Lighting with my Kessil A80

[kschaffer3]

Hey there! This is my first reef tank! I have a 7 gallon Waterbox Nano Cube. It's been cycling for about a month now. I bought the Kessil A80 Tuna Blue with the gooseneck mount. It sits about 8 inches above my tank. I plan on getting some harlequin shrimp, a couple zoas, a torch, and a pair of clowns. I do NOT have the controller for the light. I am putting my light on a 10 hour light cycle during the day. My question is what intensity and what color setting should I have my tank at to ensure optimal health for my livestock?

 

Please and thank you!

[jeffmr4]

Hello and welcome to nano-reef!  You can run that at 100% and the color is somewhat your choice.  I have one that I run the same with some Zoas and GSP.  For color I turn mine to white and then gradually turn back to blue.  Once I go one past white (into blue) I leave it there.  That is my preference although everyone has a different one.  Your corals will like pretty much anything you give them but a little into the blue spectrum might be good (14,000 K).  Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[A Little Blue]

100% on empty tank is a bit over the top. ?

[Ranjib]

Color does not matter a lot, choose whatever suits your eye, coraps should be ok with anything in kessil spectrum. Start with low intensity , 40-60%. And ramp up from there , slowly. A80 is a 15watt light and should be safe even at 100% intensity. Just ramp up slowly 

[jeffmr4]

Its a 15 watt light.  Not very strong.  He's got it 8 inches above the surface and the height of the tank is 12".  I have mine the same height above half my tank and it is only 10" high.

[A Little Blue]

12 minutes ago, jeffmr4 said:

Its a 15 watt light.  Not very strong.  He's got it 8 inches above the surface and the height of the tank is 12".  I have mine the same height above half my tank and it is only 10" high.

I’m not arguing the spects of the light. You are right, it’s not that powerful but turning it to max right after cycle could cause algea bloom. And second, when he is ready to get some corrals in, increasing light intensity with moderation over a period of time, will let his new corals acclimate a little better. 

 

[kschaffer3]

Thanks guys! I'm very excited. I am gonna get my cleaning crew tomorrow since my tank has good parameters and then probably introduce some fish soon. I really appreciate the input! 

[Tony777]

EXOTIC CORAL...Hello reef family.okay so Im new to the hobby, tank been up for about 6 month now, just bought a stunning Yelkiw Hammer, I have a kessil A80, turn out when I put it in my tank its more green than yellow... what should I do? Crank intensity all the way to 100% or invest in a 160 or 180 Kessil? I dont want to add another a80 so what should I do guys? I just want to bring out the real coral of my Yellow Hammer.. all I will have in my tank is Hammer and Frogspawn......    thanks guys

[SeaFurn]

1 hour ago, Tony777 said:

EXOTIC CORAL...Hello reef family.okay so Im new to the hobby, tank been up for about 6 month now, just bought a stunning Yelkiw Hammer, I have a kessil A80, turn out when I put it in my tank its more green than yellow... what should I do? Crank intensity all the way to 100% or invest in a 160 or 180 Kessil? I dont want to add another a80 so what should I do guys? I just want to bring out the real coral of my Yellow Hammer.. all I will have in my tank is Hammer and Frogspawn......    thanks guys

I have a hammer and a frogspawn under a 12w PAR 38 bulb and they do just fine. The A80 (15W) should work for your hammer just the same. 

As far as the color goes, you'll want to adjust the color knob and dial in the amount of blue that suits you.

[Tony777]

6 hours ago, SeaFurn said:

I have a hammer and a frogspawn under a 12w PAR 38 bulb and they do just fine. The A80 (15W) should work for your hammer just the same. 

As far as the color goes, you'll want to adjust the color knob and dial in the amount of blue that suits you.

Thank you for your tips, so I have tried it all by messing around with the intensity and brightness, however cant get it to turn yellow, its showing green like 80% green but under the seller light its 90%  yellow, he suggested that I invest in the A160 which is 3 times as powerful as the A80... what do you think? I have no other choice 

[SeaFurn]

4 hours ago, Tony777 said:

Thank you for your tips, so I have tried it all by messing around with the intensity and brightness, however cant get it to turn yellow, its showing green like 80% green but under the seller light its 90%  yellow, he suggested that I invest in the A160 which is 3 times as powerful as the A80... what do you think? I have no other choice 

What kind of light did the seller have?  And what settings was the coral under using that light?  That's where I'd start. 

 

I haven't compared the spectral output between the A80 and the A160. However, I would think they are similar and that the main difference is going to be intensity (power/PAR) and maybe spread.  So in my mind, unless there's a way to get some additional spectral output that makes the coral look green under your light to yellow under another, that's the only thing I can think of.  Others with more experience in lighting may have a different point of view and can chime in.    

[Tony777]

So basically would you try having 2 A80 then? Im not sure what lighting he use but he recommend the A160 and said it would bring out the yellow more.... 

[SeaFurn]

29 minutes ago, Tony777 said:

So basically would you try having 2 A80 then? Im not sure what lighting he use but he recommend the A160 and said it would bring out the yellow more.... 

