Radion or Kessil

Timrpn · Apr 3, 2018

Hi,

I am going to be upgrading my lights soon, I have. 60cube 24x24x24. I only have some softies in there right now, but want to have i guess a mixed tank. Would you get the Radion Xr15w Pro or the Kessil a360w Tuna blue? Neither or something else?

Pete1968 · Apr 3, 2018

Timrpn said:
Hi,

I am going to be upgrading my lights soon, I have. 60cube 24x24x24. I only have some softies in there right now, but want to have i guess a mixed tank. Would you get the Radion Xr15w Pro or the Kessil a360w Tuna blue? Neither or something else?

I have own both and i can tell you the radions are far better in par ratings and control!

Timrpn · Apr 3, 2018

Do you think just the Xr30w Pro Gen 4, would be ok? Or do I need to be looking at the Xr30’s? I didn’t really want to spend that kind of money.

Midrats · Apr 3, 2018

If you like to see color separation go Radion. I couldn't stand it and had to take it off the tank. I much prefer Kessil lights. There is plenty of control. One A360WE would illuminate your mixed reef perfectly.

Oberst Oswald · Apr 3, 2018

I would say, if anything, is don't go cheap on your lights. Knowing the kind of tank you want now... softy, LPS, or mixed, lets pick a complete SPS for later on down the road. I would recommend the Xr30w Pro Gen 4. Your tank is fairly deep and if you ever want to get the diffuser you would have to up the intensity about 15% +/- . Like a big engine in a car you might not need it but nice to have if you do. A added benefit on the PRO model is that it is very easy to sell if you ever want, in later years, something new or different. If you want a softy or LPS tank the Xr15w Pro or the Kessil a360w Tuna blue will be fine.

Pete1968 · Apr 3, 2018

Oberst Oswald said:
I would say, if anything, is don't go cheap on your lights. Knowing the kind of tank you want now... softy, LPS, or mixed, lets pick a complete SPS for later on down the road. I would recommend the Xr30w Pro Gen 4. Your tank is fairly deep and if you ever want to get the diffuser you would have to up the intensity about 15% +/- . Like a big engine in a car you might not need it but nice to have if you do. A added benefit on the PRO model is that it is very easy to sell if you ever want, in later years, something new or different. If you want a softy or LPS tank the Xr15w Pro or the Kessil a360w Tuna blue will be fine.

Get xr30 pro or 2 xr 15pro, you could always buy a gen 3 xr30 pro fairly cheap and trust me i had 4 kessil 360we on my 200 mixed reef tank and i took a par reading it was horrible only 50 at sandbed and 175 at top of tank, now as far as shimmer it was beautiful, there’s a reason why you always see them for sale, cheapest route would be an ati sunpower t5 24in 6 or 8 bulb

vegamedic · Apr 3, 2018

squareriggersailor said:
If you like to see color separation go Radion. I couldn't stand it and had to take it off the tank. I much prefer Kessil lights. There is plenty of control. One A360WE would illuminate your mixed reef perfectly.

fwiw i run a gen 2 radion (soon to be gen3 pro!) over my 60 cube and don't have the color separation problem that people talk about. I run my whites/reds/greens at around 10% though, blues at 100.

Xjv152 · Apr 3, 2018

Radion

azreeftank · Apr 3, 2018

The Radions color blending was awful. I took them off after 3 months and I went with 2- Kessil AP700 and have never looked back. Amazing colors and blending and controls are great. The growth is like I have never seen before my corals love them at 75% and my 3 clams are thriving in a 32” deep tank and they are in the sand bed.

DSC reef · Apr 3, 2018

I vote kessil. I've read that par meters can be misleading when reading kessils. FWIW, people sell just as many other led lights other than kessils. I've seen them grow amazing tanks. Look at a members build thread @HB AL, I see no par issues.

Quartapound · Apr 3, 2018

I would go with a single Radion xr15 G4 pro.
BRS has a great video that you should check out.
I recently setup a 48x24x24 and I put 2 xr15 G4 pro's over the tank
(check around the 17 minute mark for some par readings in the same size tank as yours)

Reef Doc · Apr 3, 2018

I would get an 24" ATI T5 8 Bulb with 7 Blue Plus Bulbs, 1 Giesemann Tropic. Then purchase some Battlecorals and throw a party.

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/24-ati-sunpower-high-output-t5-light-fixture.html

jokim · Apr 3, 2018

I’ll get a xr30 pro with a defused or a kessil ap700. Ati powermodule is nice too for t5

Oberst Oswald · Apr 3, 2018

So far, 2 years, I didn't have a problem with my 2 Radion XR30's. Had a problem with my Kessil H380 'frug light which went dim. Kessil customer service is the absolute best... one month past the warranty date but they still replaced the light with a brand new unit, 2nd day air to New Jersey from California, with postage paid for the returned light. No hassle at all and very pleasant. Big plus in Kessil's favor if your on the fence on which product to choose.

HB AL · Apr 3, 2018

Besides the fact they grow all corals great, the best attribute I like is the simple one knob operation. I think the fish actually like them too

DSC reef said:
I vote kessil. I've read that par meters can be misleading when reading kessils. FWIW, people sell just as many other led lights other than kessils. I've seen them grow amazing tanks. Look at a members build thread @HB AL, I see no par issues.

Timrpn · Apr 4, 2018

wow, thanks so many opinions so looks like really both work well, and both have pro's and cons.

madweazl · Apr 4, 2018

Flip a coin. I've also had both and prefer the look of the Kessil. There are numerous successful tanks using both lights so it comes down to a matter of personal preference. I personally believe "control" to be a bad thing when it comes to lighting and in my opinion, the vast majority (ALL) of issues regarding lighting is the user meddling with things they shouldn't. Kessil was smart enough to eliminate the vast majority of those so called, "features."