Haven't posted in forever...

[AZBigJohn]

Just wanted to say Hi to all my Reefing friends! I'm not dead, and I haven't fallen out of love with my tanks or my fish friends, this is just the busy school season. I still read on my phone (Tapatalk) when I get a few minutes but rarely have anything to add.

During the early Fall and Spring semesters of each year, I have a second full-time job as a Nursing instructor on top of my regular full-time job (hey, someone has to keep my wife in the lifestyle she has become accustomed to, or eventually it will be someone else, and I'll still be paying half the bills!)

Plus, I need to save up some dough for the Frag Fest I have been reading about this weekend! (although, REALLY! FRAG guys! You are allowed to do SOMETHING!!!, ANYTHING!!! in Phoenix!!!!)

Just to prove I'm alive, here is a current picture of my tank. Not exactly thriving, but still existing, waiting for me to devote more time to it next month when my current class of nurses graduates!

 

[m-six hundred]

Hey, glade to see everything doing well. How do you like those Kissels?

 

[Rippinfrags]

Your tank is looking good! Have you ever tested the PAR/intensity of your kessils? In the picture they appear to be really close to the water...

 

[AZBigJohn]

I haven't tested the PAR or intensity, perhaps I should. I really like the shimmer, and the appearance of everything under them, I really don't have anythign but frags, so I have not seen a tremendous growth, either.

As for liking them, I love them. I love the controllability and ability to ramp up and down with the Apex, I love the quality and natural appearance of the color. My only complaint is the inability to ramp down below 12% with the apex, so that you cannot do a night time lighting with them. I may need to invest in a moon strip type settup, because I do like having an "actinic" period and even the lowest the Kessils can go on the Apex doesn't hit that.

I may try getting a par meter, my concern was that the tank is 30 inches deep, and the instructions said 6-8" from the water for that depth of a tank so that is where I put them, but I should take the time to rent a PAR meter and see what the numbers really are.

 

[Mael]

Not sure if your on FB or not but there is a group on there that has a loaner PAR meter, some LFS also loan them out, and just take a copy of your ID I think. May be worth calling around.

I would have thought they would have some basic par values on their site but I cant find em.

Very nice setup, looks very clean and healthy.

 

[Vanpire]

Hi John,

How long is your tank and how wide is it? I was thinking of getting the kessils and wonder how many would I need to get.

 

[AZBigJohn]

It is a 6 foot long bowfront. It goes from 18 inches wide at the sides to 26 inches wide towards the center, and is 30 inches deep. It is listed as 155 gallons. I actually emailed Kessil due to the depth and changing width (I wasn't sure if I should get the narrow focus lights for the edges and normal for the middle) and they were very responsive and told me that at a 30 inch depth the normal 360s would have just enough spread all the way to the bottom in the middle, and they would recommend I stay with the normal for all three lights. Their recommendations are based on depth as much as width, but basically 2 foot square down to 30 inches per 360 light if I remember correctly, but please check their website, don't quote my memory, most days I don't remember what I had for breakfast...

 

[Vanpire]

Thanx for the info. I will check with them