Kessil AP9x on a 26 gallon nano

[JohnNYC8]

I'm looking to upgrade my ReefLED 50 to a Kessil AP9X. I'd like to cut down on shadowing and have better light penetration. I have the Max Nano Peninsula which is 23" long x 17.7" wide x 17.7" deep. I like that the AP9X mount can swivel to the side so I can mount it in my AIO chamber and rotate it 90* so it covers the length of the peninsula.

Is this 16.5" light way too big for my tank?

If I'm running my 50 watt light at 60% would I run the 185 watt Kessil at around 16% to start?

Are there any other lighting options I should consider if I'm making a big upgrade? I like the shimmer effect but I can live without it for better performance.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

I'm looking to upgrade my ReefLED 50 to a Kessil AP9X. I'd like to cut down on shadowing and have better light penetration. I have the Max Nano Peninsula which is 23" long x 17.7" wide x 17.7" deep. I like that the AP9X mount can swivel to the side so I can mount it in my AIO chamber and rotate it 90* so it covers the length of the peninsula.

Is this 16.5" light way too big for my tank?

If I'm running my 50 watt light at 60% would I run the 185 watt Kessil at around 16% to start?

Are there any other lighting options I should consider if I'm making a big upgrade? I like the shimmer effect but I can live without it for better performance.

I have this light on a fijicube 48g and had terrible shadows and it was to strong for my tank so I had to add an aquatic life t5 fixture and a reef brite xho and turn the ap9x way way down to make good lighting over this tank.

imo I'd look into other lights, although I do love the color and shimmer of the ap9x and now with the combination lighting it works good on this tank and looks great, but it definitely couldn't do the job for me by it's self, confirmed lots of hot spots with my par meter.

Dimensions: 29.92"L x 23.62"W x 15.75"H

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

this is the set up

 

[JohnNYC8]

I have this light on a fijicube 48g and had terrible shadows and it was to strong for my tank so I had to add an aquatic life t5 fixture and a reef brite xho and turn the ap9x way way down to make good lighting over this tank.

imo I'd look into other lights, although I do love the color and shimmer of the ap9x and now with the combination lighting it works good on this tank and looks great, but it definitely couldn't do the job for me by it's self, confirmed lots of hot spots with my par meter.

Dimensions: 29.92"L x 23.62"W x 15.75"H

Thank you that's great to know. In that case I'll see if I can use the Kessil mount with an XR30 turned 90*. I saw someone use the Kessil mount for an XR30 mounted longways so I think it can be done.

 

[Reefer1978]

Seems way too much light for smaller tank, but I didn't observe shadowing / hot spots thatmanMIKEson described on my tank. The higher you raise it, the less shadowing / hot spotting would have, which is attainable with Kessil mount. Although I haven't seen XR30 mounted on a Kessil mount... could be interesting.

 

[JohnNYC8]

Seems way too much light for smaller tank, but I didn't observe shadowing / hot spots thatmanMIKEson described on my tank. The higher you raise it, the less shadowing / hot spotting would have, which is attainable with Kessil mount. Although I haven't seen XR30 mounted on a Kessil mount... could be interesting.

Thanks! Couldn't I turn down the output dramatically? I feel like that's easier to do with the Kessi's smart dimming.

I'm thinking of going the route in this thread and using a single-stud articulating TV wall mount to hang the light from. This opens up my options to almost any light at any height.

 

[Reefer1978]

Thanks! Couldn't I turn down the output dramatically? I feel like that's easier to do with the Kessi's smart dimming.

I'm thinking of going the route in this thread and using a single-stud articulating TV wall mount to hang the light from. This opens up my options to almost any light at any height.

Light is programmable so you could deff do what ever you want with it. Personally, currently I prefer to mount the light with the tank, in case I get bored and move it. In the past I used ceiling mounts, but it was too much of a commitment.
By the way where in Central Jersey are you? I am in Bergen county.

 

[JohnNYC8]

Light is programmable so you could deff do what ever you want with it. Personally, currently I prefer to mount the light with the tank, in case I get bored and move it. In the past I used ceiling mounts, but it was too much of a commitment.
By the way where in Central Jersey are you? I am in Bergen county.

There is a 3D printed kit on ebay to relocate the Red Sea control box to allow the use of the stock Radion mount. It would look really clean but then I'd lose some space for my ATO sensor, carbon and GFO bags. I'd also like to eventually move my main heater to the rear ATO chamber. Right now I have a cheap little drop-in fixed-temp heater back there for redundancy.

I'm down in Somerset County. My LFS is ReefCo in Green Brook. What's your favorite LFS up there?

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

Seems way too much light for smaller tank, but I didn't observe shadowing / hot spots thatmanMIKEson described on my tank. The higher you raise it, the less shadowing / hot spotting would have, which is attainable with Kessil mount. Although I haven't seen XR30 mounted on a Kessil mount... could be interesting.

it definitely helps raising the light up higher you can see in my picture I have it about 9-10" off the water, the problem in my situation is that this tank is in the front room and when sitting on the couch it is right in eye sight and blinding. I started with only the ap9x and never wanted anything else because it looks so good alone on its kessil mount, I just couldn't get it high enough to get rid of the hot spots and not be blinding and to low it had two distinct hot spots. also my tank is only 15" deep so a few different factors going on.

I've also added black acrylic sheeting all the way around the light because the light spill and eye blinding is just to much to enjoy sitting on the couch watching TV, but again that's my situation.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

actually one reason I got the ap9x is because the diodes are recessed into the light and I thought that would help with seeing the light and being blinded, but the higher you go the more you see it from a seated position.

 

[Reefer1978]

There is a 3D printed kit on ebay to relocate the Red Sea control box to allow the use of the stock Radion mount. It would look really clean but then I'd lose some space for my ATO sensor, carbon and GFO bags. I'd also like to eventually move my main heater to the rear ATO chamber. Right now I have a cheap little drop-in fixed-temp heater back there for redundancy.

I'm down in Somerset County. My LFS is ReefCo in Green Brook. What's your favorite LFS up there?

If I need to go to LFS, I usually go to Brian at ReefCo.

actually one reason I got the ap9x is because the diodes are recessed into the light and I thought that would help with seeing the light and being blinded, but the higher you go the more you see it from a seated position.

Agree, they are blinding…

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

I actually got the ati straton recently for this tank (before they are gone forever! lol) I just haven't set it up permanently, but it's a good fit for this cube footprint, but there's nothing really like the kessil shimmer, the ai primes come close I guess, but I have kessils on both my tanks for a reason lol.

 

[Reefer1978]

I actually got the ati straton recently for this tank (before they are gone forever! lol) I just haven't set it up permanently, but it's a good fit for this cube footprint, but there's nothing really like the kessil shimmer, the ai primes come close I guess, but I have kessils on both my tanks for a reason lol.

I just switched my AP9Xs to XR30s. interestingly enough XR30s are stronger, but not by a lot... maybe 20%.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

I just switched my AP9Xs to XR30s. interestingly enough XR30s are stronger, but not by a lot... maybe 20%.

I was really thinking about going with radions too, I've seen so many successful tanks and heard alot of good things about them! next light upgrade I will probably be going that direction.

 

[Reefer1978]

I was really thinking about going with radions too, I've seen so many successful tanks and heard alot of good things about them! next light upgrade I will probably be going that direction.

For me it’s the AB+ spectrum, I tried to simulate it but wasn’t happy.