KESSIL VS CHINESE BLACK BOX

[FishPedagogue]

Great thread as I too am in this dilemma. Like the original poster I am new to the saltwater game. I've kept freshwater for many years but salt is fish keeping on a different level. I have a 24x24 tank and the Kessil A360we is on sale at a few places. Decisions, decisions and more decisions.

 

[elisa h]

Great thread as I too am in this dilemma. Like the original poster I am new to the saltwater game. I've kept freshwater for many years but salt is fish keeping on a different level. I have a 24x24 tank and the Kessil A360we is on sale at a few places. Decisions, decisions and more decisions.

Kessils are definitely a great choice. And wouldn’t be too expensive since you’d only need one. I think what I got from this thread was if you want to spend the money then there’s no reason not to get nice lights. But you can also have success with lights half the price. A few differences in spectrum and par isn’t gonna make or break your tank.

 

[FishPedagogue]

Kessils are definitely a great choice. And wouldn’t be too expensive since you’d only need one. I think what I got from this thread was if you want to spend the money then there’s no reason not to get nice lights. But you can also have success with lights half the price. A few differences in spectrum and par isn’t gonna make or break your tank.

Thanks, yes you've summed it up in a nutshell. I like clean looking things so I think I am going to go with 1 Kessil. The only drawback I've heard is that they don't last long.

 

[cameronh]

Thanks, yes you've summed it up in a nutshell. I like clean looking things so I think I am going to go with 1 Kessil. The only drawback I've heard is that they don't last long.

My brother on law has had his 2 a150 kessils for about 8 years now.
Running strong

 

[FishPedagogue]

I ended up buying one a360we for my 24”x24” 42 gallon. All I can say is OMG. The Kessil light is unbelievable. To be honest, no comparison between these and the black box LEDs. “If you buy cheap, you buy twice”

 

[Ashley Kekua]

Ran Black boxes (mars Aqua) for the first two years of my tank. Grew tons of acros. You can't go wrong especially if you're going to have a softie / Lps tank. Even if down the line you want to get into sps you'll be all set. I Never had an issue.

what settings you ran with your mars?

 

[Ashley Kekua]

Some terrible iPhone pictures:

Candy cane explosion!

Red montipora with nice color.

Birds nest going wild!

you take off lens caps?

 

[OnPointCorals Verified Sponsor]

what settings you ran with your mars?

100% blue 50% whites. I ran them high up. Probably 18”+ above.

 

[Ashley Kekua]

Blackbox'd

w3hat settings??

 

[Reeferguy365]

I ended up buying one a360we for my 24”x24” 42 gallon. All I can say is OMG. The Kessil light is unbelievable. To be honest, no comparison between these and the black box LEDs. “If you buy cheap, you buy twice”

Sorry but I have to say you're wrong about your if you buy cheap You by twice comment. Might want take a look at this black box study going on.

 

[cameronh]

Sorry but I have to say you're wrong about your if you buy cheap You by twice comment. Might want take a look at this black box study going on.

I agree. I had a few black boxes that killed my kessils.
The asta 20 does about the same job in a bio cube that the a160 did.
Par readings werent that far off at the bottom of the tank.
I still have my black box lights and they are older than the kessils.

"When I say still have them I mean I donated them to my friends tank"

 

[Ashley Kekua]

Vipar seem very good!

 

[bigfish1152]

So, the necrothread revives 2 years down the road. From the sounds of it, Kessil needs to either stop charging so much and or raise the wattage to 130 on the 360x's. Maybe make a new series 360x+ ?

I got 4 Philzons and while not really growing anything, things are living. I just dont like the color blend of them. I want to go BB, but, its gonna have to have the option of independent color manipulation with the ability to store and use them on a timer. AKA, I want to run blues and violet most time during the day and from 6 to 11pm before I go to bed, a light blue more white hue for viewing. Added bonus would be a weekend setting when I am home all day. Maybe run some low intensity blue hue for viewing.

Should be enough time for people to compare some stick growth. Anyone have some added "value" to the thread? I am sure some have moved away from black boxes to try something else by now and vise versa.


And for gods sake, when you say "I used BB and looks good/bad", would you mind sharing the brand name?





Thanks.

 

[outhouse]

“If you buy cheap, you buy twice”

for many things in life you would be correct, here/ you full of it. Kessils have been failing pretty quickly, and viparspectra lights a well proven effective and strong light. It just doesnt have the ramp up and down ability of the kessils. But also doesnt have the stupid price either. I have had these lights running over 5 years with no issues.

 

[bigfish1152]

Thats why I want to revive this thread, to see how many of what has failed 2 years down the road. Also, since people have had some more time with both lights, have opinions changed, stayed the same, or?

As far as aesthetics, I think, from what I have seen, the Kessils are a solid choice. No other light gives the least disco ball effect (that I am aware of). Throw on a RB blue light bar and your done. As far as them failing, thats not good. Would also like to know whats failing on them?

VipraSpectra is a good "grow" light, but what good does that do for "my" OCD if I cant adjust the color to my liking, at certain times of the day? My tank will be for showing, not growing (when I am at home). So, while I would take a VipraSpectra, its kind of failing me. As for me, I am kind of forced to look at the stupid stuff, or my OCD will litterally not let me sleep at night, and, or, drive me nuts during the day .