Lights for 75g....Please share your thought.

[French27]

I am looking for input with the information below. My untrained eye tells me to go with the Kessil's. We are planning a 75g FOWLER morphing into Softies, LPS, and eventually SPS corals as well. I would like to have the lights I will need when I set up the tank initially for the sake of flexibility and to keep costs down. Are the number of lights I am thinking of correct? With those having experience with these lights can you give your impression of them? I have seen Radions in person, and they seem pretty good. I am curious is the "Shimmer" of the Kessils is as advertised?






[TABLE="width: 1455"]
[TR]
[TD]Make[/TD]
[TD]Light Type[/TD]
[TD]Coverage[/TD]
[TD]# Bulbs/Units[/TD]
[TD]Bulb Price to Replace All[/TD]
[TD]Frequency of Replacement[/TD]
[TD]Wattage[/TD]
[TD]Total Wattage Needed[/TD]
[TD]Electrical Cost/Year 12hr/day use[/TD]
[TD]Fixture Cost[/TD]
[TD]Total Fixture Cost[/TD]
[TD]Initial Bulb Cost[/TD]
[TD]1 Year Bulb Cost[/TD]
[TD]2 Year Bulb Cost[/TD]
[TD]3 Year Bulk Cost[/TD]
[TD]1 Year Total[/TD]
[TD]2 Year Total[/TD]
[TD]3 Year Total[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Aquatic Life T5 HO[/TD]
[TD]T5HO[/TD]
[TD]48"[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]$104.96[/TD]
[TD]10 Months[/TD]
[TD]54[/TD]
[TD]220[/TD]
[TD]$124.37[/TD]
[TD]$349.99[/TD]
[TD]$349.99[/TD]
[TD]$0.00[/TD]
[TD]$104.96[/TD]
[TD]$209.92[/TD]
[TD]$314.88[/TD]
[TD]$579.32[/TD]
[TD]$808.65[/TD]
[TD]$1,037.98[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Fluval T5 HO Quad Lighting System[/TD]
[TD]T5HO[/TD]
[TD]48"[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]$100.00[/TD]
[TD]10 Months[/TD]
[TD]54[/TD]
[TD]216[/TD]
[TD]$122.11[/TD]
[TD]$229.99[/TD]
[TD]$329.99[/TD]
[TD]$100.00[/TD]
[TD]$100.00[/TD]
[TD]$200.00[/TD]
[TD]$300.00[/TD]
[TD]$552.10[/TD]
[TD]$774.21[/TD]
[TD]$996.32[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]EcoTech Marine Radion XR15[/TD]
[TD]LED[/TD]
[TD]24"[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]$0.00[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]60[/TD]
[TD]120[/TD]
[TD]$67.84[/TD]
[TD]$299.99[/TD]
[TD]$599.98[/TD]
[TD]$0.00[/TD]
[TD]$0.00[/TD]
[TD]$0.00[/TD]
[TD]$0.00[/TD]
[TD]$667.82[/TD]
[TD]$735.66[/TD]
[TD]$803.50[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Hydra 26 LED[/TD]
[TD]LED[/TD]
[TD]24"[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]$0.00[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]90[/TD]
[TD]180[/TD]
[TD]$101.76[/TD]
[TD]$299.99[/TD]
[TD]$599.98[/TD]
[TD]$0.00[/TD]
[TD]$0.00[/TD]
[TD]$0.00[/TD]
[TD]$0.00[/TD]
[TD]$701.74[/TD]
[TD]$803.50[/TD]
[TD]$905.26[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]EcoTech Marine Radion XR15 Pro[/TD]
[TD]LED[/TD]
[TD]24"[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]$0.00[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]75[/TD]
[TD]150[/TD]
[TD]$84.80[/TD]
[TD]$449.00[/TD]
[TD]$898.00[/TD]
[TD]$0.00[/TD]
[TD]$0.00[/TD]
[TD]$0.00[/TD]
[TD]$0.00[/TD]
[TD]$982.80[/TD]
[TD]$1,067.60[/TD]
[TD]$1,152.40[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Kessil A160[/TD]
[TD]LED[/TD]
[TD]24"[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]$0.00[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]40[/TD]
[TD]80[/TD]
[TD]$45.23[/TD]
[TD]$239.00[/TD]
[TD]$478.00[/TD]
[TD]$0.00[/TD]
[TD]$0.00[/TD]
[TD]$0.00[/TD]
[TD]$0.00[/TD]
[TD]$523.23[/TD]
[TD]$568.46[/TD]
[TD]$613.69[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

[hart24601]

I personally just hate changing bulbs, yes it's silly, but I would put it off and buying bulbs always got knocked down my priority list of things to buy. But that is just me.

I like that graph, but even more than the money should be how much you like how the tank looks imo. Heck, it's way cheaper to just not have a tank at all! But if you are torn between two units the overall cost is nice to see. Remember that with some lights like the AI and radion you might not be running everything at 100% for the energy use. FWIW I am planning on at least 5 years of life out of my LED fixtures, 3 years only would be disappointing to me. One thing I really like about the AI system is the director you can add additional lights over time and it will control them too, even if they are not the same model - so if in a year you get into SPS and start growing huge colonies and want more light you can add a unit and have it link up to the system really slick, or add primes to fill in spots. I don't think the Kessil A160 has the same power as the radion or the hydra so I would definitely plan on adding more than 2 if you want high light.

 

[tigerdragon]

I like the lumentek series of lights

 

[jsker]

I have the Orbit Marine LED and I am very happy with the setup. And in a a couple of months something new and improved or better will come out and I might purchase.

 

[French27]

I personally just hate changing bulbs, yes it's silly, but I would put it off and buying bulbs always got knocked down my priority list of things to buy. But that is just me.

I like that graph, but even more than the money should be how much you like how the tank looks imo. Heck, it's way cheaper to just not have a tank at all! But if you are torn between two units the overall cost is nice to see. Remember that with some lights like the AI and radion you might not be running everything at 100% for the energy use. FWIW I am planning on at least 5 years of life out of my LED fixtures, 3 years only would be disappointing to me. One thing I really like about the AI system is the director you can add additional lights over time and it will control them too, even if they are not the same model - so if in a year you get into SPS and start growing huge colonies and want more light you can add a unit and have it link up to the system really slick, or add primes to fill in spots. I don't think the Kessil A160 has the same power as the radion or the hydra so I would definitely plan on adding more than 2 if you want high light.

I took your advice and stopped into the LFS today on the way home from work and I am glad I did. They have the Kessils, Radeons, and Hydra 26s all set up on various tanks. I truly do like the look of the Kessil's the best. I also realized I don't really care for the look of the Radion XR15, especially compared to the other options. The salt water manager at the store mentioned SPS can be tricky with the kessils, but I would be looking at least a year before attempting them, so I could probably supplement with other lighting for them.

You also helped me with the number of years to expect a LED fixture to last.

 

[hart24601]

Great to hear! It's really nice your LFS had those all running so you can see them - and I would agree with the LFS guy saying SPS are going to be a bit more challenging with the kessil's (with shading and maybe PAR), but if you know that and it's a while down the road and plan on it, as you are, then go with what you like and enjoy! They really do have a great color to them and, in the future, kessils are easy to get a gooseneck and expand the coverage if you need it.

 

[theblackpearl]

Checck out the reefbreeder 48" photon Led.....great full spectrum light and I can grow everything with mine
https://www.reefbreeders.com/shop/photon-48-long/