Should I add t5 to my kessils, or ditch them all together and go T5 only for SPS?

[Radioheadx14]

I currently have 2 Kessil 160's and 1 360we on my SPS 40 gallon breeder. I have 3 to spread the light and reduce shadowing, but I am not happy with the color and growth from the kessils alone, so I was thinking of adding some T5's. Acros are slow growing and only the greens are colorful, everything else is a bit washed out. Montis and everything else looks good.

I was thinking of added 4 39w ATI T5 lamps and ditchings the 360. The 2 160 would create pop, and hopefully retain shimmer, while the t5 would add a loft of the lighting needs.

Is this the best way to go, or should I do a different combo? I would go all T5, but I have done so in the past and didnt like the "office lighting" look from lack of shimmer, but may consider it after all. I would even consider 2x150w MH ifI could find a good looking DE fixture

 

[ClownsRCoo]

I would add the 4 bulbs in addition to the Kessils. Sounds like your corals are paling out which could be a few things but bleaching from too much light could be one of them. In that case adding 4 T5 bulbs is only going to make it worse unless you raise it all up higher.

Now if the bleached areas are shaded areas of the corals like the undersides and inner branches then that is a different story. That would be due to the downfall of LEDs which is the lack of diffusion of the light. In that case adding the T5s would greatly help.

Or they could be bleaching because of Alk or temp swings. In that case messing with your light will do you no good.

In my experience lack of light is normally shown by corals browning out. Although again other things can cause that too.

It can be tough to figure out when things aren't going right but some more info on your tank and maybe pics would help us help you better.

 

[Bono]

I added T5's to my pair of Kessil 150's and I really like the look compared to Kessil's alone. Everything is growing great although, Im not really into SPS. In the past I've used MH's but I didn't like the power consumption or the added heat.

 

[Radioheadx14]

BONO - Do you still get good shimmer?

I wouldn't say my corals are bleaching, just the colors looks poor and washed out. The green frogskin acro looks super bright, but its growth is slow. The montis look great, but grow flat. I think its more of a spectrum issue. There is still shadowing with 3 units on a 36" tank and some of the acros only have color on the tops, while the base and sides look tan. Also, some of the LPS look fine, which I would think they would suffer if it was too much light.

 

[ClownsRCoo]

I think it would be a good idea to add them in addition to your kessils then. I don't have your same setup but I have the ATI LED Powermodule and the T5s do mask a lot of the shimmer but I think you will still be able to see it. Plus you can kill the T5s during your dusk and dawn times and have the crazy shimmer then

 

[sixpackgarage]

what does your current Kessil lighting program look like? Curious.

 

[slief]

I run Kessil 360WE's with no supplemental lighting at all and all my corals grow like weeds. SPS included. My monti's, acro's and birds nests have been growing an inch or more a months. If your corals are bleaching you either have too much color in your program, too much intensity or too much of both. The Kessils are VERY capable of growing SPS but they put out much more instensity than most people realize and most end up either starting with too much intensity or increase it too fast and not allow enough time for the corals to adjust. Bleaching is a sign of too much light so like I said, too much color, too much intensity or too much of both. This assuming everything else in your tank (parameter wise) are in check.

 

[terry4505]

I supplement my A360s with 4 T5s and I love them:

 

[whosurcaddie]

I like that setup Terry.

What fixture is that and how did you modify it to fit the Kessils?

 

[terry4505]

Not sure of the brand. It was a MH/T5 combo. I ripped out the MH components and just drilled holes in the top and used screws into the top of the Kessils