Mixed Reef Build - Lighting Recomendations

[rxf0621]

Hello reefers, I am starting a new 240 build (96x24x24) and I am looking for some help on lighting. I would very much like to re-use 3x Kessel A350 LED lights. These are not the 'wide' version as the tank I am pulling them from was 36" deep.

1) Would you recommend I re-use these lights on this tank (Highly desirable from budget perspective)?
2) How many would you recommend I use to get excellent coverage, little shadowing, and support sps corals.
3) What new kessil lights should I supplement it with, A360? A360W?
4) Do you see any issues with mixing 350's with the newer 360's?

Would so much appreciate any help the forum can offer!

Thanks!
Bob

 

[LeaveItToReefer]

I've been extremely happy with reef breeders in my mixed reef. Great color on the corals, minimal shading and good color blending. I have the v1 photons so I would imagine the second gen is even better.

Sent from my SM-G900T1 using Tapatalk

 

[jda]

You would need one more if you want to live with the high light spots under the fixtures and the big drop off between them, along with the shadows. A total of six would not be out of the question. If you want to keep some more light demanding stuff and eliminate shadows even more, then eight can be in the realm.

If you are talking SPS, then look to other types of lights, but it will depend on the types of SPS. Kessil do fine in small tanks and cubes, but they really only put out a lot of light in a 6" square directly underneath them and then the output drops off pretty fast. They also have some huge issues with shadowing SPS and they can die from the bottom up as the get larger. Most of the SPS success that you see with Kessil are in smaller tanks and with easier SPS.

If I were going to use LED, I would tend to lean towards the larger panel ones and limit the shadowing - shadowing is a huge deal to me. I would have to live with the discoball and non-uniform mixing of colors, but that is the poison that I would pick. ReefBreeders, Pacific Sun, AcrOptics and the like...

...of course, a handful of T5s added in can solve a lot of these problems.

 

[rxf0621]

I really need to stick with LED because the extra heat will be a real issue for me in this particular room. But you confirmed what I was afraid of, and i experienced the very issues you mention on my first build, and ultimately converted it to FOWLR but still very disappointed with shadowing.

any other opinions out there?

 

[gprdypoo04]

Will

Will

You would need one more if you want to live with the high light spots under the fixtures and the big drop off between them, along with the shadows. A total of six would not be out of the question. If you want to keep some more light demanding stuff and eliminate shadows even more, then eight can be in the realm.

If you are talking SPS, then look to other types of lights, but it will depend on the types of SPS. Kessil do fine in small tanks and cubes, but they really only put out a lot of light in a 6" square directly underneath them and then the output drops off pretty fast. They also have some huge issues with shadowing SPS and they can die from the bottom up as the get larger. Most of the SPS success that you see with Kessil are in smaller tanks and with easier SPS.

If I were going to use LED, I would tend to lean towards the larger panel ones and limit the shadowing - shadowing is a huge deal to me. I would have to live with the discoball and non-uniform mixing of colors, but that is the poison that I would pick. ReefBreeders, Pacific Sun, AcrOptics and the like...

...of course, a handful of T5s added in can solve a lot of these problems.

What's your definition of a smaller tank having success with SPS under a single kessil lighting? I have a 40 gallon with one 360 WE and sure it has shadowing. I doubt very much my coral will grow that big where shadowing and die off will be a problem. A larger tank with more coral growth then no a single point won't do.

 

[ComforablyNumb]

You will probably not have many problems mixing the 350's with 360's. The 360's are much stronger but your 350's, being narrow angle, are stronger over a smaller area than wide angle ones.

For 95% of the corals most people keep, on an 8' tank, with your 3 current 350 narrow angles, I would add at least 2 a360we's, the wide angle ones. Adding 3 would be even better, of course. You can add t5's later also if you wish, but I have found that unnecessary with my reef.

After, you can move your corals around where they each get the light they need. Best way to determine best depth or placement for each variety of coral in your tank is observation.

The issue of shadowing is overstated in my view. With the we's, the light is widely scattered sideways and in a downward cone. I have 2 a360's over a 4' and I have had zero issues with shading in over 2 yrs. The underside of lower branches of some corals dont get much light, but they dont get as much in nature either. Nature's light is single point... that gets diffused by surface turbulence and light scattering and reflection. It moves across the sky during the day, but with the programmable kessils, you can easily recreate that too if you wish.
My sps do not die from the bottom up, they do quite well actually.

edit..are your 350's programmable?

 

[jda]

I really need to stick with LED because the extra heat will be a real issue for me in this particular room. But you confirmed what I was afraid of, and i experienced the very issues you mention on my first build, and ultimately converted it to FOWLR but still very disappointed with shadowing.

any other opinions out there?

T5 don't add much heat. If you already don't care for the point-source and shadowing, then you might have some in your future especially if you stick with the Kessils. Other options are the wider-panel fixtures. You can also look at some hybrid fixtures, or just all T5s.

There are some sleek and cheaper fixtures (150 each) around for Hydroponics that would do great on a mixed reef like maybe a 6 bulb with individual reflectors - they are not the power output monsters like ATI, but they are plenty good for what you are wanting to do. Some of them have individual power switches so that you can just run four if you think that it is enough. You will be in for bulb changes every year, but you have a large tank and they are not cheap to run. These will not give you heat issues.

Reflectors are your friend in larger tanks.