Kessil a500x

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Get the last.one with the 55deg.optics.
D

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

I had ecoexotic.par 38 bulbs in the past. 3.of them high up over a.20L. They had.60deg optics. Awsome.lights.
This was.like 08'
D

 

[Suohhen]

I have been running the A500X for a few weeks now on my cube. I can tell you that they have better spread than any previous Kessil. You DO NOT need supplemental lighting.

On an 8 foot tank, you could with 3 and mount them about 9 inches off the water and have plenty of PAR and spread with no lens. If it were me, I would with 4 and use the included 55 degree lens and mount them about 13 to 15 inches off the water.

I didn't agree with the BRS video. Mt personal testing was MUCH higher than what they achieved. They act like the A500X is only good for around 375 PAR at its peak and 100% intensity. That's just totally wrong.

BRS seems to have less of a relationship with Kessil than they used to. Now you see them sponsoring and pushing other lights more. It's totally profit driven and has nothing to do with Kessil.

So I have a new PAR meter coming tomorrow, the MQ-510 and can do more testing. I was using the USB version of a friend's when I ran this test, so it shouldn't be much different.

These readings were at 30 color and 70% intensity using the included 55 degree lens. I will also tell you that thekwest PAR reading continued ALL over the bottom of the tank to the edges. Kessil used to drop considerably at the bottom edges.

405 PAR - 18 inches from lens - 8 inches under top of water.
300 PAR - 24 inches from lens - 14 inches under top of water.
236 PAR - 28 inches from lens - 16 inches under top of water.
230 PAR - Sandbed 32 inches from bottom of Kessil lens - 20 inches under top of water.

This was run on a 40 cube. Yes, overkill fir sure, but I plan on upgrading on the not so distant future. I am using the Kessil mounting arm and it is adjusted to the 10 setting.

I can tell you that I bought an ORA Purple Jade Bonsai Acropora Coral Frag and put it about 9 inches from top of the water. It went from a beautiful purple with neon green tips, to a dark green...... So in other words at 70% and 9 inches down, it's too much PAR for the Acro Frag. The Frag was bought from Liveaquaria where they run Radion Pros.

More testing to come at different intensities. I have extensive Kessil experience and was one of the first to use them when they came out in 2012. I have been out if the hobby a while and just came back with this new tank.

Hope this helps.

Very good info, my view about supplementing with linear lights is that it simply doesn't make sense to put kessils near the edges and with everything mounted near the center lower branches if spnot s will be shaded. There is just not a lot of great supplemental options. Hopefully one of the big guys will come out with something. Using an array of panel lights like radions or atlantiks works as well but the ecotech is very overkill as 2 or 3 would probably work anyway and an array of 4 to 6 would cost mega bucks just to get some better front to back spread.

 

[Murica]

I have been running the A500X for a few weeks now on my cube. I can tell you that they have better spread than any previous Kessil. You DO NOT need supplemental lighting.

On an 8 foot tank, you could go with 3 and mount them about 9 inches off the water and have plenty of PAR and spread with no lens. If it were me, I would go with 4 and use the included 55 degree lens and mount them about 13 to 15 inches off the water.

I didn't agree with the BRS video. My personal testing was MUCH higher than what they achieved. They act like the A500X is only good for around 375 PAR at its peak and 100% intensity. That's just totally wrong.

BRS seems to have less of a relationship with Kessil than they used to. Now you see them sponsoring and pushing other lights more. It's totally profit driven and has nothing to do with Kessil.

So I have a new PAR meter coming tomorrow, the MQ-510 and can do more testing. I was using the USB version of a friend's when I ran this test, so it shouldn't be much different.

These readings were at 30 color and 70% intensity using the included 55 degree lens. I will also tell you that the PAR reading continued ALL over the bottom of the tank to the edges. Kessil used to drop considerably at the bottom edges.

405 PAR - 18 inches from lens - 8 inches under top of water.
300 PAR - 24 inches from lens - 14 inches under top of water.
236 PAR - 28 inches from lens - 16 inches under top of water.
230 PAR - Sandbed 32 inches from bottom of Kessil lens - 20 inches under top of water.

