Light upgrade for 125gallon long mixed reef, help me decide!

Beefyreefy · Jun 9, 2021

I’ve been running 3 viparspectras and a diy 4 bulb t5 setup forever. My white channels are dying on the LEDs so I think I’m ready to upgrade to some high end LEDs and ditch the t5s. The tank is a 6 ft, 125gallon mixed reef. My initial thoughts are a few Kessil Ap9’s or A360’s, AI hydras, reef breeders (I like the cost), or a 6ft illumagic blaze. Looking on thoughts or feelings about any of these options? I would love the kessil shimmer but I often hear mixed reviews. I haven’t heard anything bad about AI hydras but is there anything special about them to justify the cost? My concern with the reefbreeders is that they are just over priced black boxes. The illumagic blaze sounds awesome but I just don’t know enough about them. Any advice is appreciated!

Jekyl · Jun 9, 2021

I love my kessil lights. Can't beat the way they look. 3 of the 360s or 2 of the ap9x with an orphek light bar to supplement for sps if needed

nereefpat · Jun 9, 2021

I have some thoughts. Keep in mind I'm not an LED user.

Beefyreefy said:
My concern with the reefbreeders is that they are just over priced black boxes.

The ReefBreeders are much more, and much more expensive, than black boxes. People love them. They can ramp/dim/adjust spectrums. @Ron Reefman is a good resource for experience with them.

Beefyreefy said:
anything bad about AI hydras but is there anything special about them to justify the cost?

They are pretty similar in cost to the Kessil 360s or ReefBreeders V2 18-24" fixtures. A Hydra is basically 2 Primes put together at a slight discount. People like them.

Personally, I would keep the T5s, and add whatever LEDs you like.

Kessil · Jun 9, 2021

2 AP9X will be PLENTY of light for your mixed reef tank at 6' long. You could also get away with 3 A360X units if you wanted to save a bit of money at the beginning, and add a 4th down the road if you decide you want some higher light demanding corals.

We're a bit biased, so we won't tell you which brand we suggest

jgirardnrg · Jun 9, 2021

I've done PAR tests with the Vipar's, Ocean Revive t247's and ReefBreeders Photons. With all of them set to 50% power on all channels the Vipars were the weakest.

The Photons are 6 channels and have add on cards for app control or Apex control. Very nice lights. I'm in the process of setting up a 4 foot Fiji Cube tank and decided to try the Radions (3x XR15 Pro) on that for comparison. I currently have Photons over every tank here.

Beefyreefy · Jun 9, 2021

Kessil said:
2 AP9X will be PLENTY of light for your mixed reef tank at 6' long. You could also get away with 3 A360X units if you wanted to save a bit of money at the beginning, and add a 4th down the road if you decide you want some higher light demanding corals.

We're a bit biased, so we won't tell you which brand we suggest

Thanks for the insight! I have been leaning towards kessils. I’ve always liked the shimmer, and that’s what I didn’t get with my current setup. I’m glad to hear that 2 ap9s or 3 a360s would suffice, I was afraid that I would need one more of each. My corals aren’t very high demand all though I do keep some easy sps. Let me ask you, if I go the A360x route, do I just need one WiFi dongle? I don’t need one for each light right?

Jekyl · Jun 9, 2021

Beefyreefy said:
Thanks for the insight! I have been leaning towards kessils. I’ve always liked the shimmer, and that’s what I didn’t get with my current setup. I’m glad to hear that 2 ap9s or 3 a360s would suffice, I was afraid that I would need one more of each. My corals aren’t very high demand all though I do keep some easy sps. Let me ask you, if I go the A360x route, do I just need one WiFi dongle? I don’t need one for each light right?

Don't get the wifi. I use the controller and it's all you need. Wifi just let's you play with things you shouldn't be.

Beefyreefy · Jun 9, 2021

Jekyl said:
Don't get the wifi. I use the controller and it's all you need. Wifi just let's you play with things you shouldn't be.

You have to get the a360 controller separately, right? I think I read you don’t even need a controller but I’m assuming I want one, lol. I think I’ve officially decided I’m going with Kessil, just trying to decide between the a360x and the ap9x now.

Kodski · Jun 9, 2021

You'll definitely want the controller for the kessils. You wont be able to utilize the UV channels otherwise.

Have you checked out the Reefi Uno's at all? Great lights for the price. I actually just switched from Kessil A360X to the Reefi Uno and I like it a lot. $100 cheaper than a A360x and they have built in wifi. I too loved my Kessil shimmer but found it a bit too much sometimes. The Uno has a toned down shimmer, just enough to be there but not overbearing like the kessil shimmer.

Jekyl · Jun 9, 2021

The shimmer is still my favorite part. I don't like the disco effect of other lights. The controller allows you to set a schedule of time, intensity and color

nereefpat · Jun 10, 2021

Beefyreefy said:
You have to get the a360 controller separately, right? I think I read you don’t even need a controller but I’m assuming I want one, lol.

If you don't get the separate controller, you just adjust the knobs for intensity and color and they stay put. Then you turn them on/off with a light timer. If you want to ramp up and down or change color throughout the day, then you need a controller.

Kodski · Jun 10, 2021

nereefpat said:
If you don't get the separate controller, you just adjust the knobs for intensity and color and they stay put. Then you turn them on/off with a light timer. If you want to ramp up and down or change color throughout the day, then you need a controller.

You also need the controller to turn on the UV spectrum. There light does not utilize the full spectrum out of the box.

nereefpat · Jun 10, 2021

Interesting

srobertb · Jun 16, 2021

Beefyreefy said:
I’ve been running 3 viparspectras and a diy 4 bulb t5 setup forever. My white channels are dying on the LEDs so I think I’m ready to upgrade to some high end LEDs and ditch the t5s. The tank is a 6 ft, 125gallon mixed reef. My initial thoughts are a few Kessil Ap9’s or A360’s, AI hydras, reef breeders (I like the cost), or a 6ft illumagic blaze. Looking on thoughts or feelings about any of these options? I would love the kessil shimmer but I often hear mixed reviews. I haven’t heard anything bad about AI hydras but is there anything special about them to justify the cost? My concern with the reefbreeders is that they are just over priced black boxes. The illumagic blaze sounds awesome but I just don’t know enough about them. Any advice is appreciated!

So…I have/had 4 kessils over my 6 tank with an Aquatic Life T5 fixture for 2 years. I never really got good growth and they were running at 100%.

they are prettier than the Radions but honestly the 4x80w T5’s would make the tank look flat even with the Kessils.

Precisely (within 2 days for one) at the 2 year mark my Kessils started dying. I have had 3 go out in 2 different ways in the last month or so. My Radions will be here Friday. My last Radion lasted several years, grew things better, and was very reliable. It was just ugly (over the tank) and had a bit of disco balling if you looked close enough (G4).

I’m so bummed to lose the Kessils. The IOS program is easy to use. I was going to upgrade to the A500x’s but my wife pointed out (and I agreed) that 2 years isn’t an acceptable lifespan. They are, to me, just not anywhere close to as powerful as the Radions.

pigmo · Jul 8, 2021

;Clown

Illumagic Blaze X? Experiences?

our blaze-x colors PC rainbow like no other light. makes it super rainbow, like a $500 per frag acro ;Clown grows the yellow with red polyp'd strawberry shortcake (wild collected) nicely. grows tort nicely, and grows the living hell out of montis.

www.reef2reef.com