Tonyreefer
New member
Thanks for all the information !
Kessil A360WE
- Thread starter bif24701
- Start date
Thanks for the reply. Periodically I get the urge to explore lighting alternatives to my budget reefbreeders. Saw your large tank thread and thought that the Kessils looked really nice. RB work fine in terms of coral growth, but leave a bit to be desired in terms of control, but they are less expensive. May try one 360 and see for myself.
slief
RC Sponsor
Glad to help. So far I am really impressed with the Kessils. I was torn between those and the Radion Pros. What I really like about the Kessils besides their form factor is the simplicity of control with my Apex and most of all the shimmer. It's the closest thing to metal halides that I have seen as far as shimmer goes and the one and only thing I've missed since switching from Halides 4 or so years ago. I don't understand how people don't like the shimmer. Being a scuba diver, the shimmer is a natural effect in reefs and something I really appreciate.
With regards to simplicity of control, I like the fact that I only have to deal with the blue to white shift as opposed to dealing with several channels to adjust. It makes them much more simple to setup when I don't need to worry about red channels, white channels, various blue channels etc. Especially when the only guage for a good setting is the corals response along with algae growth rates. Both of which don't happen overnight but instead can takes weeks to respond to a new setting.
Most importantly, my corals have responded really well with some of my finger corals and cult corals really taking off since the switch.. While they were growing fine before the switch, their growth rate seems to have jumped. My leathers seem to have better polyp extension too as do my mushrooms and polyps. My giant RBTA's didn't mind the switch either in fact, they were just as happy before as they are now. No change at all with them and they can be really sensitive to light changes. Initially I was kind of worried that they may move as a result of the change but they stayed right where they have been for years. I'm also pleased that I didn't see a jump in nuissance algae. In fact, given that I have them setup on my custom mounts so that they are focused where I need coverage and not bleeding off on the viewing panes, I am seeing less algae on the glass which is nice too. Especially since I generally clean my glass every two weeks. It's been a week and a half since my last cleaning and there is barely any noticeable algae build up on my viewing panes which is much better than before. Obviously, that is largely due to the fact that I have them on articulating mounts and aimed such that the lights are pointed towards the center of the display over the aquascape and away from the sides.
Last edited:
wesleyforbes2
New member
Hey what's up man, I have been waiting for these to come out! Your tank is beautiful and really appreciate seeing the whole process from beginning to end.
I am still wanting to pick you brain when it comes to setting up a feed cycle to turn on the Kessils at a particular intensity and color. I know that I have to put a statement at the end of the profile, but don't know how that relates to the feed cycles...:rolleye1:
slief
RC Sponsor
Ideally 4 unless you could get them up high enough. Then you could probably get away with 3 but getting them up that high will result in shawdowing from your halide fixtures and you will also be sacraficing PAR. They cover about 24x24" each so you are really only going to get about 72" spread out of them at any reasonable height over the water. If you have dead space on either end of the tank and don't need the coverage coast to coast you may be OK. Especially since these will be supplemental to your halides but I still think 4 will give you the best results.
wesleyforbes2
New member
Hello, they do not come with any cables, but do yourself a favor and visit a radio shack as these work exactly the same!
reefermad619
New member
For cable I believe it's a 3.5mm headphone style jack.
wesleyforbes2
New member
That's correct!
Thanks! Yeah, they do look like pretty standard cables - I actually have a couple laying around that I had used as trigger cables for my stereo system.
So I decided to buy two, and try them out over my frag tank first. I know it's only been a week or two, but are you still happy with them? I have read some commentary that perhaps these are not so great for growing SPS - though I suspect more user-error than anything else.