This was run on a 40 cube. Yes, overkill for sure, but I plan on upgrading in the not so distant future. I am using the Kessil mounting arm and it is adjusted to the 10 setting.

I can tell you that I bought an ORA Purple Jade Bonsai Acropora Coral Frag and put it about 9 inches from top of the water. It went from a beautiful purple with neon green tips, to a dark green...... So in other words at 70% and 9 inches down, it's too much PAR for the Acro Frag. The Frag was bought from Liveaquaria where they run Radion Pros.

More testing to come at different intensities. I have extensive Kessil experience and was one of the first to use them when they came out in 2012. I have been out if the hobby a while and just came back with this new tank.

Hope this helps.

Great info and thank you for the response. So, with a 36” wide tank you don’t think i need hybrid fixtures? I look forward to seeing your testing

 

[Hurricane Aquatics]

Ok, so PAR meter came in today and I had some skewed numbers. I was using the other PAR meter and positioning with my hand. I bought the rod that holds the meter and it was worth the money.

Any way, I was low on the numbers. At 30 color and 70% intensity, I get the following:

470 PAR - 18 inches from lens - 8 inches under top of water.
370 PAR - 24 inches from lens - 14 inches under top of water.
320 PAR - 28 inches from lens - 16 inches under top of water.
300 PAR - Sandbed 32 inches from bottom of Kessil lens - 20 inches under top of water.

As you can tell, I fried my SPS Frag. Hoping it will come back, we'll see. I actually adjusted my A500X down to 50% today. Even at 50%, I am getting about 380-400 PAR at 8 to 9 inches under the water and that's about 18 to 19 inches from the lens.

Crazy powerful light and I use the 55 degree lens that came with it. I will be testing more without the lens for those of you who are interested in those numbers.

I love the light, but it just may be too much for this little cube

 

[minus9]

Ok, so PAR meter came in today and I had some skewed numbers. I was using the other PAR meter and positioning with my hand. I bought the rod that holds the meter and it was worth the money.

Any way, I was low on the numbers. At 30 color and 70% intensity, I get the following:

470 PAR - 18 inches from lens - 8 inches under top of water.
370 PAR - 24 inches from lens - 14 inches under top of water.
320 PAR - 28 inches from lens - 16 inches under top of water.
300 PAR - Sandbed 32 inches from bottom of Kessil lens - 20 inches under top of water.

As you can tell, I fried my SPS Frag. Hoping it will come back, we'll see. I actually adjusted my A500X down to 50% today. Even at 50%, I am getting about 380-400 PAR at 8 to 9 inches under the water and that's about 18 to 19 inches from the lens.

Crazy powerful light and I use the 55 degree lens that came with it. I will be testing more without the lens for those of you who are interested in those numbers.

I love the light, but it just may be too much for this little cube

It's better to run it lower than to max out and barely have enough power. Running led's at 100% will surely limit the lifespan of the diodes.
Thanks for the numbers!

 

[AquaLogic]

Ok, so PAR meter came in today and I had some skewed numbers. I was using the other PAR meter and positioning with my hand. I bought the rod that holds the meter and it was worth the money.

Any way, I was low on the numbers. At 30 color and 70% intensity, I get the following:

470 PAR - 18 inches from lens - 8 inches under top of water.
370 PAR - 24 inches from lens - 14 inches under top of water.
320 PAR - 28 inches from lens - 16 inches under top of water.
300 PAR - Sandbed 32 inches from bottom of Kessil lens - 20 inches under top of water.

As you can tell, I fried my SPS Frag. Hoping it will come back, we'll see. I actually adjusted my A500X down to 50% today. Even at 50%, I am getting about 380-400 PAR at 8 to 9 inches under the water and that's about 18 to 19 inches from the lens.

Crazy powerful light and I use the 55 degree lens that came with it. I will be testing more without the lens for those of you who are interested in those numbers.

I love the light, but it just may be too much for this little cube

How did it work out?