Returning to the hobby - Any LED systems that look like metal halide?

AquaLogic · Dec 20, 2023

Hi all! After about ten years I am returning to the hobby. Right now I'm looking to setup a nano tank because we may need to move again in a year or so, but I'll be going big thereafter.

I'm looking into lighting right now. Previously I used 250W x 2 -Phoenix 14k Metal halide lights over my 75 gallon reef and I love the way they looked. For me, this look is really critical. I strongly dislike the look of T5. I have run T5 in the past and never want to do so again. I have fun metal halide plus t5 and I dislike what the t5 does to how things look. Having something I can transfer to a larger tank would be ideal.

I was wondering if there are any LED fixtures out there that will give this same metal halide shimmer. The look is more important to me than anything, I'm not going to be growing anything super challenging in this nano so my main concern is the beautiful shimmer like I got from the phoenix bulbs. Is this possible to achieve with LED? I would prefer to save the power and not have to run halide if I can avoid it. It's been a long time since I've looked into lighting, so any feedback is appreciated.

Thanks!

Edit: Wanted to note, I'm not looking to debate LED vs metal halide in any aspect other than the way it looks and power consumption. I'm looking to achieve an aesthetic, not interested in the debate over what grows better.

Ultimately I'm just looking for the LED fixture that looks the most liked MH.

VintageReefer · Dec 20, 2023

I would say kessil has that metal halide shimmer look and you can adjust the spectrum

Also, hello, nice to meet another former 2x250 phoenix 14k 75g tank keeper!
I had some t5 mixed in though

AquaLogic · Dec 20, 2023

VintageReefer said:
I would say kessil has that metal halide shimmer look and you can adjust the spectrum

Also, hello, nice to meet another former 2x250 phoenix 14k 75g tank keeper!
I had some t5 mixed in though

Thank you very much! I checked some videos and Kessil looks great. I do miss those Phoenix bulbs, they were amazing! Nice to meet a fellow fan.

I am definitely going to go the Kessil route!

VintageReefer · Dec 20, 2023

I got my old 48” 716w fixture in my garage and I believe I have two phoenix 14k with abut a month of use and 2 more new in the box.

Many years ago I just stocked up on bulbs but then changed my mind and went to led

You’ll definitely love the kessil’s. They are known for their shimmer. Lots of fans of them too. Not what I run on my current tank, but I’ve seen them in person and they are a very crisp light with excellent halide like shimmer.

VintageReefer · Dec 20, 2023

kessil’s website has videos also. The lower model lights are great for nanos

AquaLogic · Dec 20, 2023

VintageReefer said:
I got my old 48” 716w fixture in my garage and I believe I have two phoenix 14k with abut a month of use and 2 more new in the box.

Many years ago I just stocked up on bulbs but then changed my mind and went to led

You’ll definitely love the kessil’s. They are known for their shimmer. Lots of fans of them too. Not what I run on my current tank, but I’ve seen them in person and they are a very crisp light with excellent halide like shimmer.

Thanks, from the videos I've watched they look great. I also like the simple adjustment knobs. I'm going to go with an A500x which will be total overkill, but I can run it at lower power and be ready for a larger tank in the future. The Kessil's are exactly what I was looking for.

VintageReefer · Dec 20, 2023

lol. I like your style and thought process. Total overkill. But thinking ahead.

Welcome to r2r

Bioloco (EasyReefs) · Dec 20, 2023

Hello! To illuminate your tank, with a light similar to an HQI (Metal Halide), with LED, you need a monolens spotlight, like the one from Kessil. Colleagues are advising you well. More than one lens produces multiple shadow "problems" and you don't want this.

jda · Dec 20, 2023

Kessil shimmer lines are super fast and erratic. They look like MH on a meth and cocaine bender. If you keep the surface fairly calm, then a Kessil can look like a MH.

Nothing look like MH. They are all different - not better or worse, but different.

rtparty · Dec 20, 2023

Kessil but be prepared to lower your expectations. You can control shimmer with surface agitation and you don’t want much with the Kessil.

I ran Kessil for a while and wouldn’t touch them again but they’re likely the closest to halides you’ll find. Also plan on double whatever they recommend because the shadows are super harsh

jda · Dec 20, 2023

^ yes, Kessil shadows are very extreme.

mtraylor · Dec 20, 2023

Yeah I agree. Kessel is probably your best bet as they are pendant with shimmer and would be pretty close to the look that you are refering too.

AquaLogic · Dec 20, 2023

rtparty said:
Kessil but be prepared to lower your expectations. You can control shimmer with surface agitation and you don’t want much with the Kessil.

I ran Kessil for a while and wouldn’t touch them again but they’re likely the closest to halides you’ll find. Also plan on double whatever they recommend because the shadows are super harsh

I'm fine with harsh shadows, that's my preference. I like high contrast. I despised running T5's because of the even lighting. To me, it looks terrible. When I've watched videos of the radions, they look a lot like T5 to me. Boring (from my perspective) even spread. The Hydra 64 look better to my eye, and the Kessil even better than that. From the videos I have seen, I like the way they look and they do seem to be closest to MH. I'm going to check to see if there are any LFS around here running them and take a look in person.

rtparty · Dec 20, 2023

pblogic said:
I'm fine with harsh shadows, that's my preference. I like high contrast. I despised running T5's because of the even lighting. To me, it looks terrible. When I've watched videos of the radions, they look a lot like T5 to me. Boring (from my perspective) even spread. The Hydra 64 look better to my eye, and the Kessil even better than that. From the videos I have seen, I like the way they look and they do seem to be closest to MH. I'm going to check to see if there are any LFS around here running them and take a look in person.

The problem with the harsh shadows is the poor coral health and uneven growth. It’s always easy to see when corals have come from Kessil lit tanks IMO

AquaLogic · Dec 20, 2023

rtparty said:
The problem with the harsh shadows is the poor coral health and uneven growth. It’s always easy to see when corals have come from Kessil lit tanks IMO

For this tank, coral growth isn't my main priority. It will be a nano reef with softies and a couple of fish. It's meant as an aesthetically pleasing "therapy" tank. If I want to grow anything more light hungry I can put it in the hot spot near the top. I'll be setting up a larger tank later for more challenging corals. My main concern with this nano is how it looks. I live in a part of the US where I don't get to dive like I used to, and what I want is to be able to look at something that remains me of diving a reef. Metal halide did that, so I want to get as close to that as possible.

Isaac Alves · Dec 20, 2023

you could do a hybrid with a T5 bank and one or two kessils.

rtparty · Dec 20, 2023

pblogic said:
For this tank, coral growth isn't my main priority. It will be a nano reef with softies and a couple of fish. It's meant as an aesthetically pleasing "therapy" tank. If I want to grow anything more light hungry I can put it in the hot spot near the top. I'll be setting up a larger tank later for more challenging corals. My main concern with this nano is how it looks. I live in a part of the US where I don't get to dive like I used to, and what I want is to be able to look at something that remains me of diving a reef. Metal halide did that, so I want to get as close to that as possible.

Grab a Kessil and tune it to your liking

AquaLogic · Dec 20, 2023

jda said:
Kessil shimmer lines are super fast and erratic. They look like MH on a meth and cocaine bender. If you keep the surface fairly calm, then a Kessil can look like a MH.

Nothing look like MH. They are all different - not better or worse, but different.

I love that description.