thoughts on kessil A150 Led...
- Thread starter Devaji108
- Start date
hi guys, I've replaced my t5/HO fixture with a new Kessil A150w Ocean Blue about 3 months ago and am pleased to say my GBTA is thriving, as well as my GSP colony which has grown like grass under the a150. I am also getting good coralline growth throughout the tank.
One thing I have noticed is that my ricordea just shriveled up under the new lighting and the rest of my mushroom coral is rather shriveled up. I've read similar reports about their mushroom corals closing up due to perhaps too much intensity under the kessil...can anyone confirm this? I've noticed that my kenya coral is much more open under shaded areas, compared to the kenya coral that is under direct light is much more closed up and tight.
My tank is a 30 gallon 19 L X 19 W X 14 H cube shape
originally had the a150 about 4 inches from the surface because I wasn't sure if the anemone would get enough light. I just moved the light to about 7 inches from the surface with hope that this will cover more of the surface area of the tank, as well as reduce the intensity on some of the corals...in your guys' opinion, wrong move in the long run, especially if I want to put brain coral, clams, sps, etc??
One thing I have noticed is that my ricordea just shriveled up under the new lighting and the rest of my mushroom coral is rather shriveled up. I've read similar reports about their mushroom corals closing up due to perhaps too much intensity under the kessil...can anyone confirm this? I've noticed that my kenya coral is much more open under shaded areas, compared to the kenya coral that is under direct light is much more closed up and tight.
My tank is a 30 gallon 19 L X 19 W X 14 H cube shape
originally had the a150 about 4 inches from the surface because I wasn't sure if the anemone would get enough light. I just moved the light to about 7 inches from the surface with hope that this will cover more of the surface area of the tank, as well as reduce the intensity on some of the corals...in your guys' opinion, wrong move in the long run, especially if I want to put brain coral, clams, sps, etc??
Thizzelle686
New member
So I know that I will be running 1 A150 Sky blue over my next tank which will have mostly LPS, rics, zoas, and maybe a clam or a piece of SPS in it. I am curious to know what size tank you think will work better for livestock I want to run?
My are options are as follows:
25 gallon- 21x18x16
or
28 gallon-18x18x20
My are options are as follows:
25 gallon- 21x18x16
or
28 gallon-18x18x20
I'm using an a150 15k ocean blue on my 30 gallon 19 L X 19 W X 14 H tank and I can say that the light has a nice spread in a cube shaped tank if you position the light correctly. I am trying to figure out how high above the surface to have the light as softies, zoas, and rice seemed to not appreciate the high intensity light and shriveled up when I had it 4 inches from the surface...been reading that the kessil is not to be underestimated and that such corals close up so as to protect the photosynthetic bacteria in them due to more light than they need...so I just moved up my light to 7 inches from the surface and we'll see what happens...my GBTA is my main concern as I want him to get enough light and maybe some SPS in the future.
If what I've read and experienced about rics, zoas, and leathers being sensitive to the a150 if it's too direct and intense is true, then I'd recommend going for the deeper 28 gallon so that you can place these corals closer to the bottom where the light may be more friendly to them? Hopefully someone else can chime in with their 2cents for or against this idea
Hadalpelagic
New member
I'm seeing mixed feelings about these lights, this guy says its not as bright as they seem:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BYQ...uzdHhLk6WZ6UwEp0hpyZaSLGtZc5D-8&feature=inbox
And on the other hand they look spectacular in these videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxkuyn87Yu8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UtLxYorUts
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BYQ...uzdHhLk6WZ6UwEp0hpyZaSLGtZc5D-8&feature=inbox
And on the other hand they look spectacular in these videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxkuyn87Yu8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UtLxYorUts
I think anyone looking at these lights needs to realize they are a spotlight style light. You won't get the tank filling spread of most halides or a t5. I think the first video above shows it pretty accurately. Where the light hits it is bright but due to a small single light source without a large reflector you will get more shadowing. If he added a third Kessil in the middle the overlapping would probably take care of a lot of the shadowing. Just my opinion.
Fig
New member
I got the 10k's
Frick
AZ FRAG President
The brain should do good, that clam would be hard to say. I would try a small easier one like a crocea or squammi.
I'd call the shop up and see what the hold up is.
Sounds like a good plan to me, thank you. Would I be better off lowering my a150 closer to the water surface?
ccreviston74
New member
Being that these are essentially a spotlight format, anyone have any thoughts on how they might compare to some of the PAR 30 or 38 format bulbs on the market. Two of the Boost LED PAR 30s can be had for less than one of these? Just a thought. Boost I believe has some PAR data published, I'm just not very good at interpreting it.
The boost PAR 30s are only 10W, these are 32W. So, the total light output would likely be closer to 3 boost PAR 30s. However, supposedly, when you make a dense array, like the kessils, you actually loose efficiency; up to 25% IIRC. So, maybe 2 and one half boost leds LOL. However, the boost LEDs have optics available, so they can focus light down better. With the Kessils the light will spread out more. When the light spreads out more, it will cover a larger area, but not have the peak PAR, also, it won't penetrate as deep (this is assuming you have roughly the same wattage though - however, a higher wattage PAR bulb, such as a PAR38 will punch deeper, as it has optics and power).
A lot of LEDs have trouble blending light though, and you get sort of a kelidescope patters. with wide optics and/or a dense array like the kessil will blend the colors better. Both the kessil and PAR30s are really only suited for shallower tanks, the PAR30s because they don't have the power to punch deep and the kessils because they do not focus the light as much, but the kessil should look better and cover a wider area. Also, it has very impressive cooling, which should greatly extend the life. I've found PAR drops pretty quickly with PAR bulbs, as they don't have active cooling and heat kills LEDs quickly. So, you need really good airflow with PAR bulbs IME; I wouldn't stick them in a canopy for example. With the kessil, that's less of an issue.
ccreviston74
New member
Kessil vs BoostLED PAR 30
Kessil vs BoostLED PAR 30
Thanks for the feedback. I'm looking at a smaller AIO tank, haven't made the decision yet. Leaning heavily to a CADLIGHTS 22, or NUVO 30. Either way I go, 14" or 19" deep. Saw a video on YouTube of the Kessil on a CAD 22, and it looked pretty awesome. I've heard mixed feedback on CAD's lights (Ha!), but don't know if the'll sell me the 22G without the light. With the Kessil or the Boost, I like the idea of being able to start with one, add another, and use them on another tank if I eventually decide to go bigger.
Kessil vs BoostLED PAR 30
Thanks for the feedback. I'm looking at a smaller AIO tank, haven't made the decision yet. Leaning heavily to a CADLIGHTS 22, or NUVO 30. Either way I go, 14" or 19" deep. Saw a video on YouTube of the Kessil on a CAD 22, and it looked pretty awesome. I've heard mixed feedback on CAD's lights (Ha!), but don't know if the'll sell me the 22G without the light. With the Kessil or the Boost, I like the idea of being able to start with one, add another, and use them on another tank if I eventually decide to go bigger.