ReefKeep66
New member
I've been running the kessil a360we for about 2-3 months now. I absolutely love them. my only complaint before was having to manually adjust the lights but I now have a reefkeeper and the kessil controller and I couldn't be happier. I've seen positive reactions from all my corals. Lps, sps, zoa, etc. I particularly had great growth from my pink polyp capricornis
slief
RC Sponsor
It's been 9 weeks since I installed them and I am really pleased with the results. That said, I don't have any SPS. Primarily soft corals and some hammers. All of my corals seem to be doing really well under them. I am now at 75% max intensity. I have small one leather corals that was higher up on my aquascape and right below one of the lights that responded adversely which prompted me to lower my intensity but other than that, my finger corals, cult corals, mushroom, polyps, hammers, other leathers etc all seem to be thriving with the fingers, cults, mushrooms and polyps growing faster than ever since the switch from my ReefTech LED's.
shawnriv
New member
Kessil Spectral Controller - SPS Not Responding Well
Kessil Spectral Controller - SPS Not Responding Well
I have been running my Kessil 360 for the past four months and my corals seem to be have been doing well (I have a mixture of LPS and SPS). Although my Purple Stylophora (located near the top of the tank) has not been doing well ever since adding the Kessil Spectral Controller to my system. I originally have been adjusting the color and intensity using the knobs located on the Kessil. I believe the maximum intensity I have raised them to is around 50%. I programmed the new controller to ramp up from 0% - 50% - 0% from the start, middle, and end of the light cycle. My Purple Stylophora's polyps have retracted and are no longer out during the day; only about half of them are out once the lights are off. Any one have any suggestions what I am doing incorrectly? All of my water parameters are good (calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium, salinity, and temp). There is an acclimate option on the Kessil Controller that is recommended to use when introducing new coral. I was thinking of giving that a try, but wasn't sure. I've had the controller for about two weeks now.
If anyone has any recommendations, I am all ears. I have attached a photo below of my Purple Stylophora.
Thanks!
Kessil Spectral Controller - SPS Not Responding Well
I have been running my Kessil 360 for the past four months and my corals seem to be have been doing well (I have a mixture of LPS and SPS). Although my Purple Stylophora (located near the top of the tank) has not been doing well ever since adding the Kessil Spectral Controller to my system. I originally have been adjusting the color and intensity using the knobs located on the Kessil. I believe the maximum intensity I have raised them to is around 50%. I programmed the new controller to ramp up from 0% - 50% - 0% from the start, middle, and end of the light cycle. My Purple Stylophora's polyps have retracted and are no longer out during the day; only about half of them are out once the lights are off. Any one have any suggestions what I am doing incorrectly? All of my water parameters are good (calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium, salinity, and temp). There is an acclimate option on the Kessil Controller that is recommended to use when introducing new coral. I was thinking of giving that a try, but wasn't sure. I've had the controller for about two weeks now.
If anyone has any recommendations, I am all ears. I have attached a photo below of my Purple Stylophora.
Thanks!
firemountain
New member
If you happen to get any positive fee back to your Purple Stylophora, please shoot me a PM with your findings.
I am adding my first SPS GARF Bonsai to my tank this upcoming week, and would like to know how high to bring up the intensity and color.
JavyJaverson
New member
i just switched to kessil a360we's from diy leds. My sps have not missed a beat, still growing and encrusting as usual
Reefvet
New member
I've got a purple stylo that's been growing like a weed under Kessils. I'm sure I'm not alone.
Your's was fine until you added the controller so we know it's not the light itself and would seem to indicate the programming of the controller.
How did you run your lights before the controller ? Did you change color and/or intensity during the day ?
shawnriv
New member
I have heard the Purple Stylo likes strong lighting, but it seems like the complete opposite with mine. I originally turned on the lighting early in the morning and used less blue and went from zero intensity to about 30% done manually. That color stayed like that from 6:20am to 6:00pm. I would turn the intensity to about 5% and the blue almost all the way up for about five minutes until turning it off.
I have a Bonsai SPS and it's doing well under mine. It's a shallow tank and it sits about 15 inches centered below both kessil's. It's done well so far with a nice neon green shade. I've only had it about 3 weeks though.
I too just got the controller. I started the acclimation period but I stopped it after day two of seven. My tank is shallow with only 8 inches of water and the kessils about 9 inches above the water. Prior using the controller I kept mine around 30-35% intensity/ peak color is 40%. during the day. I didn't want to burn any corals since it's so shallow and my acans aren't very happy directly under the lights. I've had to move them to the sides.
Similar threads
