Is the kessil or the Radion an over kill for me?

[ekoed]

I’m setting up my first tank. It’s an innovative marine 40G. I realize how important the lighting is, and that you get what you pay for, but I would like the opinion of some of you veterans.
My ultimate goal is to have a nice coral tank with a few fish. I read as much as I can about it and I’ve watched a ton of YouTube videos, and I’m going to stay away from SPS and anemones. At least for the foreseeable future.
I’m torn between the aqua illumination HD for 199.00, or to just bite the bullet and get the Radion. Then I’m thinking hell, if I’m gonna spend 400, why not just spend 450 and get the best of the best, the kessil?!
Then I open my wallet and blow the dust out of it.

HELP

 

[Crabs McJones]

I’m setting up my first tank. It’s an innovative marine 40G. I realize how important the lighting is, and that you get what you pay for, but I would like the opinion of some of you veterans.
My ultimate goal is to have a nice coral tank with a few fish. I read as much as I can about it and I’ve watched a ton of YouTube videos, and I’m going to stay away from SPS and anemones. At least for the foreseeable future.
I’m torn between the aqua illumination HD for 199.00, or to just bite the bullet and get the Radion. Then I’m thinking hell, if I’m gonna spend 400, why not just spend 450 and get the best of the best, the kessil?!
Then I open my wallet and blow the dust out of it.

HELP

Two ai prime HD would be awesome for that tank if keeping lps and softies, they're more than capable. Even some well placed sps would be fine once you get the sps bug (hint, we all catch the sps bug eventually )

 

[MARK ZAWADZKI]

Not overkill, you can dial back the intensity. Plus when you decide to upgrade tanks you’ll already have a light. FOr what it’s worth the kessil is a great light, but the Radion is a different animal

 

[pickupman66]

you will not be disappointed in a pair of AI Primes or a single Hydra26HD. I have a pair of the Hydras and love them. I have had a radion and was not happy. dont get me wrong, they are good lights but i really liked my Hydras better.

 

[shred5]

I’m setting up my first tank. It’s an innovative marine 40G. I realize how important the lighting is, and that you get what you pay for, but I would like the opinion of some of you veterans.
My ultimate goal is to have a nice coral tank with a few fish. I read as much as I can about it and I’ve watched a ton of YouTube videos, and I’m going to stay away from SPS and anemones. At least for the foreseeable future.
I’m torn between the aqua illumination HD for 199.00, or to just bite the bullet and get the Radion. Then I’m thinking hell, if I’m gonna spend 400, why not just spend 450 and get the best of the best, the kessil?!
Then I open my wallet and blow the dust out of it.

HELP

They are not over kill at all.. Leds can be run at different intensity levels anyway.
Could you get away with something less sure. It all depends on what you want and what you can afford.

My opinion is get what you really want because otherwise you will want to upgrade latter and then you wasted your money.

 

[Jacked Reefer]

I think of lights like cars. AI is like a Honda Civic. It can sure get you where you want to go, reliably in fact. Kessil is like a ferrai, amazing form factor, great quality, but lacking on power. But radions are like dodge demons, it is build solely for power. Form and function are second to kessil but it’s power is unmatched.

 

[hart24601]

I personally see Kessils as behind pretty much all the other "premium" lights. However they are great if one needs to mount the light low to the tank so the color doesn't separate or some other specific applications, you can sure have a nice tank with them particularly if you are not getting any sps. I personally for this tank would look at getting 2 AI primes or hydra 26s for some nice even coverage. 2 smaller fixtures for a 36" long tank is going to serve you better than one larger fixture unless it's a panel fixture like orphek (which I have over my 36x18 tank). 2 primes are $400 and have wi fi built in. 55w each for total of 110w is solid.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Your choice if AI's would be a good one. As @Crabs Mcjones stated, I would do two fixtures.

 

[ekoed]

Everyone's given me a lot to think about. I appreciate it. I love the Honda Civic reference. That is funny! ;Smuggrin

 

[ekoed]

you will not be disappointed in a pair of AI Primes or a single Hydra26HD. I have a pair of the Hydras and love them. I have had a radion and was not happy. dont get me wrong, they are good lights but i really liked my Hydras better.

