Keep Kessil or go Radion

[bif24701]

They offered me a heavy discount and were very personable so im satisfied I suppose. Sucks that the warranty wouldn't cover it but it was 2nd had so i cant complain.......might still sell my 2 a360, sell a kidney and get an ap700 tho lol


Anyone B+ need a kidney? lol

You have two kidneys, it will be worth it.

 

[Evan West]

You have two kidneys, it will be worth it.

Hahahahahahahaha im sure my friends and family will understand I mean its not like they think im crazy or anything.

 

[srad750c]

Depends on what you want to do, I have 2 A360WE. They are excellent. Corals grow very well in 24" deep tank. My only issue is colors of corals don't look as good as Radion or AI. So I added an AI Prime HD for color.

January 17 - August 14 growth, almost 4" of growth.

 

[madweazl]

Depends on what you want to do, I have 2 A360W. They are excellent. Corals grow very well in 24" deep tank. My only issue is colors of corals don't look as good as Radion or AI. So I added an AI Prime HD for color.

What do you mean by the colors of the corals not looking good? Was the color of the coral shifting (i.e. indication of not enough or too much light)?

 

[rinckemd]

I've ran both the G4 pro and AP700 side-by-side and eventually switched to all G4 pros. There were a couple acros that looked a little better under the AP700, but it was so minor, largely everything looks the same. I only switched from the AP700 because mine died, and I had been having troubles getting it to correctly connect to my wifi network, even after talking to their support people. It's worth noting that it died during the update to the latest firmware, so it could be improved now. Kessil did replace my light for free when it broke without a hassle, and I use their H380 still. My thoughts are that they both produce great quality light, but I'll knock the AP700 down a bit for their configuration software and wifi hardware. The G4 pros on the other hand have louder fans, if quiet is a concern. I have an Apex, which I control the radions with, so it was an easy switch for me. Can't use Apex for the AP700 control. Just some things for you to consider when making your choice.

 

[Flatlandreefer]

Why go with the ap700 if you already have two 360s? The only thing I wish I had that my kessil cant give me is control ability that the radion offers. That is the one thing I hate about the selector knob is you can't actually see what percent it is set on and I don't have any ability to have a complex light schedule. That being said some of this could be addressed if I wasn't so cheap and would buy the spectral controller.

 

[srad750c]

What do you mean by the colors of the corals not looking good? Was the color of the coral shifting (i.e. indication of not enough or too much light)?

Colors are great with A360WE but I noticed more hues by adding the AI Prime HD. Some of my corals had color that I didn't know they had until I added Prime HD. My LFS had some of the same corals I had but looked different so I added extra fixture and bang. All those colors that I didn't see showed up. That's why some people supplement with T5 fixtures. Better color rendition.

 

[madweazl]

Colors are great with A360WE but I noticed more hues by adding the AI Prime HD. Some of my corals had color that I didn't know they had until I added Prime HD. My LFS had some of the same corals I had but looked different so I added extra fixture and bang. All those colors that I didn't see showed up. That's why some people supplement with T5 fixtures. Better color rendition.

So it was purely an aesthetics issue? Two A360s on a 90g is asking a lot because of the depth; I have a 75g and two was ok but I had to be very cognizant of where I placed things. Three certainly would have made life much easier but I supplemented with a pair of T5s because I couldn't change the canopy I'm using without making it look like swiss cheese. The Blue+/Coral+ I'm using cast a very blue "Windex" look to the tank that I absolutely hate but there is no denying that the corals are doing considerably better because of it.

 

[Newb73]

Mixing my Hydras with Kessils = best of both worlds

 

[Taps]

Your lights are super expensive bro. Like I could never afford expensive.

Understood. We're working on that.

 

[madweazl]

Understood. We're working on that.

While this isn't the right thread for this, perhaps you could make another post that illustrates why your selection of somebody else's diodes is better than the rest that are already doing the exact same thing.

 

[Evan West]

Well in all actuality unless i pull some OT at work and have some walking around money ill be keeping my two a360we cuz even selling them im looking at +$300 to get set up with an ap700

 

[srad750c]

So it was purely an aesthetics issue? Two A360s on a 90g is asking a lot because of the depth; I have a 75g and two was ok but I had to be very cognizant of where I placed things. Three certainly would have made life much easier but I supplemented with a pair of T5s because I couldn't change the canopy I'm using without making it look like swiss cheese. The Blue+/Coral+ I'm using cast a very blue "Windex" look to the tank that I absolutely hate but there is no denying that the corals are doing considerably better because of it.

