Another Kessil light

vetteguy53081

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It has been nice to see with Covid actions easing the return of consumer shows and new product. Lighting has seemed to be a focus for many companies and in particular Kessil came out with AP-9 and now the Kessil A500X LEDs.
As promising as it looks, it is also concerning that their new lights are $789 - $980 respectively. Other manufacturers such as Neptune in the $800 range.
Is this the new trend ?

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Mical

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I feel the same way, new versions are getting up in the $800-$900 range.

Personally I feel Kessil shot themselves in the foot (And I told them) when they discontinued the A360we's. There's literally thousands out there, that do an excellent job - but when it comes to replacement time I'll be looking at other mfgrs.
 

minus9

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I love their lights, but I think they need to create a panel style with multiple arrays of smaller wattage pucks (say 160x style) with some diffused pucks in between them. I would also like to see an extra reflector that really pushes the light around.
 

minus9

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It is absolutely laughable to have to pay upwards of $1000 to illuminate every 24” of a tank now when considering dongles and hardware to mount (not even all that well in some cases). Glad I’m not in the market.
That's why I'm going back to halides. I'm still going to use Kessil's, but halides are going to do the heavy lifting.
 

Bpb

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That's why I'm going back to halides. I'm still going to use Kessil's, but halides are going to do the heavy lifting.

Not to derail too far, and while yes I’ve enjoyed the benefits of led lighting….Man I’d be thrilled to use halides again. I am jealous. I can’t wait to see how they look over your tank. I imagine you’ll have no negative acclimation period.
 

BeltedCoyote

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The only light out there in this price range I think *might* be justifiable is the coral care. It’s designed to last 15 years before any serious degradation occurs. And they took two years to develop it.

maybe I’m naive but I don’t see any of the other light vendors putting that much care in their products.

im planning on running noopsyches and t5 because I don’t have 2-3k to spend on lighting my 4ft tank.

heck, if they didn’t suck up so much electricity I’d probably go halides.
 

minus9

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Not to derail too far, and while yes I’ve enjoyed the benefits of led lighting….Man I’d be thrilled to use halides again. I am jealous. I can’t wait to see how they look over your tank. I imagine you’ll have no negative acclimation period.
Thanks! I'm still a kessil guy and will always use them, but in a different way. Having been in this hobby since the 80's, I thought led's would've advanced more by now. None of the manufacturers have really tried to mimic the gold standard yet, only bits and pieces.
Sorry, now I'm really derailing it now.
 

srobertb

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I just ditched 4 Kessil A360x’s for Radions. Partially because the PAR wasn’t what I wanted, partially because of reliability issues (mainly reliability). I hated the Aquatic Life T5 so I dropped it. It’s big, it’s ugly, it’s difficult to work under. The bulbs get splashed because of the low mounting height for Radions provide such a nicer blanket of light but that’s another argument.

I looked at these A500x’s. I thought I could do 3 as pendants off the ceiling but I’d have to bring back the T5’s

I believe that what would work best is a combination of Kessils and Radions…ina sense. We need to use Stratons or Radions PLUS a single point of light fixture for intensity.

That being said, I have a 6’ long x 17” deep x 17” tall tank. I’d end up with $3,000 in Radions plus $1,200 in Kessils (I’d use 55 degree lenses). $4,200 to light 120 gallons would be stupid. I had 4 a360x’s and 3 Radion G5 XR30 Blues and I wish I had enough time to run them all over the tank (at least for the photo op).

I wish Radion or ATI would make an LED fixture with a single 100w or 150w 90 degree 20k LED + the blanket array. They could even make a 10k, 15k, 20k version and give it a stupid name (sun, blue, ocean, etc). Dimmable 150w single chip surrounded by tuneable wide spread LEDS.
 

Jekyl

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It is absolutely laughable to have to pay upwards of $1000 to illuminate every 24” of a tank now when considering dongles and hardware to mount (not even all that well in some cases). Glad I’m not in the market.
I started with cheap lights and switched to kessil. I'll never buy a different brand at this point. I hate the disco effect of other lights.
 
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vetteguy53081

vetteguy53081

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Lighting needs will depend on Tank size and depth/height as well as type of coral and other inhabitants
Budget and preferences are also factors for purchase
 

Kershaw

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I don’t think kessil intends for all their lights to stay at that price range. It’s a different tool to use. I have 2 a360x and a Ap9x. The tank I have on the way is only 20” deep so I don’t need the 500.
I also bought the Ap9x used for a good deal. But I have owned kessils since the a350s and love them. Now if they discontinue the a360x for the 500 that would be upsetting. Just my opinion though. Happy reefing
 

blasterman

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Not to derail too far, and while yes I’ve enjoyed the benefits of led lighting….Man I’d be thrilled to use halides again. I am jealous. I can’t wait to see how they look over your tank. I imagine you’ll have no negative acclimation period.

Radions were my fav. Phoenix kicked butt as well if you liked the crisper white look. On a mixed LPS tank my god Radiums where the shniz. The good news is I can build my own LEDs to match the classic halides.

Disagree about acclimation periods. Bulb changes always required TLC with halide....so let's please let's not change history.
 

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