The Hydra 26 is an interesting one too. I didn't even know about that one. Is there an on tank mount for that, or is it only a hanger?

 

[PDR]

I think Kessil's are highly underrated lights by many on this forum. They are in no way "behind" other premium lights. IMO a single Kessil A360x would be great on that tank for anything other than sps dominate. You would even be able to keep some easier sps if placed well but may need a second light if you plan to grow large colonies of sps.

Another option would be to go with 2 A160's out of the gate. You would have better coverage and if you wanted to in the future, could keep anemones and easier sps (if placed properly) just fine.

 

[shred5]

I think Kessil's are highly underrated lights by many on this forum. They are in no way "behind" other premium lights. IMO a single Kessil A360x would be great on that tank for anything other than sps dominate. You would even be able to keep some easier sps if placed well but may need a second light if you plan to grow large colonies of sps.

Another option would be to go with 2 A160's out of the gate. You would have better coverage and if you wanted to in the future, could keep anemones and easier sps (if placed properly) just fine.

That is because most do not understand light.
Kessil's have the best color blending out there and also the best shimmer. This is because of the tight cluster. I can not stand seeing the individual colors on the bottom of my tank.


The new Kessils have less par at a single point but they spread the light out more. This does not mean they produce less light.
The biggest issue with led is self shading and Kessil is trying to do better with the new light by kicking some of the light out more. More light gets wasted in the process.
This is a give and take with led. LEDs efficiency comes because they kick light straight down and by not doing so you take away one of it advantages. Kicking light straight down though has a disadvantage of it creates shading issues.
I think the trend is toward spreading out light and as companies do so it will seem like they produce less light when they do not, they are just lighting a larger area.

Par is over rated and spectrum and color blending is more important. Most good fixtures produce enough par.

There is give and take with all lights, depends on what you want.

 

[J_Clark]

Tossed the A360x and controller on an IM 25 Lagoon that was a Frag QT now converted to LPS/Zoa garden tank. No regrets, the corals are doing great, this shimmer is unmatched in my opinion.

 

[hart24601]

I think Kessil's are highly underrated lights by many on this forum. They are in no way "behind" other premium lights. IMO a single Kessil A360x would be great on that tank for anything other than sps dominate. You would even be able to keep some easier sps if placed well but may need a second light if you plan to grow large colonies of sps.

Another option would be to go with 2 A160's out of the gate. You would have better coverage and if you wanted to in the future, could keep anemones and easier sps (if placed properly) just fine.

I should probably elaborate more on why I feel Kessils are behind. I have owned a160s and a360s and still run the FW 160s over my planted tanks.

The 360x is $450 and you can't control the violets or other colors without the controller. So add $100 right off the bat. Plus cables and hide them since they say WI FI will be out soon but as of right now it's not. So for this tank we are at $550 plus it's wired to controller (not sure if it can be programed or must remain connected).

Build quality is really good IME and support is also great, having owned AI and radion I would say they are all equal in those respects.

For $550 you have a 90w single point light. It's not like they are junk, they are nice lights, but you pay a premium to have less features and power. As I said for some applications they are great especially if needing to mount low to the tank or simply if one prefers the can look.

For 36" tank you will have to mount it high enough if you want to illuminate the edges to have a lot of spill out the front and back.

Of course you can have an amazing tank with them, or just about any other light sold for reefs. They are just very expensive for many applications. I don't see why people get so worked up over lighting brands, all have pro/con, it's just a light.

 

[PDR]

I should probably elaborate more on why I feel Kessils are behind. I have owned a160s and a360s and still run the FW 160s over my planted tanks.

The 360x is $450 and you can't control the violets or other colors without the controller. So add $100 right off the bat. Plus cables and hide them since they say WI FI will be out soon but as of right now it's not. So for this tank we are at $550 plus it's wired to controller (not sure if it can be programed or must remain connected).

Build quality is really good IME and support is also great, having owned AI and radion I would say they are all equal in those respects.

For $550 you have a 90w single point light. It's not like they are junk, they are nice lights, but you pay a premium to have less features and power. As I said for some applications they are great especially if needing to mount low to the tank or simply if one prefers the can look.

