Lights

xtianGEO

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Hello

I’ve been running a Neptune Sky over my 24-gallon Aquatop for some time and it’s served me well. However, in my recent trips to several fish stores across California, I’ve noticed that Kessil and Radion dominate the display tanks. I’m considering making a switch and would appreciate any input on these two brands

Kessil:
I’m leaning towards the Kessil lights primarily because of their “Reef Logic” concept. It simplifies a lot of the process of ensuring optimal light conditions for various corals, making it more intuitive. This seems especially useful for reefers who might be overwhelmed by the myriad of settings and spectrums, or those who simply want to “plug and play” without fussing too much.

Radion:
On the other hand, Radion lights have a stellar reputation in the reef community. I’ve noticed that many seasoned reefers swear by them. Additionally, since I already own some Ecotech products, I’m familiar with their build quality and customer service, both of which have been top-notch in my experience.

Considerations for a Mixed Tank:
My tank is a mix of corals, and I use PAR readings to decide placement. This means that whichever light I choose needs to have an even distribution and a flexible intensity range to cater to the needs of different coral types. Both brands seem to handle this well based on what I’ve seen in stores, but I’m interested in hearing real-world experiences.

Final Thoughts:
To me, this isn’t just a matter of which light is “better” in a general sense. It’s about which light would better serve my specific needs and preferences. I value reliability, ease of use, and flexibility. While Kessil’s “Reef Logic” is appealing, the proven track record of Radions and my prior experience with Ecotech products gives me pause.

I would greatly appreciate hearing from those of you who have experience with one or both of these lights. Your insights, especially regarding long-term performance, PAR consistency, spectral quality, and ease of programmability, will be invaluable in my decision-making process.
 
Don't!

You have a great light already, an absolute waste to spend money when you have a Sky already! :)

Having read through your post a number of times now, I can't seem to find any reason as to why you are considering this! :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

Are you experiencing any issues that you thing is light-related?
 
I have the Kessil A360Xs and while my tank isnt set up yet, I've played with them and this is what I've got.

The cost of admission won't get you a finished product. You want all the accessories.
The flex arm mounts suck, so you want the tube steel mounts which are nice. The wires route inside the tubes and makes the installation super clean. I bought the extension tubes to mount them to the stand and NOT the tank. I think hang on tank brackets are a liability. Especially with smaller tanks and thinner glass. It's just a NOPE for me all around.

You DEFINITELY want the 55 degree reflectors or you are going to not only light your tank, but the rest of the room too and burn your eyes out. The spread angle is BRUTAL without the reflectors. I think the controller is a better buy than the wifi thing. With either, you can access the red/green/violet LEDs and adjust their intensity to get the most out of the light and whatever color you're looking for instead of just shifting from deep blue on one end to white on the other with the knobs.

I prefer an open top tank and for that purpose, these are superior. It's just a little hockey puck on a bracket, so there isnt all this crap hanging over the tank everywhere. They look nice and they're out of the way.

If you are a fan of the metal halide look like I am, these are the only way to go. The dense LED array and lens results in a very natural look.

As far as growth and PAR, there is already enough info out there and it's what influenced my own decision.
I have 2 of them going over a 36x24x12" tall tank that will house mostly SPS and some LPS and in my case they are more than adequate. I will not be using any supplemental anything.
 
Don't!

You have a great light already, an absolute waste to spend money when you have a Sky already! :)

Having read through your post a number of times now, I can't seem to find any reason as to why you are considering this! :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

Are you experiencing any issues that you thing is light-related?
Hey thanks for the reply. I believe that I am experiencing some light related issues. I own a par wise par meter that reads one thing and rent an apogee that reads 200 par below. My hard corals are thinning and getting burnt tips. All my parameters are steady and match LFs. So, I was considering swapping the lights out due to greater familiarity of kessils and radions
 
Kessils and Radions likely dominate because the lights were gifts or deeply discounted to get you to think that the store choose them because they are better. These companies also give free lights to hobbyists who shill for them on message boards and social media - ask me how I know...

If you think that your Neptune is not working for you, then cool... but what I read in the first post is no reason to switch out lights.

Full disclosure - I do not use LEDs on my display tanks, but I have one Radion on a frag tank. If I was forced to switch to LEDs, I would never consider Radion or Kessil and would likely go with Photon V2 since the best tanks (that keep what I keep) that I have seen under LED are lit with these lights.
 
Kessils and Radions likely dominate because the lights were gifts or deeply discounted to get you to think that the store choose them because they are better. These companies also give free lights to hobbyists who shill for them on message boards and social media - ask me how I know...

If you think that your Neptune is not working for you, then cool... but what I read in the first post is no reason to switch out lights.

Full disclosure - I do not use LEDs on my display tanks, but I have one Radion on a frag tank. If I was forced to switch to LEDs, I would never consider Radion or Kessil and would likely go with Photon V2 since the best tanks (that keep what I keep) that I have seen under LED are lit with these lights.
Thank you for the insight. Let me ask you. If you were building a new system for lets 4K what would buy. I am referring solely to the tank, sump, skimmer, reactors. thanks
 

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

  • Yes!

    Votes: 32 45.7%
  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

    Votes: 9 12.9%
  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%
  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%

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