Coming from halides, can't decide between Kessil a360x and Radion XR15 G5

[ReefinIt]

I'm getting into the hobby after a 8 year break. I used to use 250w halides, but it seems those have gone out of favor. I absolutely loved the look of the halides, crisp, great shimmer, and the corals did amazing. I'm looking for an LED that will provide similar results. I'm worried the LEDs will have a fake look to them.

I have a 90 gallon, 48"Lx18"Wx24"H that will be mixed reef. I'm going to get the aquatic life t5 hybrid, but need help choosing between the Kessil a360x and Radion XR15 G5 (either pro or blue, leaning towards pro because I don't like the windex blue look.). I will get two lights.

I'm worried that the Kessil will have too much shimmer since I've never seen them in person. The videos i see online, the shimmer seems distracting, but I don't know if this is the same in person (can't find any stores with them on display). I understand the T5 should also mute the shimmer a little.

The radions have more intensity, but with the diffuser, would it be the same as the kessil?

Do the coral colors look better under the kessil or radion?

What about the health and growth of the corals? Kessil seems to have a wider spectrum, but I hear people say it radions grow coral better and the corals have better color.

Completely racking my brain on this one given the significant investment. One day I say I'll get the kessils, the next I want the radions. Radions are about $150 cheaper than the kessils with the BRS sale right now.

Any thoughts and experiences would be greatly appreciated.

 

[sfmacguy]

I currently run both. Have 2x g5 pros, and 2x 500x’s in an aquatic life hybrid. Happy so far

 

[blaxsun]

Congrats and welcome back! LEDs are the future - don't let the MH crowd drag you back kicking and screaming - This Is The Way.

I like the coloration and shimmer from my Radions, but there's nothing wrong with the Kessils, either. It's probably as much aesthetics and which light looks the best. I do run diffusers on my Radions which spreads out the light a bit more while reducing the shimmer.

You could also forgo the T5 hybrid and look at a pair of AP9Xs?

 

[CoralB]

I’ve been using radions for along time and have had good success . I currently use the g5 blues with a mixed tank . I like the look ( Not too blue )and I’ve not sacrificed health and growth using them .

 

[rtparty]

I've run both of them on the same tank, side by side and the Radion side blew away the Kessil side. Radion will not shimmer like Kessil. Kessil shimmered too much for me to the point I had to stop surface agitation best I could on that side.

I would ditch the Aquatic Life T5 hybrid. Not needed of you get the proper LED setup.

With that said, after 10 years and well over $10k worth of LED experiments, I went back to halides about 15 months ago and don't miss LEDs one bit. Not one of them replicates the halide look. They can't. Different technology with limitations as to what it can do.

You can be happy and successful with LEDs, no doubt. Just don't go into it with halide expectations.

 

[blaxsun]

With that said, after 10 years and well over $10k worth of LED experiments, I went back to halides about 15 months ago and don't miss LEDs one bit.

This is Not The Way!

 

[X-37B]

A 250 14k halide guy here, or was, lol.
100% led now with 6 16hds on 3 systems and soon to be 2 xr15 gen 5 blue on a new 80g system.
Cant go wrong with either as it boils down to your desired look.
My 20g nano-2 16hd, 45 frag-3 16hd, and one 16hd on my 30g remote fuge.

 

[Jon's Reef]

MH has the direct filament source that gives shimmer combined with the reflector to give a blanket of light.

To replicate you want a very broad source of light and a very sharp source.

If you are going with the Aquatic Life hybrid, I would go with the Kessil.

 

[rtparty]

This is Not The Way!

For those of us that know, it is

 

[blaxsun]

For those of us that know, it is

Haha, touché!

 

[ReefinIt]

Interesting. Seems a lot of y'all say to ditch the T5. I thought the T5 would help with spread. I mainly wanted the t5 as a way to hang the lights. I have a DIY light hanger made from conduit.

I'm worried that I won't like the LEDs, but it's so hard to find halides.

 

[X-37B]

From an old halide guy, 30+ years, leds grow and color corals just fine. The arguement as to which is better is a mute point now.
I will be using 60% less energy running leds vs my old halide setups.
I have 4 halide setups that no one wants. I may use them for a rainy day build in the future but most likely they will just collect dust.

I went with the xr blues as a lfs just hung 6 over their large frag system. They are quite impressive, imo. Not as blue as I would have thought with more of a halide look to me.

 

[X-37B]

One other thing. I will never use a t5 again and I have used them well over the years.
I ran 2 or3 light bars on my old 120 to supplement halides.
1 bar is equal to 2 t5's.

 

[ReefinIt]

Why no more t5?

 

[Tamberav]

Neither will be a MH...

The T5's should reduce the kessil shimmer... I agree they do shimmer heavily and it hurts my eyes a bit to just look at a kessil tank.

I am switching from t5 to radion pro's... I went with pro's as I like a crisper natural tank and it is easier to get that with the pro's. I also like that the led's are spread a bit more and not a puck style. I LOVE my t5's but they do produce a lot of heat into the living room. My reason for switching is I am not going to keep acro's anymore so shading isn't a huge deal.

 

[ReefinIt]

So do you think the xr15 have a better look than the kessils? That seems to be the theme of this thread.

I just really wish a local store had them on display.

 

[rtparty]

So do you think the xr15 have a better look than the kessils? That seems to be the theme of this thread.

I just really wish a local store had them on display.

For me, absolutely. Kessils have terrible shading issues from being a puck style light. They also cost more if you want any control over them.

Does your 90 have the center brace? 2 XR15s isn't going to cut it on a 90. You'll need 4 if you have the center brace. 2 on each side. 2 XR30s might be a bit easier to manage.

I ran 2 XR15s on my 120 (6" deeper front to back) and couldn't get over 200 PAR on the top of my rocks with 2 15s.

 

[ReefinIt]

For me, absolutely. Kessils have terrible shading issues from being a puck style light. They also cost more if you want any control over them.

Does your 90 have the center brace? 2 XR15s isn't going to cut it on a 90. You'll need 4 if you have the center brace. 2 on each side. 2 XR30s might be a bit easier to manage.

I ran 2 XR15s on my 120 (6" deeper front to back) and couldn't get over 200 PAR on the top of my rocks with 2 15s.

I do have a center brace. I was thinking the T5 would supplement instead of having another LED.

Maybe I should go with two radions and a kessil in the middle with the T5s? Getting pricy now tho

 

[X-37B]

Why no more t5?

Imo, or3 light bars are a better choice even for shading issues.

 

[X-37B]

I do have a center brace. I was thinking the T5 would supplement instead of having another LED.

Maybe I should go with two radions and a kessil in the middle with the T5s? Getting pricy now tho

Radions and 1 or 2 or3 bars is also a possiblity.