2x Kessil A360X vs 1 AP9X for T5 Hybrid Setup?

[Schreiber]

I'm weighing options for my setup & I'm really being pulled in the Kessil direction due to easy Reef-Pi compatibility & the fact they seem to be the most trusted brand in general.

I currently have 4 T5 bulbs over my 75. I also had 2 Mars Aqua black boxes that went for a little swim (I just built a new canopy & hadn't secured them on anything yet ;Blackeye). I'm wanting to replace them with something better, especially after seeing how terribly they compared to even other cheaper black boxes in the BRS comparison video.

My question is this- Would 1 AP9x provide decent coverage for a 4 foot tank if I'm only using it to supplement the T5s?

Reefs.com has a diagram covering a 4ft wide tank at 15" height, but doesn't provide actual PAR values.

BRS has detailed PAR values at a 10" mounting height, but I don't believe it will cover the edges of the tank at that height.

They also have numbers for an 18" mounting height, so I'd expect the actual PAR of a 15" height to be somewhere around the low 300s in the center.

My current thoughts on pros & cons:

A360x
Pros-Smaller form factor, will definitely cover all 4ft
Cons-More expensive

AP9x
Pros-Cheaper
Cons-Have to mount high to cover all 4 ft

I'm leaning towards the AP9x at this point, unless I hear some compelling reasons not to. I've got things like zoas, hammers, & chalices at the moment. The T5s alone may honestly be enough to keep things going. But I'd like the controllability of LEDs back, as well as having the option in the future to grow more light-intensive corals.

 

[tsouth]

The AP9X already seems to be a notch up on your list. So the good thing about return policies.....
Try the Ap9 out, if you don't like it, swap for the 360's. On another note, you're going to want a few low light/dead spots to be honest. Keep it diverse, as low as ~100 and as high as 350+

 

[MileHighSeaLevel]

What did you end up going with? I'm having the same questions myself, but for complete lighting over a Red Sea Reefer 250 that's mixed reef.

 

[Jekyl]

I love my 360s... that's all I have to add lol

 

[Daniel92481]

I love my A360X too! Also considering 2 of these vs. AP9X for a 30 long. Hmmmmm

 

[Schreiber]

What did you end up going with? I'm having the same questions myself, but for complete lighting over a Red Sea Reefer 250 that's mixed reef.

I wound up going with the AP9X & it worked out great! I was able to situate it to create a bunch of different lighting zones in my tank, check my build thread out, I've got a whole lighting section in there for how the PAR wound up working out.

 

[MileHighSeaLevel]

I wound up going with the AP9X & it worked out great! I was able to situate it to create a bunch of different lighting zones in my tank, check my build thread out, I've got a whole lighting section in there for how the PAR wound up working out.

I ended up doing the same and went with the AP9X, too. Seems to be a perfect fit for the RSR 250.