Quality wise though XR15/XR30 are the greater choice. I mean kessil doesn’t really respond well with warranty while Ecotech who makes Radion does well. I know the difference between the 2 I had both. Currently using Radion xr15 G6 pro. The control app is decent. Just watch a YouTube video for 5 mins and your set.
The game changer is that Kessil also breaks much more than Radion. Quality is very similar but again Radion wins in my opinion. Warranty though for Radion if it breaks you go where you got it and if it’s in the 1 year or 2 year extended you’ll get a new one.Wife gave me a blank check for my lighting. I am relatively new to the hobby and want to get the best lights possible before I get to where I can add corals. I plan to run a mixed reef and will have fish in my tank. I currently am running a 120 gal 6 foot long tank. About 22" tall. Thanks for the input!
I skipped the ap700s all together since I had no reason to change my older a360s for that. It wasn't until some of them died that I replaced them with the a360x and then bought the ap9x a future tank since the gen4 radions were the last non mobius required lights.
I’ve had my ap700 on my tank for years not one single hiccup or complaint multiple tanks and have never even remember needing to mess with them. Also I bought it used years back so I would say where are you pulling the information about kessils breaking. Because every light manufacturer has issues look at radions g5 they come broken lol
I definitely wouldn't discredit the quality of ecotech marines service, but in the very few instances of needing kessil service (very out of warranty failed power supply) I was immediately taken care of without issue. But having to set up mobius isn't the usually the problem. It's when you have to reload lights because one or more decided to do it's own thing and simply won't respond even after rebooting for a while. The mobius experience is literally what kept me from ever upgrading past g4 radions and if vortech/vectras ever became mobius only without physical controls then I would also ditch them until the app has shown major improvements.
Radions also break as well if that's you're argument. Frankly everything does (especially everyones wallets here
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Frankly if they did what they did on the gen4s with physical control options or simply improved the control method/allowed for control via apex/hydros or whatever controller then I would more than happily include more of them in my quest to cure(?) my multiple tank syndrome
Haha yes I was hoping sense apex and ectotech are under the same umbrella they would figure out a way to controller them through fusion. For now I think ima go with ap9x for a 60 in tank would you do 2 ap9x? Also do you know if the ap9x is better then the ap700Frankly if they did what they did on the gen4s with physical control options or simply improved the control method/allowed for control via apex/hydros or whatever controller then I would more than happily include more of them in my quest to cure(?) my multiple tank syndrome
Fortunately (for now) the vortech and vectra line are spared from mobius as an exclusive means of operation for the foreseeable future
Since I haven't personally owned or used the ap700 it's hard to say from first hand experience. Fortunately most lights get better with new iterations so it's safe to assume the ap9x is way worth any price jumps over a used a700 for better color + full warranty (safe to assume no ap700s have warranties anymore and if it's out of production then warranty services may not be favorable)
ap 9x and blades or a360x's with blades depending on how you want to space things
I just heard a lot about Kessils breaking a lot and warranty requests being denied. That’s it. But you have a point.Radions also break as well if that's you're argument. Frankly everything does (especially everyones wallets here
To break down my list of some of my led lights from the past 10 years or so
3 Radion xr30 g3: Left puck failed in 2 of them (replaced under warranty) fans rusted (not covered, soldered new ones in) - all 3 are no longer functioning or in service ~2 years in service
3 Radion xr30 g4: Melted lense (replaced under warranty), All 3 had failed power supplies (replaced under warranty), color mismatch (replaced after some back and forth) - Still in use
1 Radion xr15 g5: Freebie from brs (don't kill me!) Mobius only control resulted in me giving it to a friend after a decent amount of frustration with it randomly being on in the middle of the night and all green or a color that I definitely did not set it to
2 Reefbreeders photons (1st gen): Front controls no longer functioned and some color channels stopped functioning prior to that - No longer in use (never bothered with any warranty claims since they were extremely old when this all happened) ~ 5 years in service
9 Kessil a360we: 2 power supply failures (replaced under warranty), Color mismatch x2 (replaced under warranty). 6 still in use, 3 no longer in service with ~ 6 years in service for the dead ones
3 a360x: Still in service, no warranty request made
9 ap9x: Still in service, no warranty request made
3 Ai Prime: Melted lense (replaced under warranty), Color mismatch (replaced under warranty)
If there's one thing I can come to a 100% conclusive answer as far as this write up is concerned as far as light quality goes. I've spent way too much money on this hobby
Ive been doing research on lights as im just starting back in. I do have 3 160we tuna suns on my 125 fw planted tank and love the look. The ap9x is completely redesigned from the 700. Ive watched the brs lighting and I was discouraged from their findings on different lighting especially their findings on kessil. Talking to Kessil I have renewed faith in their lighting. Besides I really like how the kessils look. I am going to be setting up my 180 eventually probably run 3 ap9x. If I have issues I'll add an ai blade or 2. Also looked into Orphek bars might go that route. With Orphek im worried about the color blending and ive seen some tanks with the disco effect with visible separation in the colors from each diode.