No, I wouldn’t just get another A80.  You need to find the spectrum that makes it look the yellow that you’re after. Sounds like adjusting the color knob on the A80 can’t make it happen so you’ll need to seek out a light that can. Compare the spectral  output of the A80 and the A160 and see if there’s much difference. If there is, then the seller might be steering you correctly. 

[Ratvan]

6 hours ago, Tony777 said:

So basically would you try having 2 A80 then? Im not sure what lighting he use but he recommend the A160 and said it would bring out the yellow more.... 

How long you had the hammer? Got a photo at all? 

[Tony777]

I have it for about 4 day it is completely open I believe,  it just ny lighting is not strong enough I think? I don't know hownto post a pic on here, I have in my gallery but cant find the option button on here to post it! He also told me the A80 kessil is garbage even in a 10 g nano tank... your thoughts? 

4 hours ago, Ratvan said:

How long you had the hammer? Got a photo at all? 

I have the hammer for like 4 days, first day I put it in my tank it completely open so no problem at all, the hammer is healthy I believe but I just have problem with my lighting, he told me the A80 Kessil is basically garbage even in a 10 g nano tank, not strong enough.... and recommend the A160 with 40 w instead of 15... your thoughts? 

22 hours ago, SeaFurn said:

I have a hammer and a frogspawn under a 12w PAR 38 bulb and they do just fine. The A80 (15W) should work for your hammer just the same. 

As far as the color goes, you'll want to adjust the color knob and dial in the amount of blue that suits you.

Thank you for your tips, so I have tried it all by messing around with the intensity and brightness, however cant get it to turn yellow, its showing green like 80% green but under the seller light its 90%  yellow, he suggested that I invest in the A160 which is 3 times as powerful as the A80... what do you think? I have no other choice 

[Tony777]

9 hours ago, SeaFurn said:

No, I wouldn’t just get another A80.  You need to find the spectrum that makes it look the yellow that you’re after. Sounds like adjusting the color knob on the A80 can’t make it happen so you’ll need to seek out a light that can. Compare the spectral  output of the A80 and the A160 and see if there’s much difference. If there is, then the seller might be steering you correctly. 

Thank you for the tips, I will definitely compare it and go from there! Hopefully I can bring out its true color! Very disappointing to have a yellow coral looking green in your tank....

[Ratvan]

Just now, Tony777 said:

I have it for about 4 day it is completely open I believe,  it just ny lighting is not strong enough I think? I don't know hownto post a pic on here, I have in my gallery but cant find the option button on here to post it! He also told me the A80 kessil is garbage even in a 10 g nano tank... your thoughts? 

My thoughts is that is bollocks, regardless of the lighting if it is a true Yellow Hammer it should appear yellow even in white light. Thats just My opinion

 

1 minute ago, Tony777 said:

Thank you for your tips, so I have tried it all by messing around with the intensity and brightness, however cant get it to turn yellow, its showing green like 80% green but under the seller light its 90%  yellow, he suggested that I invest in the A160 which is 3 times as powerful as the A80... what do you think? I have no other choice 

 

To add a photo drag and drop it into the area with the paperclip or click on the choose file to upload

[SeaFurn]

17 minutes ago, Tony777 said:

He also told me the A80 kessil is garbage even in a 10 g nano tank... your thoughts? 

The light isn't garbage.  One just needs to understand the limits of it.  Would I put it over a deep tank with full of hard corals - no. 

As an example - here's a post from IG of a nano tank (3gal) at WWC that is lit by the light.  SO....your seller is a little misinformed.  That light should be perfect for your hammer assuming you don't have a big tank. I'm sorry it's not bringing out the color you expect.  Hopefully you can get a photo posted so we can see what you are seeing. 

 

 

 

 

[Tony777]

10 hours ago, Ratvan said:

My thoughts is that is bollocks, regardless of the lighting if it is a true Yellow Hammer it should appear yellow even in white light. Thats just My opinion

 

 

To add a photo drag and drop it into the area with the paperclip or click on the choose file to upload

Wow I think you might be right man if that was the case then I got scammed!!! Man thats sad, I guess there are still scammers out there even in this hobby, disappointing but it is the world we currently live in! So basically I dont need to change my lighting....

[Tony777]

10 hours ago, SeaFurn said:

The light isn't garbage.  One just needs to understand the limits of it.  Would I put it over a deep tank with full of hard corals - no. 

As an example - here's a post from IG of a nano tank (3gal) at WWC that is lit by the light.  SO....your seller is a little misinformed.  That light should be perfect for your hammer assuming you don't have a big tank. I'm sorry it's not bringing out the color you expect.  Hopefully you can get a photo posted so we can see what you are seeing. 

 

 

 

 

I see, it may just be a green one that he sold me, I might of got scam, because I believe A80 is good enough for a 10 g tank and kessil has positive feedback from people... Im not sure what to do at this point, I mean its yellow at his store so I dont know....