Recommendations? Want to Upgrade Lighting on Biocube 32

Nevada Wiseguy

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Hello! I am going to take the lid off of my biocube 32 and upgrade the lighting since I am adding more and more corals to it and have a green bubbletip anemone. I am debating between a AI Prime 16HD Reef and one of the Kessil's (not sure which). What would you recommend?

Thanks!
 
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LVReefer94

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Hello! I am going to take the lid off of my biocube 32 and upgrade the lighting since I am adding more and more corals to it and have a green bubbletip anemone. I am debating between a AI Prime 16HD Reef and one of the Kessil's (not sure which). What would you recommend?

Thanks!
if your budget allows it I would suggest a used Radion, if not then you will for sure need the kessil 360x. a80 will not be enough for anything more than softies and I hate the ai primes because of the disco ball effect they have.
 
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Nevada Wiseguy

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if your budget allows it I would suggest a used Radion, if not then you will for sure need the kessil 360x. a80 will not be enough for anything more than softies and I hate the ai primes because of the disco ball effect they have.
For me, I would prefer to buy new. Had bad luck with used. As for the Kessil, the 360x appears to only come in blue? Also, is there an in-between one that may work better? The 360 once I get wifi controller, mount, etc is like $500-$600 from what I saw.
 

LVReefer94

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For me, I would prefer to buy new. Had bad luck with used. As for the Kessil, the 360x appears to only come in blue? Also, is there an in-between one that may work better? The 360 once I get wifi controller, mount, etc is like $500-$600 from what I saw.
no need for controller, it has adjustment knobs on it for intensity and color. color goes from full white all the way to full blue and of course a mix of blue and white. you just turn the knob till you like the color it produces. a series gooseneck is only $25. you can go with AI if you'd like but the do make the disco ball colors pretty dang bad. with kessil there is no need to worry about the color spectrum, you just find what looks good to you.
 

Jekyl

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I have the kessil 360we over my 90 gallon. I absolutely recommend them. The controller is definitely needed. Allows to set schedule, color and intensity. Without it you have a couple knobs, no ramp up or down and will need a timer.
 

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I have an a160 over my BioCube 16. I would go with a 360x if you wanted Kessil. Although, you will have some shading. A little bit of the trade off for the gorgeous light it emits.
 
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Nevada Wiseguy

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I have the kessil 360we over my 90 gallon. I absolutely recommend them. The controller is definitely needed. Allows to set schedule, color and intensity. Without it you have a couple knobs, no ramp up or down and will need a timer.
no need for controller, it has adjustment knobs on it for intensity and color. color goes from full white all the way to full blue and of course a mix of blue and white. you just turn the knob till you like the color it produces. a series gooseneck is only $25. you can go with AI if you'd like but the do make the disco ball colors pretty dang bad. with kessil there is no need to worry about the color spectrum, you just find what looks good to you.
So I can make this light white as well to the blue? The one nice thing about the Biocube LED's is it has a red light before purple to simulate sunset/rise.
 

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T5 are inexpensive and awesome.
I have t5's, kessils and radions. kessil was the cheapest upfront, t5 next and then Radion of course. t5 is by far the most expensive light and rations are actually the cheapest in the long run. my t5 setup costs me an additional $220 a year because of bulb replacements. I love t5 but replacing the bulb vs setting up a Radion for 7+ years just makes no sense to me anymore. t5 will grow the crap out of some corals though!
 

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So I can make this light white as well to the blue? The one nice thing about the Biocube LED's is it has a red light before purple to simulate sunset/rise.
Yes. There are 2 settings for my kessil. Color and intensity. The more color you add the whiter the light. Mine are pretty white at peak time and I only have color at 50
 
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Nevada Wiseguy

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At this point I am worried about the disco ball effect and light bleeding into the room. While the AI Prime 16HD Reef was in my budget, you got me looking at the Kessil 360x and Radio XR15 G5 Led. Keep in mind, I have small 32g Biocube. Which would you get and why?
 

