PAR level results for 2 x Kessil A80’s on a 20 gallon tank

[bitstream]

I recently started putting together a 20 gallon reef tank and wanted to find pleasing, affordable, reliable lighting without the disco ball effect.

After considering a plethora of options, I decided the Kessil shimmer was simply too seductive, however the A360X was too pricey. It got me wondering if the A80 would get the job done. Lots of folks said “it’s too dim even for a 5 gallon” and the PAR numbers for a single seemed like they might be passable on a small enough nano tank as long as you are sticking to softies and LPS (which is what’s going in this tank).

So it got me wondering… what was the PAR like with TWO A80’s? For the life of me, I couldn’t find a thread with the answer.

Luckily I found a pair of like new A80’s with goosenecks and a controller for $250, set it up, and rented an Apogee MQ-510 PAR meter.

Here are the results with intensity at 100% and the lights 7” above the surface:

Pure Blue
Back Left / Right 40
Front Left / Right 90
Front Middle 100
Middle 4.5” below surface 130
Middle 2” below surface 170

75% blue / 25% white
Back Left / Right 45
Front Left / Right 100
Front Middle 110
Middle 4.5” below surface 135
Middle 2” below surface 170

60% blue / 40% white
Back Left / Right 50
Front Left / Right 110
Front Middle 120
Middle 4.5” below surface 140
Middle 2” below surface 175

50% blue / 50% white
Back Left / Right 45
Front Left / Right 115
Front Middle 120
Middle 4.5” below surface 145
Middle 2” below surface 185

Pure White was similar to Pure Blue

I’ll let you make your own conclusions whether two A80’s is sufficient for your needs.

Note that my tank is a UNS 20 gallon AIO and the usable area measures 24” x 14” x 14”.

FWIW, I have softies, LPS, and even a birds nest in my Red Sea Max Nano under the ReefLED50 and they’re growing slow but steady with 80-100 PAR depending on their location in the tank. I dose ~1ml of All For Reef per day. Admittedly I’m a newbie having only joined the hobby last fall, so am learning (and making mistakes) as I go.

What do you think?

 

[twentyleagues]

I think its more of a price thing than power tbh. 2 a80s and a controller new is going to be quite expensive. I love kessils the way they look and what they can do so I am not knocking them. If it were me and I had to pay full price I would probably go with something else. A 21" blade for example cheaper, better spread, more power, and controllable out of the box.

 

[bitstream]

I think its more of a price thing than power tbh. 2 a80s and a controller new is going to be quite expensive. I love kessils the way they look and what they can do so I am not knocking them. If it were me and I had to pay full price I would probably go with something else. A 21" blade for example cheaper, better spread, more power, and controllable out of the box.

Blade has a lot of limitations, most notably spectrum choices, mounting, and lack of shimmer. Total non-starter for me.

AI Prime is better value for money, especially with the configurability, though spread and hotspotting on a low profile 24” wide tank is a potential concern.

I wanted the Kessler shimmer without spending A360X money.

 

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[twentyleagues]

Blade has a lot of limitations, most notably spectrum choices, mounting, and lack of shimmer. Total non-starter for me.

AI Prime is better value for money, especially with the configurability, though spread and hotspotting on a low profile 24” wide tank is a potential concern.

I wanted the Kessler shimmer without spending A360X money.

Like I said not naysaying kessil in any way, except pricing and spread. They are great lights. I just don't see spending around $400+ to light a small tank like that.

As for the blade it's probably got the most mounting options of any light on the market. They come with the regular tank mounts, you can get extended tank mounts, the have a m8 threaded hole on each end to mount to whatever, and the make a clip on mount that you can use on a modular hanger or in a canopy.
They do have a little shimmer not anywhere in the league with kessil but there is some. As for spectrum yeah a single grow doesn't have a lot of the deep blues or purples of some lights but it's really easy to replicate the blue+ spectrum that is/was very popular and proven to grow pretty much anything. You can go bluer or whiter too.

I sound like I'm trying to sell you on blades...lol. I am not, I think what you got is great and you got a great deal. I know this lighting set up will work great. I'd love to see some of that kessil shimmer when you are ready.

 

[bitstream]

Like I said not naysaying kessil in any way, except pricing and spread. They are great lights. I just don't see spending around $400+ to light a small tank like that.

