KESSIL VS RADION??

elisa h · Sep 20, 2017

I recently asked the forum if I should save money and buy a black box light or go with a kessil. Based on the communities responses and also the conveniently timed brs video on black boxes, I have decided to go with higher end lighting. I was really only considering kessils (more specifically the a360w or ap700) but after doing more research I'm not sure if radions (I was looking at the xr30 gen4) would be the better way to go. I like how kessils have unbeatable shimmer and how there lights are already tuned to an optimum spectrum. Also how they took the time to produce their own led chip unique to their brand. I am concerned about the 'disco ball effect' many experience with radions and how you have to buy a separate diffuser on top of the already pricy lights just to get the same look as a kessil.

I'd love everybody's opinion on which way I should go and to hear everybody's experiences with these lights. I love seeing tank shots as well!!

My tank is a 90 gallon hexagon 30 L by 27 H. I am mainly looking to keep lps, softies, and zoas although I do like clams. And who knows maybe in the future I will decide I want some sps... but right now I am not super concerned with par, I just want the best quality light for my future corals!

mcarroll · Sep 20, 2017

I'd stick with Kessils out of those options. But wont you need 360N's to light that deep of a tank to the bottom?

I know you see it mentioned a lot, but types of coral you want are almost irrelevant to the decision...all are very flexible and will adapt. The only key is for you to keep a healthy system and not to shock them in any way....with light or otherwise. That means avoid everything tro do with ULNS and for heaven's sake use a light meter to set up your lights}....a $12 lux meter at minimum.

Clams, on the other hand, like a lot of light though....seems like there actually is no "too much light" for them.

2¢

jd371 · Sep 20, 2017

I have a standard 75g with 4 Kessil 160we's and love them. I started the tank with a Current Orbit light that was decent, but if I wanted to get into SPS's later on I would need something better. When I started adding more corals to the tank is when I made the switch to Kessils. I picked Kessil because one of the lfs I would go to had them over their tanks and I loved the shimmer. Because my lights are hanging and couldn't angle them to cut down on some of the shadowing, I added a 2 bulb t5 fixture to help. No issues with them whatsoever. I had one make some noise from the fan an hour before it turned off one time, but was quite again the next day (dust). I take them down and blast them with some air to get rid of the dust bunnies every couple of months now.

elisa h · Sep 20, 2017

mcarroll said:
I'd stick with Kessils out of those options. But wont you need 360N's to light that deep of a tank to the bottom?

2¢

The narrow one wouldn't cover the length of the tank and the wide wouldn't cover the height, so either one I'd have to buy two with a controller which would be the same price as one ap700 so I'm leaning towards the ap700 because they're more customizable with the app and such. Thanks for the advice!

elisa h · Sep 20, 2017

jd371 said:
I have a standard 75g with 4 Kessil 160we's and love them.

Wow you're tank looks great! I've been looking to see a kessil tank in person but my local lfs uses radions (creative aquariums of Tampa) and I don't live too far from World Wide corals so I drove up there and they also use radions. That's why I started doubting myself on the decision to get a kessil

ciscomania · Sep 20, 2017

No matter what kind of diffuser you put on radions, it might get rid of the disco ball effect but it will never get the shimmer like the kessils. Hence the reason why I sold my radions for kessil. For now, kessil is the shimmer king.

elisa h · Sep 20, 2017

ciscomania said:
No matter what kind of diffuser you put on radions, it might get rid of the disco ball effect but it will never get the shimmer like the kessils. Hence the reason why I sold my radions for kessil. For now, kessil is the shimmer king.

Besides the shimmer, did you notice any change in your corals?

nine9d · Sep 20, 2017

Following along.

Weapons462 · Jun 21, 2018

Following

Flexin · Jun 21, 2018

No need to follow or keep this going, search on the previous threads. Just pick the light and go, they are both great.

Highgrade · Jun 21, 2018

Both are great lights. I have both and have had success with either.

IME the Kessils will grow anything. Especially LPS, zoas, palys, softies, nems and clams which seem to thrive under Kessils.

As for the Radions G4's with Diffusers they'll grow anything equally as well. My SPS has better color and growth with the Radions. LPS corals are not as colorful under the Radions. I do run the AB+ mainly for SPS. The Radion's do have less shading than the Kessils. Still you cant beat the shimmer of the Kessils. As for the Radions with or without the diffusers the shimmer is different. The diffuser do give more of a T5 look.

I would recommend the Radion's more for SPS dominant or a Mixed SPS/LPS tank.

The Kessil's I would recommend mainly for LPS or a mixed tank. Don't get me wrong, Kessil's will grow SPS no problem. I just found the colors with my Acro's were not as great as with the Radion's. Most times I would supplement Kessil's with T5 to get the best of both worlds and keep the shimmer.

Good luck!

Mark_4880 · Mar 24, 2020

I used kessil (4 360we and 4 39watt T5's) on a 90 gallon for over 1 year and some sps grew well, but colors were never that good and only some sps grew well, torts, montis, anacroporas. After switching to Radions (3 xr30 gen 3 pro and ditched T5's) for only 2 months, I'm blown away by the colors and growth of ALL my corals now, cherry bomb acro was brown and never encrusted under kessil and is bright pink and has a quarter size encrusted base, strawberry shortcake was green with no polyp extension would encrust then recede under kessils and its looking line a different coral with radions. Jedi monti has a nice blue ring on the edges now. I'm noticing way better polyp extension and growth on every coral in my tank with Radion. Even the shaded areas of acros have color now

roblox84 · Mar 26, 2020

I have an Ai prime on my 5 gallon and when I was setting up my 20g i bought a kessil a160we for it. There is 0 disco ball effect, better shimmer and the color seems more crisp. Im definitely loving the kessils over traditional led pucks.

NeSsyAqua · Mar 26, 2020

+1 on both great lights! I've run kessil and radion on the same tank at the same time but after awhile I just wanted to try only radions. And not gonna lie colors are even better under all radion.