I’m a old metal halide guy. Kessel 500x ?

CayeCaulker

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 11, 2022
Messages
184
Reaction score
143
Location
Kansas City
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I’m setting up a new system. It’s deep. A 150 show.

I have always ran metal halide. Im addicted to the intensity.

looking at Kessel 500x and wanted input from the community. Are they worth the cost? Will they live up to my expectations?

inwill be running a SPS mixed tank.
 

DonTavo27

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 6, 2013
Messages
1,623
Reaction score
6,666
Location
Thousand Oaks CA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
What are the dimensions? I’m running the 360x, and I’m to a Metal Halide fan, and believe that kessils is as close to MH as you can get in the shimmer effect you get from MH, and intensity also. You may need two 500x
Or go all in on a AP9X
 

Water Dog

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 28, 2016
Messages
4,219
Reaction score
4,891
Location
Fairfield, CT
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
While you will get shimmer and intensity, remember that MH lighting effectiveness is due to the reflector and it’s ability disperse light at different angles throughout the tank, maximizing coverage. Kessils do not have this. They are essentially a point source light without a large reflector to properly disperse light over a wide area without shadowing issues. That’s why you see so many supplement with T5 or LED bars.
 
Last edited:

Eagle_Steve

Grandpa of Cronies
View Badges
Joined
Jan 30, 2018
Messages
11,564
Reaction score
60,954
Location
Tennessee
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Agree, with a 4' 150, 2x 500x will work. You may have some shadowing along the sides, but that is eaily correct, if an issue with some LED bars or t5s.
 

Freenow54

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 5, 2021
Messages
1,346
Reaction score
1,091
Location
Canada
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I’m setting up a new system. It’s deep. A 150 show.

I have always ran metal halide. Im addicted to the intensity.

looking at Kessel 500x and wanted input from the community. Are they worth the cost? Will they live up to my expectations?

inwill be running a SPS mixed tank.
I Like my preprogrammed Aquanest M8. Runs of my phone, and I can change everything if I decide I have become an expert lol
 
OP
OP
CayeCaulker

CayeCaulker

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 11, 2022
Messages
184
Reaction score
143
Location
Kansas City
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
While you will get shimmer and intensity, remember that MH lighting effectiveness is due to the reflector and it’s ability disperse light at different angles throughout the tank, maximizing coverage. Kessils do not have this. They are essentially a point source light without a large reflector to properly disperse light over a wide area without shadowing issues. That’s why you see so many supplement with T5 or LED bars.

That is a very good point. I never thought about that difference. Would 4 smaller 360x units still have the intensity I need to get deep par levels while at the same time giving me better coverage?
 

Eagle_Steve

Grandpa of Cronies
View Badges
Joined
Jan 30, 2018
Messages
11,564
Reaction score
60,954
Location
Tennessee
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
That is a very good point. I never thought about that difference. Would 4 smaller 360x units still have the intensity I need to get deep par levels while at the same time giving me better coverage?
With the narrow reflector, yes. You could do 2 for punch and 2 for overall coverage.

If it was me, I would do 2 lights and then do a t5 hybrid. I have that setup over my 180 and the t5s do not wash out the shimmer that much using 360s. I just run 2x blue plus and 2x coral plus. Keeps it more white when T5s are on.
 

rtparty

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 19, 2010
Messages
4,667
Reaction score
8,024
Location
Utah
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
You won't find any LED that will compare to your halides. I've tried almost all the big brands: Radion, Kessil, AI, Philips, older brands that aren't even around these days, etc.

I've seen just about everything else.

If you love halides and their look, you'll be disappointed by anything else.

The Kessil was one of my least favorite. Serious shading issues and the shimmer really was way too much. I had to kill almost all surface agitation to get a shimmer that I could stand. They are not halide replacements no matter what marketing says.
 

DennisBarr

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 15, 2022
Messages
58
Reaction score
53
Location
Wendell
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
You won't find any LED that will compare to your halides. I've tried almost all the big brands: Radion, Kessil, AI, Philips, older brands that aren't even around these days, etc.

I've seen just about everything else.

If you love halides and their look, you'll be disappointed by anything else.

The Kessil was one of my least favorite. Serious shading issues and the shimmer really was way too much. I had to kill almost all surface agitation to get a shimmer that I could stand. They are not halide replacements no matter what marketing says.
I agree, I am an old halide fan for 25 years, nothing compares to them, my suggestion would be to get yourself a really good chiller and stick with your metal halides,
nothing beats the shimmer, the pop, the look that you can get from your metal halide,
be sure to get the German reflectors on the halides,
 

rtparty

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 19, 2010
Messages
4,667
Reaction score
8,024
Location
Utah
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
I agree, I am an old halide fan for 25 years, nothing compares to them, my suggestion would be to get yourself a really good chiller and stick with your metal halides,
nothing beats the shimmer, the pop, the look that you can get from your metal halide,
be sure to get the German reflectors on the halides,

The newer ReefBrite reflectors are top notch. Tullio did a great job with their design.
 
