Kessil A80 innitial impression

[Type-H20]

Just got a Kessil A80 with the goose neck.  My initial thoughts are that the light has a really nice design that looks great over a small tank.  The goose neck is simple and the perfect mounting solution for this light.   The color it puts out is seamless no matter what color or intensity settings you choose, but there's something about it that leaves me a bit underwhelmed.  It doesn't seem as bright as the lights I'm used to, which is a pair of Ledric par38 full spectrum bulbs.  The Ledtrics have a little too much red for my tastes, which is the one thing I would change about them but by comparison, the A80 just doesn't "look" as bright.  That's not saying its not bright.  The light itself is very bright and when you adjust the color and intensity while looking at the lights reflection on the water surface you can see those little leds (led matrix or whatever they call it) really brighten up, it's really amazing actually, considering their size.  I'm not sure if its a different spectrum (no reds or greens) and I read that the Kessil can look less bright than other LEDs, but the color looks a little muted to me when I compare it to the par38s.  

 

Here are some pics over my new Mr. Aqua cube while doing a leak test. 

[Mr. Lovestrong]

very cool, i am running a nearly identical set up. 

 

[Type-H20]

36 minutes ago, Mr. Lovestrong said:

very cool, i am running a nearly identical set up. 

 

Cool .  How are you liking the light?  

 

I see you just joined......Welcome!  

[Mr. Lovestrong]

Thanks for the welcome, I appreciate it.

 

not having much to compare this light to I think its great! haha. I love the design and adjustability (I did not spring the $100 controller) i have a lot of diiferent sps corals under this light that have slowly lost color. i am not entirely sure what i can attribute that to. (chemistry, lighting, feeding)  so i am thinking of adding another to test my low light hypothesis.

[Type-H20]

This light may not be the best choice for sps (even if you have two of them).  Its rated for a mixed reef and if keeping sps it needs to be 4 inches above the water, but sps are a finicky bunch and other factors can contribute towards their losing color.   

[Mr. Lovestrong]

yeah i totally bought into the sales pitch. lol.  what is the rest of your set up like?

[1891Bro]

15 minutes ago, Type-H20 said:

This light may not be the best choice for sps (even if you have two of them).  Its rated for a mixed reef and if keeping sps it needs to be 4 inches above the water, but sps are a finicky bunch and other factors can contribute towards their losing color.   

Keeping sps above the water makes it even harder  

i know you meant the light. 

Gald to see this write up. 

[Type-H20]

Just now, Mr. Lovestrong said:

yeah i totally bought into the sales pitch. lol.  what is the rest of your set up like?

lol...this is a low watt light that has the spectrum to grow corals, but it has its limitations (as they all do).   I was attracted to it for its high tech/simplicity and the lower power consumption.  
 

I've had tanks ranging in size from 5.5 to 20 gallons.  Currently, I'm in the process of putting together a new build.  It'll either be this 7.5 gallon Mr. Aqua, a standard 10 gallon or a nuvo fusion 10.  It's going to be a low bio-load, mixed reef.  Stay tuned

3 minutes ago, 1891Bro said:

Keeping sps above the water makes it even harder  

i know you meant the light. 

Gald to see this write up. 

Difficulty level raised to having to spritz your coral with salt water from a spray bottle!  Damn, this hobby keeps evolving.

[Type-H20]

Just for the hell of it I put the A80 over my 80 gallon DeepBlue freshwater tank:  

[moosubi]

That's been my experience swapping from the AI Prime HD to the A160.  It doesn't quite have that bright of a "punch" to it, I guess.  However, my corals seemed to have responded instantly to the Kessil and are showing much better growth.  Overall, I prefer the Kessil for it's simplicity (meaning I can't screw it up as easily, lol)