Kessil A360X or Radion XR15W G4 Pro

[Hibiscus Tree]

Hello to everyone! This is my first nano mix tank. I just bought the waterbox cube 20, and need help on the lightings. Im deciding between Kessil A360X or Radion XR15W G4 pro. Both lights cost about the same so price is not a consideration. I heard the Radion is more powerful, but most people run it at intensity of 45, so should i not take the power into consideration? i saw some testings of par measurements, kessil is more even across the tank. I personally love the look of the kessil. Should i just get the kessil, i dont want to regret later on. any recommendation would help. thx

[MainelyReefer]

I usually go kessil but I have had my 360’s fail a few times(warranty replacement/good customer service at kessil) and the nice LFS in my area swears by radions.  So coming from someone with no Radion experience I would try the radions haha.  

[mitten_reef]

Both are “top of the line” products; and you’ll have people supporting both camps. I’d recommend trying to visit some LFS to see how the aesthetics are for both brands, be sure to look at both the physical size and the light they produce as well related to your personal preference. In the end, it’s your tank, make sure it looks the way you’d like to enjoy it. 

[Timaaa]

I like kessil better and they have great customer service/support

[mcarroll]

Kessil's are easier to use, harder to do harm with as a result.

 

You can run them all-manual for simplicity (including manual dimming and color controls) or you can hook up a controller at your discretion.  

 

I'm running three 360X's on a 125 Gallon about 4" from the surface on their 90-degree mounts.  Things started to bleach when I turned them up to 90% after a long acclimation, so I have them back down at 70% during the two peak hours.

 

IMO

While I've liked all the LED systems I've used, including bog-cheap @TinyGiant-style DIY's I've made, I think the 360X's are the best thing since my old dual-150-watt Radium metal halide system.  Very similar look thanks to their unique "multichip" design.

 

I don't think I'd hesitate to save $100 each on the 360WE's vs the 360X's if that could be the deciding factor in the decision between Kessil and Ecotech.  Alternately, you might even argue that the 360X's are a better design than the EcoTech due to being fanless and decide that way.

[Paleoreef103]

I think you will have a couple of considerations here.

What kind of tank are you planning on? If you're going for LPS or less branching corals the Kessil might be my choice. It's a single point source which is fine, but you'll get a good amount of shading if you have a lot of branching coral. For cleanliness and the beauty of that single point shimmer the Kessil is a great choice. Be prepared for the cost of spectral controller ($99) and a mounting arm ($35). You don't NEED the spectral controller, but if you want to get the most out of it it is recommended.

If you're going with SPS and really want a single light I highly recommend the XR15 with the diffuser. You'll get much more even coverage with the diffuser and it will look better too (less disco-ball effect). The diffuser helps spread the light out more evenly and will help with keeping the branching corals from shading each other. I have run XR15Ws for a while now and they are great lights, but they are definitely more fidgety. If you go with them just use the AB+ setting with a ramp up and down, set it to 50% max intensity, and call it a day. You can absolutely go crazy tinkering with your radion, but please do not! Every time you tweak your light settings your corals will react negatively at first. Coral loves stability and every light tweak is a disruption! If you absolutely have to tweak it do not change your settings more than a few percentage a month. For SPS a second XR15 or a XR30 is not out of the question simply to keep the corals from shading each other if you're reaaaaallly going nuts for SPS. Be prepared for the cost of a mounting arm ($93) and the diffuser ($47).

Other options to consider are using two Kessil A160s or a nanobox duo for a mixed tank.

If you're planning on upgrading later, both A360x and XR15s are great for larger tanks. Simply buy more modules and link them together. At that point the XR15 is probably recommended simply because a single reeflink can link all of your radions and your VorTechs.

Seeing this is your first reef tank, I think the simplicity of the Kessil might be your best bet. It's easy to set it, forget it, and get good results. The radion might give you more toys to play with, but it's also easier to mess up.