

That said.. do you have center braces that are blocking light? How many if any.


Obviously you will have some light loss at the sand bed/bottom but that's where a PAR meter comes in handy..

Just "on paper" ideas.
Didn't consider the narrow since you already have glare issues..

 

[Greenjeans]

Thanks for the thoughts, the charts really help. I don't really want to run the lights 2ft off the water, so it may make sense to remove the narrow reflector and deal with the light spill into the room. Kessil's website recommend 8-12" https://www.kessil.com/products/accessories_NarrowReflector.php

With only 2, I wouldn't be getting enough par for acros, according to the recent BRS video

They recommend 2 lights for a softies tank - 8" off the water with no reflector. They recommend 4 lights for an acro tank...I'm not sure I want to add a fourth, I already have 3.

Seems like I should at least remove the reflectors and deal with the light spill for my tank goals.

 

[Cuong]

I run 3 x’s on a 4x3 tank with t5s supplementing 13” off the water surface. Im getting 300-350 par at 6-8” under the water straight across. Thats at 45% intensity. Each light is 9” apart on my dx18 36”