Neptune Sky or Kessil A360x w/ Reef Brite XHO Add On

[flashsmith]

Maybe I missed it but I didn't notice anyone who actually runs the xho kits. I run them on Radion xr 15s and love them. They really make things pop and not too overpowering. I only run 2 xr15s over a reefer 625xxl. With the reefbrites I only need 2 over a 5ft. tank. Mixed with plenty of sps and meat corals.

 

[Chipper1978]

Everyone has pretty much covered it. Youre looking at two lights on the polar ends of the spectrum on form factor and intended use. This will come down to which camp you personally fall in. Kessil is what kessil is BECAUSE of the hard shadows. It's not just the shimmer (yes thats a big part), but the hard shadows are part of what make them look so crisp and natural. The sky's intention is to deliberately NOT have hard shadows and shimmer. Both provide adequate par and spectrum. Which methodology more suits your visual preferences?

Visually I'd prefer the Kessils. Can't I have both?

 

[Chipper1978]

Maybe I missed it but I didn't notice anyone who actually runs the xho kits. I run them on Radion xr 15s and love them. They really make things pop and not too overpowering. I only run 2 xr15s over a reefer 625xxl. With the reefbrites I only need 2 over a 5ft. tank. Mixed with plenty of sps and meat corals.

This is great to hear! Any pics?

 

[Manny’s Reef]

Visually I'd prefer the Kessils. Can't I have both?

Here is my though: If you visually prefer kessils and the hobby has proved over and over again that just about any current LED light on the market will grow coral, would it not make sense to stick with the kessils?

I posted above about thinking I was going to change my kessils for skys. I went to the LFS to order them. I saw them in person and realized, definitely not for me. I don't like the look. Ya sure, we've heard about the potential ability to grow coral at an insane rate. But kessil has been on the market for so long that we now have volumes of proof that kessil grows coral just fine. If you like the visual look more, then IMO, that should be the predominant determining factor.

 

[Jon's Reef]

Pics with Orange filter. For a 48x24, I would mount the sky left-right. My tank is 36x30, so I did front-back mounting.
2x sky, 1x A160

Sky only set to AB+ and ATI Blue+. Very flat, uniform coverage.

Kessil only set to white. Too much shimmer for me. Shadowing is even stronger in person (I think the pic is averaging the shimmer out a bit)

Sky set to AB+, Kessil set to white. Shimmer is present but more muted.

Sky set to ATI Blue+, Kessil set to white. My favorite. uniform blue with white shimmer.

 

[Bpb]

Visually I'd prefer the Kessils. Can't I have both?

Absolutely. Best of both worlds

 

[Chipper1978]

Here is my though: If you visually prefer kessils and the hobby has proved over and over again that just about any current LED light on the market will grow coral, would it not make sense to stick with the kessils?

I posted above about thinking I was going to change my kessils for skys. I went to the LFS to order them. I saw them in person and realized, definitely not for me. I don't like the look. Ya sure, we've heard about the potential ability to grow coral at an insane rate. But kessil has been on the market for so long that we now have volumes of proof that kessil grows coral just fine. If you like the visual look more, then IMO, that should be the predominant determining factor.

Makes sense to me! Thanks.

 

[Chipper1978]

Pics with Orange filter. For a 48x24, I would mount the sky left-right. My tank is 36x30, so I did front-back mounting.
2x sky, 1x A160

Sky only set to AB+ and ATI Blue+. Very flat, uniform coverage.

Kessil only set to white. Too much shimmer for me. Shadowing is even stronger in person (I think the pic is averaging the shimmer out a bit)

Sky set to AB+, Kessil set to white. Shimmer is present but more muted.

Sky set to ATI Blue+, Kessil set to white. My favorite. uniform blue with white shimmer.

The last pic looks incredible! Thanks for sharing!

 

[flashsmith]

This is great to hear! Any pics?

Here ya go. The radions are in moonlight so almost off. This is just with the reefbrites. The dim area has been fixed. I didn't have the light tight enough on the bracket and somehow it affected the ground. As soon as I tightened it up it came on properly. This is a 5ft tank.

 

[Sean Clark]

I prefer the Kessils. This is a very visual hobby. Use what looks good to you.

 

[Chipper1978]

Here ya go. The radions are in moonlight so almost off. This is just with the reefbrites. The dim area has been fixed. I didn't have the light tight enough on the bracket and somehow it affected the ground. As soon as I tightened it up it came on properly. This is a 5ft tank.

Thank you very much for sharing. I didn’t realize they can be angled!