Kessil a350w vs Sol super blue

[]V[]addog · 08/28/2013, 06:28 PM

So I pose this question to all that have had one or both of these lights. Both are slightly older tech and most aquarium enthusiast can afford them, neither are too of the line, but both are prooven to grow corals. I'm more interested in mixed reef senarios. Please don't say that neither are good for sps. Because I have seen and used both. There may be certain or specific corals that do not do spectacular under these lights, but overall they are a good buy now for te average user.

Here is how I see it:
Basic specs are similar, white blue and royal blue. Sols have pucks with optics. Kessils have UV and pendant.
Sol Pros
Optics: better penitration
Programmability: sunrise, sunset, tweaked color thruout the day, timer

Cons
Narrow beem
Mounting options
No UV

A350w
Pros
Pendant mounting
Shimmer
UV
Wide Coverage area

Cons
Penitration
Dark shadows
No programabilty

So I ask anyone with experience in either or both lights to come forward. I don't want to hear about other lighting options etc.
lets keep this on topic, and see why people chose the light they did.
Very interested in hearing other people experiences.

Ripline · 08/28/2013, 06:45 PM

I have 2 a360w over my 80g sps and lps tank. They are similar to the a350w but are supposed to be 30% brighter, etc. The corals have great PE under the kessils. As for the shadowing, I am a little concerned. I have not seen any negative affects so far, but I have only had them on my tank for 2 months. I have them about 5 to 6 inches from the surface which reduces the shadowing somewhat.

BossHoggin · 08/28/2013, 06:54 PM

Even if you dont have an apex or the like I would still go with the a360w, it operates the same way as the 350 without one. Color temperature and intensity are better separated by kessil logic. I would get a buildmyled strip the length of the tank with wide optics and their tank mounts so you can put the light towards the front of the tank and tilt it back towards the rocks to get rid of the harsh shadows and serve as a dawn/dusk light.

Rarend99 · 08/28/2013, 07:14 PM

Couple buddies of mine have ai sol super blues and love them

that Fish Guy · 08/28/2013, 09:52 PM

Shimmer on the Kessil is definetly a Con not a Pro.

It is the one thing that I cannot stand about Kessil.

They need to fix that.

Rarend99 · 08/28/2013, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by that Fish Guy

Shimmer on the Kessil is definetly a Con not a Pro.

It is the one thing that I cannot stand about Kessil.

They need to fix that.

+1 unless you like seizures

that Fish Guy · 08/28/2013, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rarend99

+1 unless you like seizures

+2 LOL Going to give me an Aneurism.

I want my Aquariums to look nice and calm.

nikon187 · 08/29/2013, 02:46 AM

lol.. i cant keep kessils IN stock because of that shimmer. Those and razors fly out the door

FlyPenFly · 08/29/2013, 05:51 AM

Yeah that shimmer is very MH like, it's probably the best part about them.

[]V[]addog · 08/29/2013, 07:05 AM

interesting that some peopel do not like the shimmer.... huh
I guess that would also depend on how much surface movment you have too.

do you guys think the addition of the UV in the Kessil really helps?
I really like the surface coverage area of the kessils

rc1626 · 08/29/2013, 07:25 AM

I'm a radium halide guy and when I went to kessil a350w I found the shimmer to be nothing like MH. As others have said it can be hard to view. I also found the kessil to be much dimmer than MH. I know they're proven to grow corals but even at full power they were too dim for me.
When I ran the Sol blues they were certainly brighter but lacked spectrum. I had to add t5's to get the colors i liked. Shimmer was present but just not strong.
Surface agitation will certainly have an effect on shimmer.
Back to radiums for the time being. Best color I've ever seen from my tank.

FlyPenFly · 08/29/2013, 08:24 AM

LEDs seem dimmer but can throw out more PAR. Probably why so many people bleached their tanks.

I liked MH but the $400/month electricity bills in the summer were not sustainable for me.

ghostman · 08/29/2013, 10:18 AM

On my new 60 cube build I chose the kessils based on shimmer and UV. I had sol blues in the past, and couldn't get the spectrum I wanted out of it. My red planet was never red

Shadowing is the only thing thats negative to me, but I think it looks more realistic that way. My chalices appreciate a little less light too.

[]V[]addog · 08/29/2013, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghostman

On my new 60 cube build I chose the kessils based on shimmer and UV. I had sol blues in the past, and couldn't get the spectrum I wanted out of it. My red planet was never red

Shadowing is the only thing thats negative to me, but I think it looks more realistic that way. My chalices appreciate a little less light too.

cool.
they seem perfect for cube builds for sure!