OP
OP
CayeCaulker

CayeCaulker

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 11, 2022
Messages
184
Reaction score
143
Location
Kansas City
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I keep flip flopping but as I study the Kessil Led lighting there is just no getting around the shadows and they are not metal halides with T5's.

I may just set this up with Metal Halide. I would be sick spending "kessil money" for lights to just replace them in a few months. I want it to look good! and I want those corals growing like weeds and not have shadow problems. Some day they will have a LED replacement.

Maybe they could just make a LED bulb shaped like a metal halide and put it in a reflector?

I did see a Kessil system that looked amazing but he had all kinds of lights pointing at all kinds of angles. It was a 6ft system and he had three 350x two 500x some phillips and some assorted blue led's. Must of been a 10k light fixture. That is a a little much IMO.
 

rtparty

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 19, 2010
Messages
4,667
Reaction score
8,024
Location
Utah
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
I keep flip flopping but as I study the Kessil Led lighting there is just no getting around the shadows and they are not metal halides with T5's.

I may just set this up with Metal Halide. I would be sick spending "kessil money" for lights to just replace them in a few months. I want it to look good! and I want those corals growing like weeds and not have shadow problems. Some day they will have a LED replacement.

Maybe they could just make a LED bulb shaped like a metal halide and put it in a reflector?

I did see a Kessil system that looked amazing but he had all kinds of lights pointing at all kinds of angles. It was a 6ft system and he had three 350x two 500x some phillips and some assorted blue led's. Must of been a 10k light fixture. That is a a little much IMO.

I talked to Tullio over at ReefBrite about the LED bulb in a reflector.

He did all the designs and math years ago and found it wouldn't work how we think. He explained it better than I can so I won't try to sound smart here LOL
 

jda

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 25, 2013
Messages
14,325
Reaction score
22,134
Location
Boulder, CO
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
If you really want to replace a MH a LED, you have to usually double them up, if not more. It takes 2x Radion XR30Pros to replace a 250w MH, and I am being generous. I think that you would need 4 of those a500s and then some T5s or LED Bars. IMO, these are some of the least effective acropora lights out there just with the terrible shadowing. If you did run four of these, they will cost more in daily electricity than a 250w MH will.

LED loses all of it's value add when efficiency drops if you reflect it. Why would anybody want to use more power to reflect a LED when MH and T5s are still out there. ...and don't anybody tell me bulbs since bulbs are cheaper than replacing panels every 5, or so years.
 

rtparty

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 19, 2010
Messages
4,667
Reaction score
8,024
Location
Utah
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
The usual metal halide lover comments who forget to mention that they don't have sunrise/sunset and can't change spectrum during the day and still claim it's the best. :)

ReefBrite ballasts are dimmable if you really want. There is not a shred of evidence that sunrise/sunset or changing spectrums is needed for corals.

Adding an LED bar accomplishes both these things if you want though.
 

Freenow54

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 5, 2021
Messages
1,346
Reaction score
1,091
Location
Canada
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I am reading the debate with interest. Since I already have a big investment in the led lights, and am waiting for my Apogee to arrive. I obviously will find out how well they perform ( and I intend to do a very careful and thorough mapping ) as I bought the com cable with it to save it in graph form with excel Being an amateur aquarist for 60 years I have seen a lot of things come and go. I wonder how long tubes will be available for one thing. As to the shimmer BRS has a review of led lights with a reflector to eliminate this, and did PAR readings as well. I do not have that shimmer I found as mentioned that power head placement is key there. As to adjustability I like the fact that I now will be able to set the lights to my personal needs ie where I want the coral to be, as to location being dictated. There is a review of led lighting in the forum section by non other than Dana Riddle. I like the " gimmicks " fun to watch the coral behave as in the wild closing ect. Nice and easy loss of light. I felt it is for them. If I want to see a sunset I will go outside. So not arguing still have another tank to build after my current one we will see
 

Mastering the art of locking and unlocking water pathways: What type of valves do you have on your aquarium plumbing?

  • Ball valves.

    Votes: 58 49.6%
  • Gate valves.

    Votes: 64 54.7%
  • Check valves.

    Votes: 28 23.9%
  • None.

    Votes: 28 23.9%
  • Other.

    Votes: 9 7.7%
Back
Top