AI Hydra 26 HD or Kessil A360?

[FTLTim954]

I'll be lighting a 60 gallon cube 24x24x24. I am looking to do a mixed reef tank with a lot of zoas, softies, LPS and maybe a few SPS. I was also looking radions but am not sure if they are worth the price so I am in between these 2 lights can anyone make a recommendation and why? Thanks for the help!

 

[Crabs McJones]

I personally love kessils and they'll always get my vote. The only issue is that the hydra 26 is WiFi controllable right out of the box. The kessil has to be externally controlled either via the spectral controller or apex or manually adjusted. But the kessils with their color blending and shimmer just really does it for me. I currently use the AP700. Hope this helps

 

[FTLTim954]

I had 1 a160 above my 16 gallon biocube and was seeing almost no growth so I switched to the A80 because I figured its ment for smaller tanks and still not great results. My water always test great, so that's not an issue, I feed reef roids 1 or 2 times a week, do 30% water changes every week. I wish I could get an AP700 because I've herd nothing but great things about them but its a little out of my price range.

 

[Crabs McJones]

I had 1 a160 above my 16 gallon biocube and was seeing almost no growth so I switched to the A80 because I figured its ment for smaller tanks and still not great results. My water always test great, so that's not an issue, I feed reef roids 1 or 2 times a week, do 30% water changes every week. I wish I could get an AP700 because I've herd nothing but great things about them but its a little out of my price range.

an a160 over a 16 gallon should have been fine. What intensity were you turning it up to? And did you end up switching to something else or still using the kessil?

 

[FTLTim954]

I had it on 45 intensity but now still have the A80 set to 85 intensity at max day

 

[Crabs McJones]

I had it on 45 intensity but now still have the A80 set to 85 intensity at max day

How far off the waters surface do you have the light? The H80 doesn't put out alot of par even at max (I believe there's a thread out there where the highest par was 60 or 80 in the center). You could have probably cranked the a160 up higher to 60 or 70 and seen if that would birth results.

 

[FTLTim954]

They were both about 8 inches above the water.

 

[Crabs McJones]

They were both about 8 inches above the water.

8" off the water surface with the a160 cranked up to 60-80% possibly higher depended on your rockwork, should give you the results you're looking for. I have my ap700 9" off the water and have them ramp up to 70% and get great growth.

 

[FTLTim954]

When I get my new light for the 60 gallon I'll put the 160 back on the 16. I have a 3 gallon maybe I'll put the a80 on that or sell it, right now I just have a wavepoint on it.

 

[hart24601]

Just an FYI I have a 2 gallon jar and run an A160 at 100% for 15hr a day and the light is only about 2" above the jar. It does have a heavy glass lid so that impacts the intensity a bit, but these lights are not powerhouses. They look great and I love how they blend, it's perfect for my jar.

 

[FTLTim954]

What I really want is good coral growth. I am the first to admit the kessil shimmer is amazing. That being said I'll take the growth and health of my corals over the shimmer.

 

[Crabs McJones]

What I really want is good coral growth. I am the first to admit the kessil shimmer is amazing. That being said I'll take the growth and health of my corals over the shimmer.

Well, if it helps any, this is my Tri-Color Acropora
This picture was taken in Feb of 2017

This picture was taken Nov 2017

I had to move it due to green star polyps choking it out, thats why there isn't any encrusting at the base, but I removed the green star polyps, reattached him, and he's happy

 

[hart24601]

We get caught up in lights as the end all to coral growth, but just a reminder that water chemistry, flow and especially feeding appropriate sized foods is really what makes growth go crazy. There is plenty of research on feeding and coral growth rates out there that show a huge impact and ime is far more important to growth than lighting (as long as PAR is reasonable for the species).

 

[FTLTim954]

Well, if it helps any, this is my Tri-Color Acropora
This picture was taken in Feb of 2017

This picture was taken Nov 2017

I had to move it due to green star polyps choking it out, thats why there isn't any encrusting at the base, but I removed the green star polyps, reattached him, and he's happy

Is that with using the AP700?

 

[FTLTim954]

We get caught up in lights as the end all to coral growth, but just a reminder that water chemistry, flow and especially feeding appropriate sized foods is really what makes growth go crazy. There is plenty of research on feeding and coral growth rates out there that show a huge impact and ime is far more important to growth than lighting (as long as PAR is reasonable for the species).

What are you feeding?

 

[Crabs McJones]

Is that with using the AP700?

Yes and no, it was under the A360's for the first half, and under the AP700 for the second half.

 

[Fr4nkthet4nk]

I love my kessil. I have 3 A360 on my 120g tank. My montiporas are growing like crazy same as my birdnest.

 

[Peter K]

I have 5 360's over a 180 all at 100% intensity and get great growth and coloration. People, most of whom I suspect haven't used Kessils before, complain about their low level of par but realistically if you follow their spacing recommendations you will get more than enough light. (There are alot of other factors that go into coral growth than just light) Over a 60 cube I would be tempted to go with 2 160's to reduce shadowing and help spread out the light a bit more than 1 360.

 

[FTLTim954]

I have kessils now and am on the fence to try AI or not. In a perfect world I would get an AP700 and call it a day but that's not in my budget so I am trying to go with my best options for what I can afford and right now that's a hydra 26 or a A360. Plus to be honest I am not going to be doing much SPS, just maybe a few here and there.

 

[Midrats]

I have an a360we on my 18x18x18 and it illuminates it perfectly. I can't stand the color separation you get with puck style lights so Kessil is the natural choice for me, zero disco. If you can't grow coral with a Kessil the problem is not with the light.