08/28/2013, 06:28 PM	#1
[]V[]addog Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: east coast canada Posts: 167	Kessil a350w vs Sol super blue So I pose this question to all that have had one or both of these lights. Both are slightly older tech and most aquarium enthusiast can afford them, neither are too of the line, but both are prooven to grow corals. I'm more interested in mixed reef senarios. Please don't say that neither are good for sps. Because I have seen and used both. There may be certain or specific corals that do not do spectacular under these lights, but overall they are a good buy now for te average user. Here is how I see it: Basic specs are similar, white blue and royal blue. Sols have pucks with optics. Kessils have UV and pendant. Sol Pros Optics: better penitration Programmability: sunrise, sunset, tweaked color thruout the day, timer Cons Narrow beem Mounting options No UV A350w Pros Pendant mounting Shimmer UV Wide Coverage area Cons Penitration Dark shadows No programabilty So I ask anyone with experience in either or both lights to come forward. I don't want to hear about other lighting options etc. lets keep this on topic, and see why people chose the light they did. Very interested in hearing other people experiences.

08/28/2013, 06:54 PM	#3
BossHoggin Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Compton, CA Posts: 198	Even if you dont have an apex or the like I would still go with the a360w, it operates the same way as the 350 without one. Color temperature and intensity are better separated by kessil logic. I would get a buildmyled strip the length of the tank with wide optics and their tank mounts so you can put the light towards the front of the tank and tilt it back towards the rocks to get rid of the harsh shadows and serve as a dawn/dusk light. __________________ Josh 60B mixed reef w/ 33G sump/refugium 125G FOWLR w/ Eshopps R_300

08/28/2013, 07:14 PM	#4
Rarend99 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Rohnert Park, CA Posts: 1,304	Couple buddies of mine have ai sol super blues and love them __________________ 50 Gallon Rimless Radion PRO 2x Mp10s Apex The Works Current Tank Info: Cadlights Rimless

08/28/2013, 09:52 PM	#5
that Fish Guy Frag Swap Crusader! Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 2,538	Shimmer on the Kessil is definetly a Con not a Pro. It is the one thing that I cannot stand about Kessil. They need to fix that. __________________ For a Complete List of all the Frag Swaps in 2018 Click the Link Below. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2655153 You do not want to miss any! Current Tank Info: 55 Gallon, 45 Gallon, 29 Gallon, 20 Gallon, 20 Gallon #2, 10 Gallon

08/29/2013, 02:46 AM	#8
nikon187 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Edmonton Alberta Posts: 4,717	lol.. i cant keep kessils IN stock because of that shimmer. Those and razors fly out the door __________________ ----------------- Current Tanks: New 210 custom 84 x 24 x 24, 60g sump, SWC 250 extreme with bubble blaster 5000, 2 vortech mp40, 2 vortech mp10, 12 T5, Water blaster 5000, warner marine bio pellets, 60g clownfish cube, red carpet anemone with a 25g sump,SRO octopus 1000sss, 250w radium, lumenarc large.

08/28/2013, 06:45 PM	#2
Ripline Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Florida Posts: 17	I have 2 a360w over my 80g sps and lps tank. They are similar to the a350w but are supposed to be 30% brighter, etc. The corals have great PE under the kessils. As for the shadowing, I am a little concerned. I have not seen any negative affects so far, but I have only had them on my tank for 2 months. I have them about 5 to 6 inches from the surface which reduces the shadowing somewhat.

08/29/2013, 05:51 AM	#9
FlyPenFly SPS Killer Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,490	Yeah that shimmer is very MH like, it's probably the best part about them.

08/29/2013, 07:05 AM	#10
[]V[]addog Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: east coast canada Posts: 167	interesting that some peopel do not like the shimmer.... huh I guess that would also depend on how much surface movment you have too. do you guys think the addition of the UV in the Kessil really helps? I really like the surface coverage area of the kessils

08/29/2013, 07:25 AM	#11
rc1626 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Long Island Posts: 451	I'm a radium halide guy and when I went to kessil a350w I found the shimmer to be nothing like MH. As others have said it can be hard to view. I also found the kessil to be much dimmer than MH. I know they're proven to grow corals but even at full power they were too dim for me. When I ran the Sol blues they were certainly brighter but lacked spectrum. I had to add t5's to get the colors i liked. Shimmer was present but just not strong. Surface agitation will certainly have an effect on shimmer. Back to radiums for the time being. Best color I've ever seen from my tank.

08/29/2013, 08:24 AM	#12
FlyPenFly SPS Killer Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,490	LEDs seem dimmer but can throw out more PAR. Probably why so many people bleached their tanks. I liked MH but the $400/month electricity bills in the summer were not sustainable for me.

08/29/2013, 10:18 AM	#13
ghostman Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Spring Hill, Florida Posts: 1,629	On my new 60 cube build I chose the kessils based on shimmer and UV. I had sol blues in the past, and couldn't get the spectrum I wanted out of it. My red planet was never red Shadowing is the only thing thats negative to me, but I think it looks more realistic that way. My chalices appreciate a little less light too. __________________ When you die, you don't know you're dead. It's only difficult for the people around you. It's the same when you're stupid. Current Tank Info: 40IM Fusion, 40lbs of rock, and 20lbs of sand. Just a few fish and corals....for now.