As for the blade it's probably got the most mounting options of any light on the market. They come with the regular tank mounts, you can get extended tank mounts, the have a m8 threaded hole on each end to mount to whatever, and the make a clip on mount that you can use on a modular hanger or in a canopy.
They do have a little shimmer not anywhere in the league with kessil but there is some. As for spectrum yeah a single grow doesn't have a lot of the deep blues or purples of some lights but it's really easy to replicate the blue+ spectrum that is/was very popular and proven to grow pretty much anything. You can go bluer or whiter too.

I sound like I'm trying to sell you on blades...lol. I am not, I think what you got is great and you got a great deal. I know this lighting set up will work great. I'd love to see some of that kessil shimmer when you are ready. I really wanted an arm mount, preferably one that swivels. I’m not aware of an arm mount for the blades. No denying the are great value

The Blades are great value, but an arm mount, preferably one that swivels, is a must for me.

Agree that two A80’s with goosenecks and a controller is a terrible value at over $400 new. AI Prime with arm is $300, as is a Red Sea ReefLED50. Either of those lights kicks out more PAR than the Kessil combo does. I likely would have bought the Prime if I hadn’t found this combo for $250.

I’m generally happy with the Kessils so far. Got the lovely shimmer, the color rendition is superior to the ReefLED (which i have on another tank). The big downside is I need 3 outlets for the Kessil setup along with the cabling for the controller and to bridge the two lights.

 

[Vinaka_vakalevu]

I own a couple kessil 160’s and have converted to the no psych k7. I’d personally go for two k7 minis they would grow anything you’d ever want to on that tank for $150

 

[bitstream]

I own a couple kessil 160’s and have converted to the no psych k7. I’d personally go for two k7 minis they would grow anything you’d ever want to on that tank for $150

I have no doubt they’ll grow coral, but there’s more to lighting than that for some of us. Nothing beats the Kessil shimmer in my book.

I’m skeptical of lights like this because I’ve tried so many “budget” ones and am almost always disappointed. Sure, they’ll have big PAR numbers and impressive brightness, but something’s gotta give — and it’s always the #1 most important issue for me: quality of the light. Plus there’s questions around fan noise, limitations with settings, and longevity.

For example, I tried a Hygger marine light recently. Cheap? Check. Big PAR for its size/price? Check. Decent timing options and dimmability? Check. Limited color tuning options? Big check. Disco ball effect? Check. Fan always running and gets louder the higher you crank it? Another big check.

I’m not saying NooPsyche is bad since I haven’t tried one, but I’m skeptical, especially considering that most of the YT videos for the brand are either published by them or sponsored by them. And a gmail support address? C’mon. It makes me wonder what other corners they’ve cut. But maybe I’ll try one for giggles one day and draw my own conclusions.

 

[aquatic26]

I have no doubt they’ll grow coral, but there’s more to lighting than that for some of us. Nothing beats the Kessil shimmer in my book.

I’m skeptical of lights like this because I’ve tried so many “budget” ones and am almost always disappointed. Sure, they’ll have big PAR numbers and impressive brightness, but something’s gotta give — and it’s always the #1 most important issue for me: quality of the light. Plus there’s questions around fan noise, limitations with settings, and longevity.

For example, I tried a Hygger marine light recently. Cheap? Check. Big PAR for its size/price? Check. Decent timing options and dimmability? Check. Limited color tuning options? Big check. Disco ball effect? Check. Fan always running and gets louder the higher you crank it? Another big check.

I’m not saying NooPsyche is bad since I haven’t tried one, but I’m skeptical, especially considering that most of the YT videos for the brand are either published by them or sponsored by them. And a gmail support address? C’mon. It makes me wonder what other corners they’ve cut. But maybe I’ll try one for giggles one day and draw my own conclusions.

I recently switched my Hygger marine to an A80 for the fan noise and frankly annoyingly difficult timing and dimmer settings. The PAR from the Hygger was incredible for the price point. Enough so that even at 50% intensity, I was growing green hair algae on all blues within days. One A80 lights up my 12g 15"x16"x11" cube perfectly and the shimmer is impossible to beat. Hopefully it puts out enough PAR to manage some LPS and softies as the tank develops.