Kessil A360X Tuna Blue with WiFi "Dongle"

[Jedi1199]

Hey reefers!

I have been upgrading my 55g tank to a new 135g. As you can imagine, this also required more lights. I have been running 2 Kessil A360X Tuna Blues on my 55g. I added another pair of the same lights, which also included another WiFi "Dongle"

What it did NOT include was an extra K-Link cable to daisy chain all four pucks as a single unit.

I tried to shop locally for a "C" type cable with male-male ends to accomplish this with no result. I did find one online at a fair price, but it is at least a week away.

Since I work a crazy schedule, I have been worried about having 2 of the lights on the regular schedule and the other 2 running from what I can do manually.

Tonight, I finally decided to bite the bullet and install the second "Dongle" to the new pair of lights.

I worried at the start of the process that I would need to program the new Dongle with my tailor made program that I have been running on my existing pair.

Let me reassure any of you who may be facing a similar situation... The new Dongle, once installed and paired with the app, integrates the existing program seamlessly. I can control all 4 pucks as a single unit just the same as if they were all "Daisy chained"!!

I now have 4 pucks that run as a single unit!

I have been a fan of Kessil since I got my first pair last year. This just reinforces my faith in them!!

 

[Jedi1199]

In case anyone is wondering... According to the information that Kessil provided, a single WiFi Dongle can control up to 26 pucks individually. Can you imagine, every tank in your home, each with its own lighting spectrum and program, from a single WiFi module? All you need is the "C" type cables to link them together.

I have found the phone app to be easy to use and understand. Took a bit of tinkering to program the setting I use now, but once I figured out the basics, it was super simple to program.

The versatility of this setup is astounding to me. I know that other systems are at least "on par" with this, but for a single source setup, that can do what this does, I am more than impressed. Heck, you could run a fish store on these lights, with every single tank dialed in to its own needs!! The possibilities are endless!!!

 

[piranhaman00]

Having to buy a superstar “dongle” for each fixture is ridiculous, this makes me not like Kessil more now, thank yku

 

[hart24601]

It’s funny how two reefers can have totally opposite opinions. I bought two used 360x and dongle (with arms) used for my fowlr, because some things kessils are great for like blending and shimmer which is perfect for my tank, the setup came with 1 c link but I had to order an extension that thankfully came with a 90 degree adaptor.

While the setup works fine for the price point imo they should have wifi included with every light especially in 2022 and the fact you can’t access the greens, reds or violets without a controller which isn’t included. The app took me hours of failed attempts to connect to my network but just repeating and resetting the dongle and app eventually worked.

I am happy with them, like I said some applications they really excel like close to water and fish only where shading is desired, but if I was to buy these new for $450 each, plus the $99 dongle to use all the colors, plus the k link and extension ($25 and $30) plus two mounting arms $80 each, and arm extension to mount to stand, $55 for two that would bring me to nearly $1,300 bucks for 180w of light max. If I hadn’t got them used for $500 for both with arms and dongle, I really couldn’t justify that price.

They definitely are a premium price point and are great for specific applications, but imo not for everyone.

 

[Jedi1199]

Having to buy a superstar “dongle” for each fixture is ridiculous, this makes me not like Kessil more now, thank yku

Do you READ before you post?

 

[Jedi1199]

It’s funny how two reefers can have totally opposite opinions. I bought two used 360x and dongle (with arms) used for my fowlr, because some things kessils are great for like blending and shimmer which is perfect for my tank, the setup came with 1 c link but I had to order an extension that thankfully came with a 90 degree adaptor.

While the setup works fine for the price point imo they should have wifi included with every light especially in 2022 and the fact you can’t access the greens, reds or violets without a controller which isn’t included. The app took me hours of failed attempts to connect to my network but just repeating and resetting the dongle and app eventually worked.

I am happy with them, like I said some applications they really excel like close to water and fish only where shading is desired, but if I was to buy these new for $450 each, plus the $99 dongle to use all the colors, plus the k link and extension ($25 and $30) plus two mounting arms $80 each, and arm extension to mount to stand, $55 for two that would bring me to nearly $1,300 bucks for 180w of light max. If I hadn’t got them used for $500 for both with arms and dongle, I really couldn’t justify that price.

