AI Hydra 26 or Kessil a360W-E

[jsker]

Thanks jsker, This last photo is very helpful.

Thanks Chris, it looks like you are using the EXT mount; much more versatile, especially for a third light addition.

Your welcome, picture are better than words some times. FYI, there is a lot of adjustment and you will have to play with the adjustments to get everything were you would like them. Again I am very happy with my new mounts:)

 

[PeterG]

Your welcome, picture are better than words some times. FYI, there is a lot of adjustment and you will have to play with the adjustments to get everything were you would like them. Again I am very happy with my new mounts:)

Are you having any issues with the software? I posted this on another thread as well and someone mentioned that the WiFi will disconnect your device and you have to reconnect.

 

[jsker]

Are you having any issues with the software? I posted this on another thread as well and someone mentioned that the WiFi will disconnect your device and you have to reconnect.

I have the Hydra 26 HD'S and I have not had an issue after setup. Setup I did have some issue connecting and setting up parent child. I contacted tech support and I was in business in a few minutes. I just switched internet services and had not issue connecting my light to a different router. Has a firmware update been performed?

 

[Cherub]

Are you having any issues with the software? I posted this on another thread as well and someone mentioned that the WiFi will disconnect your device and you have to reconnect.

its like that by design. They don't go off of your house wifi, they transmit their own internal wifi. So when you connect to your lights you are switching the network completely. That is what I meant by you have to remember to reconnect your wifi. I use a galaxy tab s3 with fingerprint sensor. If you're still connected to the lights and you go to use an app like charles schwabb it won't log you in and that same schwabb app will make you reverify the fingerprint which is completely irritating. Just don't forget to get back on your home network that's all

 

[Liquid360]

I vote Kessil and it’s halide like shimmer

 

[PeterG]

I vote Kessil and it’s halide like shimmer

I think we have the same stand. Are you growing corals with only the one light?
Beautiful Kitty!

 

[Liquid360]

Thanks! I had a disaster with my last tank a couple weeks ago. I took a fall, smashing my tank with my head, cracking it wide open and flooding my kitchen with 100g of water. This new tank is only a few days old, however I have had the Kessil for a couple years and it grows coral quite well. Despite good reviews, I’ve never trusted LED’s 100%. It’s not a rational thing, but I supplement with a 250w halide fixture run for three hours/day from 11am-2pm. On this new tank I’m going to try only the LED. Once I have more coral and no more room directly under the one fixture, I’ll add a second Kessil, one for each side of the tank. The truth is that when it comes to high end LED fixtures, they all seem to grow coral just fine. Any differences are hardly negligible. Each brand has its fans, some claiming theirs is superior. Ignore them. Get the led that appeals aesthetically to you. Aquaillumination, Kessil, Ecotech, Maxspect, etc... they are all great lights and you can’t go wrong with any of them. I opted for Kessil because I like the build of the fixture and I like shimmer. I’ve had exceptional costumer service also, but I didn’t pick them for that reason. I just love the look.

 

[PeterG]

Thanks! I had a disaster with my last tank a couple weeks ago. I took a fall, smashing my tank with my head, cracking it wide open and flooding my kitchen with 100g of water. This new tank is only a few days old, however I have had the Kessil for a couple years and it grows coral quite well. Despite good reviews, I’ve never trusted LED’s 100%. It’s not a rational thing, but I supplement with a 250w halide fixture run for three hours/day from 11am-2pm. On this new tank I’m going to try only the LED. Once I have more coral and no more room directly under the one fixture, I’ll add a second Kessil, one for each side of the tank. The truth is that when it comes to high end LED fixtures, they all seem to grow coral just fine. Any differences are hardly negligible. Each brand has its fans, some claiming theirs is superior. Ignore them. Get the led that appeals aesthetically to you. Aquaillumination, Kessil, Ecotech, Maxspect, etc... they are all great lights and you can’t go wrong with any of them. I opted for Kessil because I like the build of the fixture and I like shimmer. I’ve had exceptional costumer service also, but I didn’t pick them for that reason. I just love the look.

