In your opinion the best LED Lighting for reef.

[vhuang168]

AP700s


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[GQsmooth]

I have not grown anything yet, but I will say the shimmer effect alone makes the Kessil A360's worth a buy.

[ComforablyNumb]

If I had to do it again, I'd get the ap700 over the 2 a360's I currently run. Good shimmer with that unit too.

[reefer31]

When you guys are talking about kessil I think you need to clarify between 360 and the ap700. I feel that the ap700 blows away the 360. So much so that it's not even close in comparison with power. Yes. 360 I feel is lacking in punching power. But it does grow coral with exceptional blending and color and shimmer. Of all the led i researched before purchasing, kessil was the only one remotely close to what my mh looked like. I've seen ai, cheap Chinese black box type leds and hated the disco ball effect. Kessil will give you the best blend period. Even radions have that disco ball look. For me it was between kessil and radions for my sps tank. I also have a 120 gallon and I went with 2 ap700 and no t5 supplementation as I'm going sps dominate. And I mean acropora, Not just monti and stylos etc. I hope this helps!


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[BULGARIA]

Originally Posted by trueperc

Some of the nicest tanks lite by leds have mostly been Radions or AI. After owning kessil, for sure they have a great shimmer but the are weak as hell compared to the other ones and their blue end is lacking compared to the others. They are also one of the worst for dealing with shadowing. If you want control they also one of the ones that is far behind the others. That being said if you where to do a t5 and led combo, they might be one of the better options. The problem with best, is most will do a great job but the issue is coverage. The top led tanks are usually completely covered with fixtures. You usually need double what is recommend by the company. This is just my 2 cents.

[BULGARIA]

Yes that's right , if you double the light LED units WILL work fine

[HippieSmell]

Since first posting in this thread, I purchased Orphek. So, obviously it's the best light!

[bif24701]

Hands down, no doubt about it the Kessil AP700 is the single best LED lighting fixture. Why?:
Kessil Logic
Unparalleled spread, a even blanked of light
A single lens and reflector on each LED Matrix blends all colors flawlessly. No disco, less shading, yet MH like shimmer.
Absolutely silent active cooling fan.
Blue spectrum peaks in the 380nm-460nm near identical to the ATI Blue Plus T5 and Radium MH bulbs. Mind you the two bulbs are still "full spectrum" so the AP700 Kessil Logic can be used to create those same "full spectrum" look as well.
The best drivers, Meanwell.
Covers more area for SPS than a single Radion G4.
WiFi control out of box.
Several mounting options.


I love MH. However I couldn't deal with the other issues of MH. My first Kessil 360s where great and I loved the look and shimmer of those awesome light, and still awesome! I bought with great confidence that Kessil released the AP700 to be the top tier leader of LEDs then and for many years to come. Kessil fixtures are well designed and built from released date they don't have to create new models every year making incremental improvements.

Yes, I drink the Kessil Kool-aid. I post only to share my personnel thoughts and experience I have with these fixtures.





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[HippieSmell]

Originally Posted by bif24701

Hands down, no doubt about it the Kessil AP700 is the single best LED lighting fixture. Why?:
Kessil Logic
Unparalleled spread, a even blanked of light
A single lens and reflector on each LED Matrix blends all colors flawlessly. No disco, less shading, yet MH like shimmer.
Absolutely silent active cooling fan.
Blue spectrum peaks in the 380nm-460nm near identical to the ATI Blue Plus T5 and Radium MH bulbs. Mind you the two bulbs are still "full spectrum" so the AP700 Kessil Logic can be used to create those same "full spectrum" look as well.
The best drivers, Meanwell.
Covers more area for SPS than a single Radion G4.
WiFi control out of box.
Several mounting options.


I love MH. However I couldn't deal with the other issues of MH. My first Kessil 360s where great and I loved the look and shimmer of those awesome light, and still awesome! I bought with great confidence that Kessil released the AP700 to be the top tier leader of LEDs then and for many years to come. Kessil fixtures are well designed and built from released date they don't have to create new models every year making incremental improvements.

Yes, I drink the Kessil Kool-aid. I post only to share my personnel thoughts and experience I have with these fixtures.





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If it weren't for the shadowing, I would've gone with these. I thought of buying three of them for my tank, but I wasn't sure about the extreme shimmer, either.

[joshbrookkate]

I currently run T5HO over my 75 and use a currentUSA led bar for actinics.
After 4 years in reefing, I'm starting to get into sps.
It has been recommended that I replace both of those lights and get the new Maxspect Ethereals.
I like the growth I am getting with my T5s. But I'd like to have some shimmer.
Would adding a Kessil 360 do the job? Top priority is good growth on my sps.....

[ca1ore]

Any point source light (Kessil, Radion) will have shading problems, regardless of how sophisticated a lens or diffuser they may have. MH is a point source as well, but gets around the physics by using large reflectors.

Somebody noted earlier that Kessils don't dim down particularly well and that it's an engineering problem. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. It's a bit annoying though. Radions will dim down to zero, though as the different LEDs shut off at different times there is significant color shift as it dims.

I like LED and use them exclusively (except for one MH over half of my frag tank), though I think any competent fixture can grow corals. You don't have to spend $$$ on something like the radion.

I don't particularly like the kessil as the sole form of light, so use them along with Gen4 Pro Radions.

[10Seconds]

For, the best LED light is an XHO blue reefbrightt strip to supplement my MH and T5 setup.