For 36" tank you will have to mount it high enough if you want to illuminate the edges to have a lot of spill out the front and back.

Of course you can have an amazing tank with them, or just about any other light sold for reefs. They are just very expensive for many applications. I don't see why people get so worked up over lighting brands, all have pro/con, it's just a light.

The argument isn't if they are cheaper than other lights. WiFi is not a "feature" I care to have in lighting. It invites playing with something that should be left alone. Sure the spectral controller is annoying to have to buy extra, but it works with multiple lights, so the cost gets spread out the more lights you have. IMO the most important feature in a single point of light LED is spectral blending and spread, something the other brands can't touch unless you add a diffuser which reduces par and adds to the price as well. As far as the cords, if you get the A series arm (which costs less than a radion mounting arm fwiw) all the cables are hidden inside the arm, so that's a nonissue imo.

I don't think any single point of light should be used on a 36" tank, isn't the tank the OP was talking about 24"?

 

[Zohar78]

i had two ai prime hd over a 40b.. this is the order of lights i would go: 2 ai prime hd over one xr15w gen4, or single hydra 26. 2 hydra 26 or xr15w g4 over one xr30w g4 or hydra 52. if planning on upgrading with in a year or so, i would go with xr15 or hydra 26. if not then the 2 ai primes would be very good, and if you feel like you need a 3rd unit to for a little more coverage and power, they are reasonable priced at 200. the reason for picking 2 lesser power over 1 higher power is for light spread/reduced shadowing and hot spotting. leds typically cover 12" to 24" with the edge of the light spreading being a good bit less light.

i would like to add that the ai prime hd/hydra are great lights and typically better value then the kessil and ecotech because of the built in controllability. you wont have to shell out any extra for a controller.

 

[hart24601]

The argument isn't if they are cheaper than other lights. WiFi is not a "feature" I care to have in lighting. It invites playing with something that should be left alone. Sure the spectral controller is annoying to have to buy extra, but it works with multiple lights, so the cost gets spread out the more lights you have. IMO the most important feature in a single point of light LED is spectral blending and spread, something the other brands can't touch unless you add a diffuser which reduces par and adds to the price as well.

I don't think any single point of light should be used on a 36" tank, isn't the tank the OP was talking about 24"?

You are correct, I was thinking 40b and missed the innovative marine bit. Sorry OP! That does make lighting much easier.

That is great you don't want Wi-Fi, nothing wrong with that at all. I mean I don't see how playing with the light via WiFi is different from playing with a wired controller, but if you like it that is the most important thing! And you are also correct that blending is something kessil excels at which I why I said if mounting low they are amazing since they blend colors so well. The spread I think you can get with a few other lights without secondary lens, so imo that is less a kessil feature. However I still think cost and feature still come into play when deciding a light for reefing.

 

[azreeftank]

I think of lights like cars. AI is like a Honda Civic. It can sure get you where you want to go, reliably in fact. Kessil is like a ferrai, amazing form factor, great quality, but lacking on power. But radions are like dodge demons, it is build solely for power. Form and function are second to kessil but it’s power is unmatched.

That’s a great analogy with cars. Love it but one thing to keep in mind i would Never do a twisty mountain road in a dodge demon, the Ferrari will smoke it in the curves! Demon is built for straight line. Same as lights the Radion is pure power. In a twisty mountain road I had 4 radions on my 250 was not happy with color blending. I sold them and went with 2- AP700 kessils and never looked back. The controls and colors on the 700 are a thing of beauty for me. I know that’s more light than you need but as other have said both Kessil and radion are great lights. Just preference on what you want. Now let me get off this forum and go see if that Ferrari is parked in my garage! Haha dreaming is free

 

[shred5]

I don't think any single point of light should be used on a 36" tank, isn't the tank the OP was talking about 24"?

I agree...

 

[BestMomEver]

I have a Kessill over a 5 gallon... it’s the small tuna blue one. It’s ok. I have a Radion xr15 gen 4 pro over my 60 cube. It’s just flat out amazing. I’ve never used AI so I can give an opinion. If it were me, I would consider the AI or the Radion.... not the Kessill.