Kessil 360 - how to find the sweet spot

[SchmittyG]

Hey guys I've had my kessil 360 for a while but haven't got the results I'm hoping for. Wondering how to tell if you're putting out too much light or not enough.... any help???

[Ron Reefman]

Borrow or rent a PAR meter. Then you can know exactly what you have.

It would also help to know what kind of corals and how deep in the tank? Softies up high in the tank would need WAY less light than sps near the bottom of the tank...

Final though, maybe the issue isn't the light? It seems to be the first thing people blame and it's probably not the true issue 75% of the time. Water quality, flow, food, mix of corals, location of corals are all factors that can be just as important as light.

[smatter]

The A360WE is a powerful light. What are your settings? If you can't find a PAR meter an inexpensive LUX meter can be helpful. I shoot for about 20K LUX at the surface and work up from there. It's better than guessing.

Most people start way too high with Kessil lights. Go slow, they will fry your corals if you are not careful.

[SchmittyG]

Everything was starting to look good and then yesterday everything was almost closed up. I have anemone, birds nest, frog spawn and some assorted mushrooms

[smatter]

Why do you fault the light? What intensity do you have it set at?

[Ron Reefman]

Originally Posted by smatter

Why do you fault the light? What intensity do you have it set at?

That's my question as well. IMHO I seriously doubt it is the light.

[SchmittyG]

I dont fault the lights but that's just the unknown at this point... My water parameters are all reading good and the lights are the thing Ive been tinkering with without knowing what the corals ultimately want. I ramp the lights on and off for a total of 10 hours with the Kessill reaching 70% intensity at the hightest peak.

Intensity reads
12:00 0%
2:00 45%
3:00 60%
7:00 70%
8:00 55%
10:00 O

[shifty51008]

I also agree, the light wouldn't cause everything to close up overnight unless you changed the settings. I would deff check all your water parameters 1st

[shifty51008]

70% over a 29 gal is very high, I prob wouldn't go much over 40 with a a360 imo

[ca1ore]

Originally Posted by shifty51008

70% over a 29 gal is very high, I prob wouldn't go much over 40 with a a360 imo

I agree, I run one over my 12" deep frag tank and it maxes at 30%.

[smatter]

I agree 70% is way up there for a tank your size. Mine peaks at 50% for 2 hours with a max color of 40%. If I turn it up any more than that corals begin to retreat. I have it 8" above the waterline. At closer distances the intensity increases exponentially.

[SchmittyG]

Originally Posted by smatter

I agree 70% is way up there for a tank your size. Mine peaks at 50% for 2 hours with a max color of 40%. If I turn it up any more than that corals begin to retreat. I have it 8" above the waterline. At closer distances the intensity increases exponentially.

So this I think is the problem then, as Ive been very diligent about testing water and making parameters as stable as possible. Ill back the lighting down and see what my results are. Thanks!

[Forgiven1973]

OK I'll chime in and ask some recommendations if that's OK? I just bought a A360we tuna blue kessil and have no experience with them. I have a 24 x 24 x 24 60g cube tank. If I have a few softies lower in the tank and maybe frogspawn higher, a Rbta then acans potentially lower on the sand bed how high should I have the light and at what percent should I ramp it up to?

[SchmittyG]

Everything Ive read you dont put it any closer then 8". I think 8-12 is optimal... start really low percentage wise from what everyone is saying and dont increase numbers by more then 5% a week, patience is important and remember the white light is very powerful on there... GOOD LUCK! Let us know what you learn.

[smatter]

Originally Posted by Forgiven1973

OK I'll chime in and ask some recommendations if that's OK? I just bought a A360we tuna blue kessil and have no experience with them. I have a 24 x 24 x 24 60g cube tank. If I have a few softies lower in the tank and maybe frogspawn higher, a Rbta then acans potentially lower on the sand bed how high should I have the light and at what percent should I ramp it up to?

I'd go with 12" high on a 60g cube for the best spread. Start low and go slow. Maybe peak at 40% for an hour or two and see how things react.

[minus9]

Originally Posted by SchmittyG

Everything Ive read you dont put it any closer then 8". I think 8-12 is optimal... start really low percentage wise from what everyone is saying and dont increase numbers by more then 5% a week, patience is important and remember the white light is very powerful on there... GOOD LUCK! Let us know what you learn.

I would say 5% a month. I know it doesn't seem like much, but corals will last a lot longer in lower light than too much.
Just my two pennies.

[Forgiven1973]

Thank u everyone that's contributed to this thread. Very helpful

[SchmittyG]

Originally Posted by minus9

i would say 5% a month. I know it doesn't seem like much, but corals will last a lot longer in lower light than too much.
Just my two pennies.

ok good to know

[billdogg]

I have a pair of A360WE's on my 4x2x12" (60g) frag tank. They are about 14" above water. If I try to run them much past 50% everything bleaches out. (except my Hollywood Stunner - it has gotten HUGE)

[Forgiven1973]

Will the A series gooseneck get me that kind of extension of 12 to 14 inches? Like I said I don't have the tank up and running yet but I do have the gooseneck plus the adapter

[SchmittyG]

My corals are looking bad today. They all are not opening up, could this be from not enough light??? I reduced my Led to35% which seems to low to be bleaching ... HELP! Water parameters are good so I'm assuming it's either flow or lights

[Ron Reefman]

The height off the water is not about the intensity of the light. You raise the fixture off the water until the light footprint in the tank fills everywhere you want it (presumably the entire tank). And with a minimum of light spillage outside the tank.

Back in the days when leds had no dimmers, the height of the fixture was all about light intensity control, but that shouldn't even be considered now that we have dimmers and controllers.