Will kessil A500x add shimmer with ati 8 bulb?

[zachtos]

I have an ATI t5 8 bulb 60" fixture over a 300 g SPS reef. I would like to add 3 kessil a500x along the front to attempt to add shimmer.

If this is possible please tell me or show. I
would not buy a spot light led otherwise.

 

[Hurricane Aquatics]

I cant speak to that large of a tank, but I have an ATI Straton over a small cube and tried the same thing with my A500X. There was 0 shimmer.

I believe the massive footprint of the Straton over rides the shimmer.

Now that's LED on LED, I had a 6 bulb T5 on a 55 gallon reef and added Kessil 160s to it back in 2011 and it added shimmer.

So I think with a T5, yes they would add shimmer.

 

[zachtos]

I cant speak to that large of a tank, but I have an ATI Straton over a small cube and tried the same thing with my A500X. There was 0 shimmer.

I believe the massive footprint of the Straton over rides the shimmer.

Now that's LED on LED, I had a 6 bulb T5 on a 55 gallon reef and added Kessil 160s to it back in 2011 and it added shimmer.

So I think with a T5, yes they would add shimmer.

Did you add the kessils to front and back of the T5? I think I can only fit on front or back side and maybe angle a bit to blanket the middle better.

 

[Midrats]

Nice tank!

 

[Hurricane Aquatics]

Mine were added to the back, not front. The only reason was that it was the only option at the time. I don't see it making any difference in shimmer.

 

[piranhaman00]

Really nice tank!

I don’t think it would do anything for shimmer with the 8 bulb T5.

 

[Jekyl]

@Kessil

 

[zachtos]

yeah it's a struggle to figure out if a 60" (8) bulb T5 fixture can have noticable shimmer added or not. I've heard buy point source type kessils, reefbrites, sbreef lights but no one ever shows what they really look like if any shimmer exists at all.

I have 4 gyre type pumps at the top, so a ton of surface agitation, which should make great shimmer if I can find a workable solution. I really want that blanket of light, and had bad luck in the past with LED only from all the SPS shadows.

 

[Hurricane Aquatics]

Email [email protected]

They respond pretty fast.

 

[jdiefenbaugh]

I wouldn't think so, my 8 bulb power module produces zero shimmer with the 4 led clusters, even with just 4 lamps on.

 

[zachtos]

Email [email protected]

They respond pretty fast.

I am sure they will say they will add shimmer, as that is the manufacturer and bias. I was hoping for a way to keep my 8 bulb T5 but add some shimmer. Doesn't sound like anyone can do that from everything I search for. Just 4 bulb limit then seems to drown out the shimmer too much, but I have a wide 36" tank so 4 bulb hybrid is not going to cover that well... maybe, no one ever makes 36" x 36" PAR maps.

 

[jdiefenbaugh]

I would imagine a 250W MH would do the trick, if you really wanted to go that route. Used MH components are probably dirt cheap in most areas? Just depends if you want the heat and extra wattage.

edit: or maybe even a 150W hqi

 

[minus9]

Look for a used 360 and test it out. The difference between the 500 and 360 is just power. I would imagine that if you added a couple 360x’s with 55 degree lenses, that they would punch through a little better. Especially if you ran them a little higher in color % to cut through.

 

[Hurricane Aquatics]

A 360 and a 500 are vastly different. 360 has 50 LEDs and 90w and the 500 has 100 LEDs and 185w.

With the tank and corals he has, A500X all day.

 

[zachtos]

A 360 and a 500 are vastly different. 360 has 50 LEDs and 90w and the 500 has 100 LEDs and 185w.

With the tank and corals he has, A500X all day.

yeah, I guess I just have to wait and see if anyone can confirm that kessill A500X will not lose all the shimmer if running more than 4 T5 bulbs. For me to get good coverage, I think it would be kessils x 3 and a lot of fill light that may wash out the shimmer.

 

[minus9]

A 360 and a 500 are vastly different. 360 has 50 LEDs and 90w and the 500 has 100 LEDs and 185w.

With the tank and corals he has, A500X all day.

True, but for the purpose of just adding shimmer, he may be better off adding four 360’s instead of three 500’s? Those extra LEDs are part of the added power and increased spread. I think if he used the narrow reflectors, it may add more punch through the flatness of the T5’s. Just thinking out loud.

 

[Hurricane Aquatics]

True, but for the purpose of just adding shimmer, he may be better off adding four 360’s instead of three 500’s? Those extra LEDs are part of the added power and increased spread. I think if he used the narrow reflectors, it may add more punch through the flatness of the T5’s. Just thinking out loud.

Minus9,

I agree on the reflectors. That's a good idea. Using 35 degree reflectors A500X would definitely provide the shimmer over the T5's

As deep as that tank is, I would go with the 500x and the 35 degree reflector.

I feel 99% positive that would give you what you want. If you can, I would go with 4.

 

[zachtos]

Minus9,

I agree on the reflectors. That's a good idea. Using 35 degree reflectors A500X would definitely provide the shimmer over the T5's

As deep as that tank is, I would go with the 500x and the 35 degree reflector.

I feel 99% positive that would give you what you want. If you can, I would go with 4.

OK, I'll think about it. I'm not willing to buy that stuff if I can't find someone as an example already. Too expensive of a test for myself.

I may just do 3-ATI straton over the 300G and supplement with 4 LED strips like reefbreeders, reefbrite XHO or orphek.

 

[minus9]

OK, I'll think about it. I'm not willing to buy that stuff if I can't find someone as an example already. Too expensive of a test for myself.

I may just do 3-ATI straton over the 300G and supplement with 4 LED strips like reefbreeders, reefbrite XHO or orphek.

Are you friendly with any LFS? You may be able to borrow or rent a Kessil (display unit) for a day to test out? I'm pretty close with a local shop near me, I really like to help out the shops, but this one is really cool and the owner is a great guy, so I'm always giving him chaeto, frags, etc..... I also try to order as much as I can through him and he's always willing to help me out if I ever need anything. Also check any local clubs, they are a great resource for things like this.

 

[Hurricane Aquatics]

I actually have a brand new Straton (used 2 weeks) that I am thinking of selling. It's by far the best LED on the market. I love it.