Why the Kessil H380 was my best purchase ever

[Crabs McJones]

I've had my tank up and running now for almost 2 and a half years. About 6 months in I ditched the hang on back equipment and bought an Aqueon Proflex 1 sump. I immediately set it up to accommodate a refugium. I put sand, rock rubble, and filled it with water and ordered my algea. I started out with flat blade caulerpa and a cheap marineland led light. Kept it this way for the better half of a year, and the caulerpa took off. After a little incident, I ended up upgrading to the Proflex 2 sump. Bigger all around and had a larger refugium chamber and return chamber to house my new Reef Octopus skimmer. Kept the same light, and transferred the caulerpa over. Long story short, I ended up switching to chaeto. After reading about caulerpa possibly going asexual and nuking the tank, I switched. The light I had was not even close to strong enough as the chaeto kept turning white and disintegrating into nothing. So I purchased a Kessil H80 after hearing great reviews about it on forums and supplier websites. Ordered a new batch of chaeto and hoped for the best. Chaeto came in, and same thing, the chaeto would white out after 2 to 3 days and die off. I knew I had the nutrients because I had GHA all over my display tank, and I was intentionally feeding heavy to give the Chaeto a chance to outcompete the GHA for nutrients. I went through probably 4 or 5 balls of chaeto. I even started dosing iron by recommendation of other users with the same issue. Still nothing so I decided to throw in the towel. I sold the H80 and used that plus my christmas money from my parents and bought the Kessil H380. Bought another baseball size ball of chaeto, and hoped for the best. Boy what a pay off. My baseball size ball of chaeto (purchased november 27th) has now exploded into almost a basket ball size! This light has outperformed even my expectations. I believe ryan from bulk reef supply said it best that a 13 watt light (H80) can't compete with the 185 watt light (AP700) in the display tank for the nutrients. And I'm noticing my green hair algae problem and other algae problem in my display tank slowly dwindling down. I am extremely happy with this light, and anybody who asks what refugium light to use will always get the H380 as a recommendation from me. Unfortunately it is pretty pricey ($300) but it's well worth the investment. I apologize for the long run, but hope that you found this useful and enjoyed reading it.

 

[S-t-r-e-t-c-h]

They way BRS qualified the purchase price made sense to me; people easily pay way more for a good protein skimmer...

 

[g5flier]

I've had my tank up and running now for almost 2 and a half years. About 6 months in I ditched the hang on back equipment and bought an Aqueon Proflex 1 sump. I immediately set it up to accommodate a refugium. I put sand, rock rubble, and filled it with water and ordered my algea. I started out with flat blade caulerpa and a cheap marineland led light. Kept it this way for the better half of a year, and the caulerpa took off. After a little incident, I ended up upgrading to the Proflex 2 sump. Bigger all around and had a larger refugium chamber and return chamber to house my new Reef Octopus skimmer. Kept the same light, and transferred the caulerpa over. Long story short, I ended up switching to chaeto. The light I had was not even close to strong enough as the chaeto kept turning white and disintegrating into nothing. So I purchased a Kessil H80 after hearing great reviews about it on forums and supplier websites. Ordered a new batch of chaeto and hoped for the best. Chaeto came in, and same thing, the chaeto would white out after 2 to 3 days and die off. I knew I had the nutrients because I had GHA all over my display tank, and I was intentionally feeding heavy to give the Chaeto a chance to outcompete the GHA for nutrients. I went through probably 4 or 5 balls of chaeto. I even started dosing iron by recommendation of other users with the same issue. Still nothing so I decided to throw in the towel. I sold the H80 and used that plus my christmas money from my parents and bought the Kessil H380. Bought another baseball size ball of chaeto, and hoped for the best. Boy what a pay off. My baseball size ball of chaeto (purchased november 27th) has now exploded into almost a basket ball size! This light has outperformed even my expectations. I believe ryan from bulk reef supply said it best that a 13 watt light (H80) can't compete with the 185 watt light (AP700) in the display tank for the nutrients. And I'm noticing my green hair algae problem and other algae problem in my display tank slowly dwindling down. I am extremely happy with this light, and anybody who asks what refugium light to use will always get the H380 as a recommendation from me. Unfortunately it is pretty pricey ($300) but it's well worth the investment. I apologize for the long run, but hope that you found this useful and enjoyed reading it.

Curious, what were your nutrient levels when you couldn't keep the chaeto? I have a H380 and mustn't have enough nutrient levels (No=12PPM and Ph=0.06/0.08)

 

[Crabs McJones]

They way BRS qualified the purchase price made sense to me; people easily pay way more for a good protein skimmer...