Yes, purely aesthetic. No problem, they have plenty of power, mine are only set @65% and Prime HD is only at 15%. They were actually burning my corals 12" from h20 even after 2 months of slow acclimation. My only problem is a shadow issue. I could use 4 and solve that issue. Debating on 2 more A360WE or 2 Prime HD. I don't want T5, if I go to T5, then I'm going back to 2 x 175w MH. I may even try 2x G4 Pro. My local coral farm has those 30" away from their shallow tanks and their corals look great. Another LFS has T5 only and his corals are unbelievable. Way too many options.

 

[srad750c]

Go AcroOptics. All the punch and coverage of MH, all the controllability benefits of LEDs. Full disclosure, it's my company, but I've seen too many of these threads comparing two B+ systems as if that is all that is available. if you're an LPS/ zooanthid/echinacea keeper Radions and Kessils are great. If you're an Acro/Monti/Stylo keeper, get what fits your livestock.

I may get a nasty-gram re. self-promotion, but mention you responded to this post and I'll toss in a 15% discount.

Moderator(s) - not pimping (mostly), just trying to make sure folks know about what can really be done with an LED system. They are much more capable than people believe.

WOW, fixture and power supply more than the down payment on my new 2015 Tundra, I will stick with my B+ Kessils. By the way who sells LED fixtures without PS, makes no sense. I'm sure it's a great system but most hobbyist aren't going there. Would love to see them in a 3 tank side by side comparison after 18 months.

 

[Pete1968]

So I have two kessil a360we, sould i sell them and get 2 xr15 gen 4 pro?

I had 4 kessils on my 200 mixed reef they got great shimmer but the i bought radion xr15 pro for my new nuvo sr60 and they not only have way more control but the lighting is far superior to kessils

 

[madweazl]

I had 4 kessils on my 200 mixed reef they got great shimmer but the i bought radion xr15 pro for my new nuvo sr60 and they not only have way more control but the lighting is far superior to kessils

Can you provide more detail?

 

[Newb73]

I had 4 kessils on my 200 mixed reef they got great shimmer but the i bought radion xr15 pro for my new nuvo sr60 and they not only have way more control but the lighting is far superior to kessils

Superior? No.

Brighter and with more control...yes.

Best solution is a combo.

I run 3x hydra 52s along side 3x Kessils.

I get the shimmer and spectrum of Kessils but the brightness, weather effects and programming of the hydras.

Best of both worlds.

 

[James Johnson]

Your missing the point it's not about a difference in par it's about color spectrum the better the spectrum you shine at a coral the the better color you get out of the coral. Both fixtures are the same price( if you read my analogy correctly you would see that) so the one with a better spectrum is the clear winner imo.
But I guess if you wanted more par then the radions win again. And even with the spectral controller your only adjustment for color is more blue or less blue where as a radion( the same price) you can individually control; blue, royal blue, purple, UV, warm white, cool white, red and green, again I would choose the radion.
And yes the Ferrari and the pickup both have to go 70 but your gonna have a lot more fun in a Ferrari and that's why we have hobbies for fun, right?

 

[Pete1968]

I had 4 kessil 360we over a 200 mixed reef tank and I borrowed my friends par meter I was I shocked to see the par at the top was only 275 and on sandbed 75 , the shimmer and color was amazing but , I need something more powerful so I picked up an ati t5 with two reefbrites and problem solved, after I down graded my tank and purchased a IV marine sr60 I added 3 radion xr15 pro gen 3 and they are wonderful, way more par and the apex you can do anything with the lights from storms, clouds etc, now I am upgrading again to a deep blue 80 tank and will keep the 3 radions I think once you put a par meter on there , that will give you what choice you need to make!

 

[BlennyKravitz]

I had 4 kessil 360we over a 200 mixed reef tank and I borrowed my friends par meter I was I shocked to see the par at the top was only 275 and on sandbed 75 , the shimmer and color was amazing but , I need something more powerful so I picked up an ati t5 with two reefbrites and problem solved, after I down graded my tank and purchased a IV marine sr60 I added 3 radion xr15 pro gen 3 and they are wonderful, way more par and the apex you can do anything with the lights from storms, clouds etc, now I am upgrading again to a deep blue 80 tank and will keep the 3 radions I think once you put a par meter on there , that will give you what choice you need to make!

PAR meters don’t work on Kessil lights. Fact. They are light canons.