Hydra 26 HD vs Kessil 360

80cent

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I'm planning a new build with a Nuvo 40 and looking for one light to cover the tank. I don't have immediate plans for an intense SPS colony, but since I don't know how I'll feel in the future, I want to have a light that can pretty much do it all.

Any experience with both of these that tips the scales in one direction or the other?
 

Crabs McJones

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Both are great lights that will grow any coral you put under it. It's all going to be a matter of personal preference. What features the lights come with. And aesthetic appeal. I'm a very big kessil fan and would say to go with a A360We's. The shimmer, color blending, pendant design and ease of use are some of their best features. Unlike other lights kessil gives you no control over the color spectrum other than to go from 0% color which is the bluest to 100% color which is the whitest. The best thing about them is what they call "kessil logic" which means no matter what color percentage you put it at, its optimized spectrum for coral photosynthesis. Their main downfall is that right out of the box the kessils are not programmable or able to be set on a schedule. You can manually adjust them via the control knobs but if you want to do things such as turning them on and off and running a schedule or ramping up and down to simulate sunrise and sunset they have to be controlled by an outside source such as the kessil spectral controller, or the apex, or any 0-10 volt light controller. The hydra on the other hand is wifi controllable right out of the box via your phone or tablet, and gives you slider bars where you can choose the color spectrum that the light gives out. but doesnt give off the shimmer and color blending that the kessil can and can create what's called the disco ball effect where the colors can be picked out in the tank. But it does have the sleek design that looks good over any tank. Again all you can do it's take each lights strengths and faults and come to a decision that you're happy with :) Happy Reefing :D
 

jsker

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Welcome to R2R!
DifficultDiligentCobra-size_restricted.gif
#WelcometoR2R
Both are great lights that will grow any coral you put under it. It's all going to be a matter of personal preference. What features the lights come with. And aesthetic appeal. I'm a very big kessil fan and would say to go with a A360We's. The shimmer, color blending, pendant design and ease of use are some of their best features. Unlike other lights kessil gives you no control over the color spectrum other than to go from 0% color which is the bluest to 100% color which is the whitest. The best thing about them is what they call "kessil logic" which means no matter what color percentage you put it at, its optimized spectrum for coral photosynthesis. Their main downfall is that right out of the box the kessils are not programmable or able to be set on a schedule. You can manually adjust them via the control knobs but if you want to do things such as turning them on and off and running a schedule or ramping up and down to simulate sunrise and sunset they have to be controlled by an outside source such as the kessil spectral controller, or the apex, or any 0-10 volt light controller. The hydra on the other hand is wifi controllable right out of the box via your phone or tablet, and gives you slider bars where you can choose the color spectrum that the light gives out. but doesnt give off the shimmer and color blending that the kessil can and can create what's called the disco ball effect where the colors can be picked out in the tank. But it does have the sleek design that looks good over any tank. Again all you can do it's take each lights strengths and faults and come to a decision that you're happy with :) Happy Reefing :D
+1
 

gtaran02

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Hello,
I have experience with both of these lights, i think Crab Mcjones did a great job explaining the strengths and weaknesses of each unit. Both are good lights, the only difference is the controlling aspect of each.
Hydras are more controllable/customizable where your able to choose colors, schedule and intensity.
With Kessils you can buy a separate controller to control a schedule and intensity.
 

Form or function: Do you consider your rock work to be art or the platform for your coral?

  • Primarily art focused.

    Votes: 20 8.0%
  • Primarily a platform for coral.

    Votes: 44 17.6%
  • A bit of each - both art and a platform.

    Votes: 168 67.2%
  • Neither.

    Votes: 12 4.8%
  • Other.

    Votes: 6 2.4%
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