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At this point I am worried about the disco ball effect and light bleeding into the room. While the AI Prime 16HD Reef was in my budget, you got me looking at the Kessil 360x and Radio XR15 G5 Led. Keep in mind, I have small 32g Biocube. Which would you get and why?
Kessil. Can't beat the look the light gives.
 

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I have t5's, kessils and radions. kessil was the cheapest upfront, t5 next and then Radion of course. t5 is by far the most expensive light and rations are actually the cheapest in the long run. my t5 setup costs me an additional $220 a year because of bulb replacements. I love t5 but replacing the bulb vs setting up a Radion for 7+ years just makes no sense to me anymore. t5 will grow the crap out of some corals though!
Guess it depends on the fixture and how many bulbs. I got an amazon fixture with 2 bulbs for a nano tank I used to have for less than $100. Bulbs were $22 a piece. I guess if you get a high end fixture with 8 bulbs that's going to cost more. I have tons of lights but T5 cost me less than anything else when it comes to a small tank.
 

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Guess it depends on the fixture and how many bulbs. I got an amazon fixture with 2 bulbs for a nano tank I used to have for less than $100. Bulbs were $22 a piece. I guess if you get a high end fixture with 8 bulbs that's going to cost more. I have tons of lights but T5 cost me less than anything else when it comes to a small tank.
Mine is a weed growing fixture lol somewhat cheap for 8 bulb. $140 but $220 in bulbs...
 

LVReefer94

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At this point I am worried about the disco ball effect and light bleeding into the room. While the AI Prime 16HD Reef was in my budget, you got me looking at the Kessil 360x and Radio XR15 G5 Led. Keep in mind, I have small 32g Biocube. Which would you get and why?
The disco ball also depends on your surface aggregation, the kessil will also give an intense shimmer and cause some shadowing because its considered a single light source. AI will have some shimmer as well. If AI is your budget then that’s personally what i would do, it grows coral fine. Kessil is a legit led lighting company well before making reef lights so you do get a better product. Might have to run the AI at a higher intensity vs the kessil to get the punch but budget trumps all in my opinion. I’ve also used china boxes to with no problem.
 

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At this point I am worried about the disco ball effect and light bleeding into the room. While the AI Prime 16HD Reef was in my budget, you got me looking at the Kessil 360x and Radio XR15 G5 Led. Keep in mind, I have small 32g Biocube. Which would you get and why?
I missed that you’re looking at an xr15. Xr15 if you can afford!!!! You’ll never go back. AB+ spectrum, set it and forget it.
 
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Nevada Wiseguy

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The disco ball also depends on your surface aggregation, the kessil will also give an intense shimmer and cause some shadowing because its considered a single light source. AI will have some shimmer as well. If AI is your budget then that’s personally what i would do, it grows coral fine. Kessil is a legit led lighting company well before making reef lights so you do get a better product. Might have to run the AI at a higher intensity vs the kessil to get the punch but budget trumps all in my opinion. I’ve also used china boxes to with no problem.
Thanks! Ugh, decision time.. Only reason why I was leaning towards the Radion XR15 G5 Pro was a number of people mentioned Radion and some AB+ mode that is apparently the "god" mode of lighting to be perfect lol. At this point, I am still debating, but leaning towards the 360x with the wired controller. Wifi I would prefer, but from what I read, you get more options and pre-programmed options such as sunrise and sunset with the wired one.
 

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Thanks! Ugh, decision time.. Only reason why I was leaning towards the Radion XR15 G5 Pro was a number of people mentioned Radion and some AB+ mode that is apparently the "god" mode of lighting to be perfect lol. At this point, I am still debating, but leaning towards the 360x with the wired controller. Wifi I would prefer, but from what I read, you get more options and pre-programmed options such as sunrise and sunset with the wired one.
Wifi isn't needed. It just let's you play with things that shouldn't be IMO.
 

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