"You can't spend hundereds if not thousands of dollars on lighting a huge display and expecting a small box on the back of the display with a $5 bulb and expect it to out compete the display for nutrients." - Ryan @ BRS

 

[Jason mack]

I was thinking of upgrading my lights over my 90g DT , was thinking of getting 3 of these Kessel h380 for it

 

[Crabs McJones]

Curious, what were your nutrient levels when you couldn't keep the chaeto? I have a H380 and mustn't have enough nutrient levels (No=12PPM and Ph=0.06/0.08)

Well part of the problem was that I had so much algae in the display tank that I was reading low nitrate and phosphate levels because the algae was eating it up right away. That's why I was feeding a little heavier to try to give the chaeto a chance.

 

[Crabs McJones]

I was thinking of upgrading my lights over my 90g DT , was thinking of getting 3 of these Kessel h380 for it

You'd want to get the Kessil A360's for your display tank. The H380 is a purple light for the refugium for growing microalgae

 

[Jason mack]

You'd want to get the Kessil A360's for your display tank. The H380 is a purple light for the refugium for growing microalgae

Well I knew it was a Kessel I wanted !!!!

 

[Crabs McJones]

Well I knew it was a Kessel I wanted !!!!

LOL No problem

 

[Amps Reef Life]

I agree!!!!!! I love my H380. I have had some cheap lights over the years on many tanks for the refuge area that have worked but about 5 months ago I got an H380. The light grows the heck out of Cheato and you can tell the difference in the display tank. I have had friends come over for my trimmings and I'll fill up gallon size bags and you can barely tell the difference. All of them have been impressed how thick the cheato and how matt like it is. I've never had a light grow cheato this well. This light is growing coralline algae in my sump LOL. My pod population is crazy too. The lady and I will take a flashlight to the sump just to watch the pods every now and then lol.

 

[Bronx19]

Mine is going well too, definitely beats the Chinese Ebay light I was using. Only gripe for me is that the fan is noisy. Its ok running at night in a cabinet, but I would never run something this loud on my tank.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Mine is going well too, definitely beats the Chinese Ebay light I was using. Only gripe for me is that the fan is noisy. Its ok running at night in a cabinet, but I would never run something this loud on my tank.

Is it insanely loud? I only ask because mine seems to be dead silent. Or at least I cant hear it over the skimmer and the filter socks.

 

[Amps Reef Life]

Is it insanely loud? I only ask because mine seems to be dead silent. Or at least I cant hear it over the skimmer and the filter socks.

Same with mine. It's pretty darn quite.

 

[recess62]

Same with mine. It's pretty darn quite.

Same here mine is also pretty quiet

 

[XNavyDiver]

Another h380 owner here. I've never heard it before. Silent.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

I won the H380 from the BRS giveaway in October. I still haven't hooked it up over my little 'fuge because I need something to hang it with. I'm using an Eshopps curve fuge light and it's really neat, but I don't think it's growing my chaeto as much as it's growing film algae on the acrylic. Guess I need to get off my butt and go get some stainless cable.

How high do you have your light mounted and how long do you run it? If on a timer, is it opposite of the display?

 

[Crabs McJones]

I won the H380 from the BRS giveaway in October. I still haven't hooked it up over my little 'fuge because I need something to hang it with. I'm using an Eshopps curve fuge light and it's really neat, but I don't think it's growing my chaeto as much as it's growing film algae on the acrylic. Guess I need to get off my butt and go get some stainless cable.

How high do you have your light mounted and how long do you run it? If on a timer, is it opposite of the display?

Due to height constraints, mine sits about 9 to 9 1/2 inches off the waters surface, this actually works out well as my chaeto does not currently float to the top, it just kind of sits in the middle and tumbles. I run mine opposite of the display for 10 hours. On at 10PM and off at 8AM

 

[Crabs McJones]

I took this video shortly after getting the H380 and changing my return pump to the Sicce Syncra 3.0 to increase the flow through my fuge. Today the chaeto has almost tripled but still tumbles Video was taken on 11/27 I'll take a new video and post it tonight

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Hey Crabs, you ever run across a spectral map of that light?
Like the reef light layout , w blue peaks ?

Always been curious.

 

[minus9]

I ordered one from BRS last night, should be here on Friday. I can't wait to get it up and running. Then, my tank will be all Kessil's, two ap700's for the display and the H380 for the fuge. Btw, I love your signature, crabs.