Help me with lighting

troynel · 03/05/2016, 07:48 PM

Yet another lighting question, I know....

I currently am running 2 kessil 360w and have been for a year a now. I have a mixed reef tank with steady water parameters but for some reason my caps and most other sps I have seem to stn overtime and get pretty bad shadowing so only 1 side of the frags stay somewhat healthy. I run my lights to ramp up to 40% color and 45% intensity. Anything higher seems to fry my corals.

So I'm debating on getting a new lighting system. The below are some options I've been thinking of.

Spectra
ATI t5's
Pacific Sun
Matrix II

I have a rimless tank so I also am thinking about Style as well.

Kbel1969 · 03/05/2016, 08:09 PM

I'm in the process of a 120 build. I've been researching lighting, and have narrowed down to your current lights, and the pac sun model. From what I've read, the pac sun with led/t-5 setup seems to be the best of everything. Looking at pictures of other people's tanks, the visual impact is amazing, and people do say the coral growth is top notch. The price is quite a jump from the Kessils, but in the long run, it might be worth it

BryanS4 · 03/05/2016, 08:12 PM

ATI T5 hands down. Best of the best.

Not sure that's why your sps are Stn though, what are your current levels?

troynel · 03/05/2016, 08:14 PM

Alk - 7.0
Calc - 430
Sal - 1.026
Po4 - .01
Mag - 1250

troynel · 03/05/2016, 08:15 PM

Only problem with pac sun is I can't find out where to buy one in the US.

BryanS4 · 03/05/2016, 09:18 PM

Just me, but I'd bring alk up to 8. 7 leaves so little room for error. Feed a little more and get that po4 up and hopefully your no3 is 3-5 as well.

The old idea of sps have to have clean water is old school. Dirty that water up and your corals will love it!

troynel · 03/05/2016, 09:46 PM

What do you like about ATI so much?

golferbud101691 · 03/05/2016, 09:55 PM

What are your demensions? You should be able to hit 70% color and close to that intensity no problem(check the kessil forum for more details). Before you give up on the kessils, I would try to add some t5 in with them to supplement. With a rimless, yes it could be challenging, but it should work better for you. The people who have had the best overall results with most of the led out now except for radions are using some type of supplemental lighting. Radions still have the best sps growth(caps and acros) when it comes to led's say most hobbyist..

troynel · 03/05/2016, 10:34 PM

48x24x20

tinfoilhate · 03/06/2016, 12:22 AM

If you have the budget, and style is a concern, go for a giesseman or ATI t5/led hybrid.

troynel · 03/06/2016, 10:16 AM

After some more research I haven't heard too much good about the giesseman. Does look great though.

troynel · 03/06/2016, 03:00 PM

Bumped

golferbud101691 · 03/07/2016, 09:55 AM

Ati has the best reflectors. Even at 20" deep, you still shouldnt be frying your corals. Tell us some more about water paramaters and husbandry? How clean is the tank? This has nothing to do with the shadowing, but could be related to your stn and growth. You do want some shadow spots for different types of corals that don't need direct lighting..if it's a mixed reef

troynel · 03/07/2016, 09:08 PM

Water changes are once every three weeks with Red Sea pro. I only do 5 gallons of so because of the alk difference in parameters. I am going to be switching to automatic water changes in the next two weeks. Not sure if this matters but water is crystal clear. I stir the substrate once and awhile but don't vacuum it. Substrate is 1" or less. Parameters are above.

What else could it be?

troynel · 03/10/2016, 10:19 PM

So I moved my LEDs about 1 inch closer to the surface and came home to half my green slimmer bleached. Keep in mind only running at 45% intensity and 40% color.

troynel · 03/12/2016, 10:13 AM

Bump

03/05/2016, 07:48 PM	#1
troynel Troynel Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Moorpark, Ca Posts: 546	Help me with lighting Yet another lighting question, I know.... I currently am running 2 kessil 360w and have been for a year a now. I have a mixed reef tank with steady water parameters but for some reason my caps and most other sps I have seem to stn overtime and get pretty bad shadowing so only 1 side of the frags stay somewhat healthy. I run my lights to ramp up to 40% color and 45% intensity. Anything higher seems to fry my corals. So I'm debating on getting a new lighting system. The below are some options I've been thinking of. Spectra ATI t5's Pacific Sun Matrix II I have a rimless tank so I also am thinking about Style as well.