They definitely are a premium price point and are great for specific applications, but imo not for everyone.

I understand your point.

Let's be logical about this for a minute. WHY would they make EVERY light WiFi compatible? They include the K-link cable with the order. I have only gotten 2 at a time, but I expect if you ordered more, they would send as many cables as needed. If you have the cables, you can "Daisy Chain" them.

With the app, you can control each and every light independently. If they were all individually WiFi, you would need an app to run them anyway.. where's the problem?

Do most of us NEED to run 26 pucks individually? I have 4 on my tank and I am fine running them all the same. It is a nice idea though that I could run all of them independently if I should need to.

I got the extra Dongle unit with my last purchase because it came in the package (pucks, mounts, cables and dongle.) I would not have ordered it separately if I had a choice.

I have run several "bargain" priced lights over my reef and truth be told, I would have saved a LOT of money if I had just gone with the Kessils from the start. The bargain lights have poor output and weak spectrum. The growth I get from the Kessils is superior to anything else I have tried.

 

[hart24601]

Why would they make every single one have wifi? So you don’t have to spend $100 on top of $450 and then buy more cables running to each light on the program. The mounting arms do ok hiding the cables but my tank has enough cables the way is it and if using goosenecks it’s even more off a mess. The lights came out just a couple years ago, it seems like a pure cash grab by them to sell separate wifi and then run cables - wifi chips are not that expensive. Let’s say I have 4 tanks around the house including a frag system I want to light with kessils, I have to run cables across the entire house or by a wifi dongle for each tank or I can’t use 3 color channels. It’s a bit silly.

Happy you like them so much, I am critical but as I said they can have their place. Imo I wouldn’t run them for sps personally But that’s another topic lol.

 

[Jedi1199]

Why would they make every single one have wifi? So you don’t have to spend $100 on top of $450 and then buy more cables running to each light on the program. The mounting arms do ok hiding the cables but my tank has enough cables the way is it and if using goosenecks it’s even more off a mess. The lights came out just a couple years ago, it seems like a pure cash grab by them to sell separate wifi and then run cables - wifi chips are not that expensive. Let’s say I have 4 tanks around the house including a frag system I want to light with kessils, I have to run cables across the entire house or by a wifi dongle for each tank or I can’t use 3 color channels. It’s a bit silly.

Happy you like them so much, I am critical but as I said they can have their place. Imo I wouldn’t run them for sps personally But that’s another topic lol.

I totally see your point.

I made the mistake of getting the goosenecks for my first pair and I despise that the wires can't be hidden. I wrapped them around the arm to hide them as best as possible, but still...

I also get what you mean by having tanks all over the house. It would be a major pain to K-link 2 tanks in different rooms. Aside from the length of cable needed, just the routing would be an issue.

In my mind I was thinking of lights on the same tank, or on tanks close together.

I guess like everything in life, there are good and bad points to deal with.

 

[piranhaman00]

Do you READ before you post?

I understand your point. It was early

Let's be logical about this for a minute. WHY would they make EVERY light WiFi compatible? They include the K-link cable with the order. I have only gotten 2 at a time, but I expect if you ordered more, they would send as many cables as needed. If you have the cables, you can "Daisy Chain" them.

With the app, you can control each and every light independently. If they were all individually WiFi, you would need an app to run them anyway.. where's the problem?

Do most of us NEED to run 26 pucks individually? I have 4 on my tank and I am fine running them all the same. It is a nice idea though that I could run all of them independently if I should need to.

I got the extra Dongle unit with my last purchase because it came in the package (pucks, mounts, cables and dongle.) I would not have ordered it separately if I had a choice.

I have run several "bargain" priced lights over my reef and truth be told, I would have saved a LOT of money if I had just gone with the Kessils from the start. The bargain lights have poor output and weak spectrum. The growth I get from the Kessils is superior to anything else I have tried.

Because it’s 2022 everyone has WiFi, it’s ridiculous every add on you need with these lights.