Kessil Club
- Thread starter Zacktosterone
- Start date
I continue to be very happy with the Kessils on my tank. They are not the sole lighting, as I still run my dual reefbreeders, but the color and growth has been fantastic .....
The tank actually looks brighter in person, but I've close down the aperture on my camera to cut down on glare. I'm running three 360 and two 160 to 80% intensity and 70% color over my 30" tall tank.
The tank actually looks brighter in person, but I've close down the aperture on my camera to cut down on glare. I'm running three 360 and two 160 to 80% intensity and 70% color over my 30" tall tank.
Newbie Aquarist
Reefing is my middle name
Looks good.I continue to be very happy with the Kessils on my tank. They are not the sole lighting, as I still run my dual reefbreeders, but the color and growth has been fantastic .....
The tank actually looks brighter in person, but I've close down the aperture on my camera to cut down on glare. I'm running three 360 and two 160 to 80% intensity and 70% color over my 30" tall tank.
zachfishman
Active member
Anyone running an A160 on a 20" cube? Im torn between the A160 and picking up a used A350W.
pelphrey
New member
I'm curious about this also. I'm in the process of building my first reef (27 gallon cube 20x20x18H) and researching lights. I love the simplicity of these lights and the mount, not to mention with my small foot print I don't want a ton of light spilling over.
Phludd
New member
I joined the Kessil club earlier this week. I installed an a360WE over my 29gal BioCube. I am currently using it WITH my 150w metal halide. Yep that’s right an a360WE and MH over a 29gal cube. I love it. I have been looking for a nice way to bring bright blue light with dusk/dawn options to supplement my MH.
For the last 2 years I have been using my MH with a Fluval Full Spectrum LED strip laid across the top of my BioCube. This has really spoiled me and my coral on how bright this combo is. BUT iy lacked a decent blue spectrum and had no dusk/dawn options.
I first tried the ReefRadiance Dm-165p+. I didnt really care for the color spectrum it put out, it seemed overly violet. Plus it had a bad disco effect in my BioCube. I would always see separate bands of green and red on rocks and in coral shadows. It was very distracting, so I decided to sell it.
Once I put my MH back on the tank, I was amazed at how much better and brighter it looked.
So I had decided that the MH would be staying and that I needed something to supplement it with.
I was torn between the XR30w and the a360WE. If I went with Radion I wouldn’t be able to keep my MH due to its size, plus it was twice as expensive as the a360WE.
When I first installed the Kessil the shimmer was stupid high, especially when you consider the MH already had strong shimmer. So I moved my Mp10 down about 3 inches to lower the surface agitation, and it looks great.
I have been running the Kessil at 50% color and 50% intensity. I absolutely love the look.
For some reason LEDs never photo very well with my Sony NEX5, but here is a photo of it and my MH above my biocube.
My tank is in a transitional stage, so pay no attention to the coral/rockwork.
This first pic is more acurate to actual look of the lighting, the second image the white balance is off but I just wanted to show off my ghetto mount.
For the last 2 years I have been using my MH with a Fluval Full Spectrum LED strip laid across the top of my BioCube. This has really spoiled me and my coral on how bright this combo is. BUT iy lacked a decent blue spectrum and had no dusk/dawn options.
I first tried the ReefRadiance Dm-165p+. I didnt really care for the color spectrum it put out, it seemed overly violet. Plus it had a bad disco effect in my BioCube. I would always see separate bands of green and red on rocks and in coral shadows. It was very distracting, so I decided to sell it.
Once I put my MH back on the tank, I was amazed at how much better and brighter it looked.
So I had decided that the MH would be staying and that I needed something to supplement it with.
I was torn between the XR30w and the a360WE. If I went with Radion I wouldn’t be able to keep my MH due to its size, plus it was twice as expensive as the a360WE.
When I first installed the Kessil the shimmer was stupid high, especially when you consider the MH already had strong shimmer. So I moved my Mp10 down about 3 inches to lower the surface agitation, and it looks great.
I have been running the Kessil at 50% color and 50% intensity. I absolutely love the look.
For some reason LEDs never photo very well with my Sony NEX5, but here is a photo of it and my MH above my biocube.
My tank is in a transitional stage, so pay no attention to the coral/rockwork.
This first pic is more acurate to actual look of the lighting, the second image the white balance is off but I just wanted to show off my ghetto mount.
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Phludd
New member
I am running mine about 7 inches above my 29gal, which has very similar dimensions. I have a TINY amount of light spill over the front of my tank , but that is only because its not dead center over the tank, due to the MH.
I believe you could use the gooseneck and that puts it between 8-10" above the tank IIRC, and there wouldnt be any spill over.
If you mounted it from the ceiling and raised it up to 12" over the tank there MIGHT be a little.
Phludd
New member
I would go with the 350, especially if you want to keep some SPS. If its just softies and LPS the a160 would be sufficient as far as the corals go, but I like a bright tank over a dimmer one.
I tested my a360WE brightness turned up to 100% and compared it to my 150w MH, and they were very similar in terms of percieved brightness.
I just joined the Kessil club with two A360WE. I am waiting for Apex VDM to arrive so I can control them. I running 4 T5 also on a 120.
I seen a couple different programs. Seems they al ramp up both color and intensity. But I was wondering what other owners might recommend. Just ramp intensity up and down and leave color stable. Or ramp both? Stability and not messing with lots of changes is one reason I picked Kessil over other led.
I seen a couple different programs. Seems they al ramp up both color and intensity. But I was wondering what other owners might recommend. Just ramp intensity up and down and leave color stable. Or ramp both? Stability and not messing with lots of changes is one reason I picked Kessil over other led.
It will gradually raise the intensity over those 2 hours. I have mine set to come on at 7:30 AM at 0/5% and it comes on at 7:22 at 0/1% and slowly increases until it hit the 0/5% I have it set for at 7:30 AM. just make sure if you do a sunrise/sunset program you end with 0/0 or it will run all night.
Phludd
New member
Ahh ok thanks Fishin. Thats pretty cool. The RR DM165 I had just jumped up to the intensity whenever the time hit. So it was 20% for 2hrs then 40% etc.
I like that its a smooth transition with the Kessil. I cant wait till my spectral controller comes Tuesday :fun4:
You turn yours on at 5% intensity? I didnt think that was possible. This is what I got from the Kessil website, on the spectral controller page:
"The controller is currently compatible only with the A360 line. The A360 lights are not capable of dimming down past 13%, thus even with the controller, the light will shut off at that intensity. The controller will be compatible with future lights that may have moonlight mode, but with the A360, you will not be able to create a moonlight effect."
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I cant speak for the 360 cause I have the A160WE. maybe that is true then. I did not know you had the A360. I have mine on a 10 gallon and I never raise my color over 50%
Newbie Aquarist
Reefing is my middle name
Man that's some awesome growth.
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