After being total LED for 2 yrs and now MH / T5 / LED combo I could never go back to LED only. Even if you convinced me they grow corals the same (and I am not convinced) I like the look too much.

[HippieSmell]

Originally Posted by 10Seconds

For, the best LED light is an XHO blue reefbrightt strip to supplement my MH and T5 setup.

After being total LED for 2 yrs and now MH / T5 / LED combo I could never go back to LED only. Even if you convinced me they grow corals the same (and I am not convinced) I like the look too much.

You might be surprised how good the higher end full panel LEDs look. It's got the coverage of t5, the controllability and pop of LED, and a nice shimmer. MH/T5/LED combo is awesome, though.

[dz6t]

Originally Posted by ca1ore

Any point source light (Kessil, Radion) will have shading problems, regardless of how sophisticated a lens or diffuser they may have. MH is a point source as well, but gets around the physics by using large reflectors.

That sumps it up greatly.
It is pure physics, no matter what type of lens is on a LED cluster, it will have strong shadow for SPS colonies. Metal halide with large reflector should not be considered as a point source light as light physically bounces off the whole area of the large reflector despite a hot spot in the center.
For people who are keeping relatively flat LPS, zoas, mushroom etc, shadowing is not a big issue.

[dz6t]

Originally Posted by HippieSmell

You might be surprised how good the higher end full panel LEDs look. It's got the coverage of t5, the controllability and pop of LED, and a nice shimmer. MH/T5/LED combo is awesome, though.

That is the way to solve the shadowing issue. Full panel LED is the solution for shadowing.

[outy]

20 years of MH/VHO saying bye bye and going led. Best? for who is the question.

I will love not buying bulbs, and I'm at 740w and now ill will be at 300 and less heat. 430W less a month will save a lot of coin over the years

[HippieSmell]

Originally Posted by dz6t

That is the way to solve the shadowing issue. Full panel LED is the solution for shadowing.

It's funny, too. Kessil could come out with a full panel of closely spaced LED clusters and have the best solution in the world. Here's to hoping they realize what opportunity they have.

[ca1ore]

Originally Posted by dz6t

That is the way to solve the shadowing issue. Full panel LED is the solution for shadowing.

True, though you then get that wierd color shift/disco ball effect that really bugs me.

[HippieSmell]

Originally Posted by ca1ore

True, though you then get that wierd color shift/disco ball effect that really bugs me.

Some have that effect worse than others. Orphek has a very small amount if hung below the recommended height. There's only one spot where I notice it, and it's a small gap in the rocks that allows a sliver of light to pass through to the sand. Because it's a small gap, it only allows the light from a couple LEDs to pass through, causing a red/blue patch. Otherwise, you'd be hard pressed to tell it wasn't T5, save for the shimmer, which is great because I can't stand that effect, either.

[dz6t]

Originally Posted by HippieSmell

Some have that effect worse than others. Orphek has a very small amount if hung below the recommended height. There's only one spot where I notice it, and it's a small gap in the rocks that allows a sliver of light to pass through to the sand. Because it's a small gap, it only allows the light from a couple LEDs to pass through, causing a red/blue patch. Otherwise, you'd be hard pressed to tell it wasn't T5, save for the shimmer, which is great because I can't stand that effect, either.

If the led chips are position correctly with wide angle lens, disco ball effect won’t be an issue if the fixture is at least 8 inch above water. Water blend light too.



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[dz6t]

The Philips coral care led could be a great light if they are not that bulky and ugly.


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[dz6t]

Originally Posted by outy

20 years of MH/VHO saying bye bye and going led. Best? for who is the question.



I will love not buying bulbs, and I'm at 740w and now ill will be at 300 and less heat. 430W less a month will save a lot of coin over the years

Unfortunately led does not last as long as many manufactures claimed.
For several premium led brands, I measured all of them through out the years and found that they have significant degradation in 4 years. Some to the extend that lost up to 40% par and/or with led chips burnt out.


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[HippieSmell]

Originally Posted by dz6t

If the led chips are position correctly with wide angle lens, disco ball effect won’t be an issue if the fixture is at least 8 inch above water. Water blend light too.



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Are you speaking generally, or with respect to Orphek?

[bif24701]

Originally Posted by HippieSmell

It's funny, too. Kessil could come out with a full panel of closely spaced LED clusters and have the best solution in the world. Here's to hoping they realize what opportunity they have.

Why not just get T5s and the flat no contrast look?

Nope, my acros do just fine with a little contrast. Don't need to fill every little crevice with bright light.


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[Big E]

Originally Posted by dz6t

Unfortunately led does not last as long as many manufactures claimed.
For several premium led brands, I measured all of them through out the years and found that they have significant degradation in 4 years. Some to the extend that lost up to 40% par and/or with led chips burnt out.


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Yup, this type of data needs to be distributed as we now have had plenty of time to evaluate degradation.

My friend lost about 30% on his Radions after 3 years.

To me, spectrum degradation is more important than par and I'd be willing to guess the percentages are similar to par degradation. A lot of this has gone unnoticed because people are so ready to jump on the next "upgraded" fixture..........they are seldom kept past a year or two by the masses.

There's a reason most LED brands only carry 1 year warranties.

At the very least these companies will have to be more pro active in producing units with snap in replacement parts. The price gouging has gone on too long. These are lights not high end theatre or audio equpment.