Yikes! Glad your head fared better than the tank. I can imagine the mess.
Good advice to be sure.

 

[BoomCorals]

Go with the one you like how it looks over a tank. Because they look very different! But two of the hydras or two A360we would work fine unless you went heavy sps, you'd need a 3rd with either one.

Hit me up if you decide to go with kessil. ;)

 

[roberthu526]

I think this a thread where Kessil owners are going to suggest Kessil and AI owners are going to suggest AI. It really depends on what you like and which ever you end up getting you will be happy with them.

 

[newfishkeeper88]

Kessil gives a amazing shimmer that the hydra cant compete with. If you get the controller with the kessils it makes life easier. the only thing I like about the hydra im pretty sure you can use your phone for them

 

[Fritzhamer]

I switched from the AP700 on my 90 gallon to two 26HDs and I love them! The shimmer is, to me, the same. The 26HDs however are FAR more powerful than the AP700. They also have better spread than the AP700 has. The AP700 is of course more powerful than two 360s.

 

[BoomCorals]

I switched from the AP700 on my 90 gallon to two 26HDs and I love them! The shimmer is, to me, the same. The 26HDs however are FAR more powerful than the AP700. They also have better spread than the AP700 has. The AP700 is of course more powerful than two 360s.

In my testing of PAR the spread on the AP700 was better than two hydra 26 HD. It takes 3 hydra 26 HD to get superior spread. As for power, I'd say they were pretty close, though Kessils always run on the lower end of PAR compared to many LED (yet grow coral just fine, it appears to be related to the wavelength they use). But the shimmer is definitely not the same, the hydra's have some disco ball, which is expected since they use the individual lenses per LED on the puck.

 

[budau18]

My opinion both options grow coral. Asking here everyone will have an input of what they have on their own tank. Hence my answer of kessil. It’s the route I went and like all others on here can’t be happier. I have 2 of them on a 4 foot tank that’s 30” deep and it’s growing everything just fine. The sps is on the Rock work and the lps in the sand bed. So at the end of this before you buy, ask yourself, what do you like the look of better fixture wise. What do you like better price wise what do you like better lights on look. Also brs has a detailed video about each option your thinking of that you could check out. Good luck

 

[Fritzhamer]

My par testing was the opposite. The 26hds were significantly higher, likely due to the spectrum I used vs yours. In terms of real world, I stupidly bleached many of my corals with the Hydras. I was 20 out of 30 days through my acclimation period and I switched to the David Saxby profile without resetting the acclimation calendar. Everything has adjusted now and I've noticed better response in my tank to the hydras.

In my testing of PAR the spread on the AP700 was better than two hydra 26 HD. It takes 3 hydra 26 HD to get superior spread. As for power, I'd say they were pretty close, though Kessils always run on the lower end of PAR compared to many LED (yet grow coral just fine, it appears to be related to the wavelength they use). But the shimmer is definitely not the same, the hydra's have some disco ball, which is expected since they use the individual lenses per LED on the puck.

 

[Fritzhamer]

Both will totally grow corals but for me the shadowing caused by Kessil is the deal breaker. I even tried the major diffusion lenses but it didn't help. Unless you add T5 kessils alone don't cut it for me. I find I don't need T5s with the hydras.

 

[BoomCorals]

My par testing was the opposite. The 26hds were significantly higher, likely due to the spectrum I used vs yours. In terms of real world, I stupidly bleached many of my corals with the Hydras. I was 20 out of 30 days through my acclimation period and I switched to the David Saxby profile without resetting the acclimation calendar. Everything has adjusted now and I've noticed better response in my tank to the hydras.

Hmm very curious! What par meter did you use? I was using the seneye.

 

[Oakie12]

 

[Oakie12]

Hydra 26 goosenecks rock.

 

[Fritzhamer]

Hmm very curious! What par meter did you use? I was using the seneye.

The Biotek Marine BTM3000 which is the private label for one of the apogees, I forget which.