03/05/2016, 08:09 PM	#2
Kbel1969 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Illinois Posts: 71	I'm in the process of a 120 build. I've been researching lighting, and have narrowed down to your current lights, and the pac sun model. From what I've read, the pac sun with led/t-5 setup seems to be the best of everything. Looking at pictures of other people's tanks, the visual impact is amazing, and people do say the coral growth is top notch. The price is quite a jump from the Kessils, but in the long run, it might be worth it

03/05/2016, 08:12 PM	#3
BryanS4 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Hernando Beach, FL Posts: 944	ATI T5 hands down. Best of the best. Not sure that's why your sps are Stn though, what are your current levels?

03/05/2016, 08:14 PM	#4
troynel Troynel Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Moorpark, Ca Posts: 546	Alk - 7.0 Calc - 430 Sal - 1.026 Po4 - .01 Mag - 1250

03/05/2016, 08:15 PM	#5
troynel Troynel Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Moorpark, Ca Posts: 546	Only problem with pac sun is I can't find out where to buy one in the US.

03/05/2016, 09:18 PM	#6
BryanS4 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Hernando Beach, FL Posts: 944	Just me, but I'd bring alk up to 8. 7 leaves so little room for error. Feed a little more and get that po4 up and hopefully your no3 is 3-5 as well. The old idea of sps have to have clean water is old school. Dirty that water up and your corals will love it!

03/05/2016, 09:46 PM	#7
troynel Troynel Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Moorpark, Ca Posts: 546	What do you like about ATI so much?

03/05/2016, 09:55 PM	#8
golferbud101691 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: NC Posts: 310	What are your demensions? You should be able to hit 70% color and close to that intensity no problem(check the kessil forum for more details). Before you give up on the kessils, I would try to add some t5 in with them to supplement. With a rimless, yes it could be challenging, but it should work better for you. The people who have had the best overall results with most of the led out now except for radions are using some type of supplemental lighting. Radions still have the best sps growth(caps and acros) when it comes to led's say most hobbyist..

03/05/2016, 10:34 PM	#9
troynel Troynel Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Moorpark, Ca Posts: 546	48x24x20

03/06/2016, 12:22 AM	#10
tinfoilhate Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Posts: 61	If you have the budget, and style is a concern, go for a giesseman or ATI t5/led hybrid.

03/06/2016, 10:16 AM	#11
troynel Troynel Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Moorpark, Ca Posts: 546	After some more research I haven't heard too much good about the giesseman. Does look great though.

03/06/2016, 03:00 PM	#12
troynel Troynel Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Moorpark, Ca Posts: 546	Bumped

03/07/2016, 09:55 AM	#13
golferbud101691 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: NC Posts: 310	Ati has the best reflectors. Even at 20" deep, you still shouldnt be frying your corals. Tell us some more about water paramaters and husbandry? How clean is the tank? This has nothing to do with the shadowing, but could be related to your stn and growth. You do want some shadow spots for different types of corals that don't need direct lighting..if it's a mixed reef

03/07/2016, 09:08 PM	#14
troynel Troynel Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Moorpark, Ca Posts: 546	Water changes are once every three weeks with Red Sea pro. I only do 5 gallons of so because of the alk difference in parameters. I am going to be switching to automatic water changes in the next two weeks. Not sure if this matters but water is crystal clear. I stir the substrate once and awhile but don't vacuum it. Substrate is 1" or less. Parameters are above. What else could it be?

03/10/2016, 10:19 PM	#15
troynel Troynel Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Moorpark, Ca Posts: 546	So I moved my LEDs about 1 inch closer to the surface and came home to half my green slimmer bleached. Keep in mind only running at 45% intensity and 40% color.

03/12/2016, 10:13 AM	#16
troynel Troynel Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Moorpark, Ca Posts: 546	Bump