Kessil or Ecotech - which should I get

[ca1ore]

The shimmer looks nice but it may not be the best thing for the corals. Those sparkly ripples are really highly focused beams of lights. The periodicity of the waves can create many more of these high energy ripples which could damage coral.

You know this how? Or just your opinion? I will tell you as a diver that 'shimmer' is very common on shallow reefs. I call ******** on this.

 

[luvreefs23]

I say get both. Here is my canopy which is on a 120 4x2x2 with 2 kessil a360we with 2 36" t5s with coral plus bulbs and the mounting plates for when my radion g4 pros arrive.





Here is with just the kessil on


Here is a photo with the kessils and the t5s on. Kessils are only at 25% and controlled thru the new apex.

 

[siliconinja]

I have a tank the same dimensions, I wanted a fixed install that was about 15-16in off the water height to give plenty of room. I went with 3x a360n's and I love them. Controlled with an apex

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[ElementalJ]

Kessil, no disco balls except in the club! [emoji1611]

 

[rjjr1963]

lol wut? I've been running Kessil A360we's for three years now and I've had no damage from the concentrated light ripples.

We better tell the sun to not be a point source of light and those ocean waves better calm down as well. We can't have any of those high energy sparkly things going on. :lol:

Please don't get butt hurt over the mentioning of Kessil. I think they are great lights.


I'm no expert but the research I was reading was interesting on this point. Imagine a perfectly flat water surface with no waves. There is no shimmer at this point and the light is spread out over the bottom. Each ripple that is added to the surface produces a focused beam of light which creates the sparkle effect. Consider an extremely turbulent surface like that in some aquariums and the frequency of the focused beam of light. The more ripples the more focused light incidents. The ratio of focused or unfocused beams is what I think is relevant. The point is that you may want to factor in the turbulent nature of the surface of the water when selecting a light.

 

[rjjr1963]

You know this how? Or just your opinion? I will tell you as a diver that 'shimmer' is very common on shallow reefs. I call ******** on this.

I was just doing some research about lighting and came across this idea. I don't know if it's right or wrong but I thought the idea had merit. As a diver I'm sure you know there are many different kinds of waves and different kinds of shimmers on the bottom. I suspect this phenomenon is linked with evolution which gives us the rich diversity we see in corals. Each coral has adapted to the various light intensities available. When selecting lights it might be wise to consider the amount of agitation at the surface of the water along with the corals lighting needs.

There is no best light for everyone.

 

[timnem70]

hmmmm.....sounds like they are both good lights. I'm kinda leaning towards the kessils because of the shimmer, plus they would be a little cheaper since I don't need to buy the neptune module for controlling the radions, just a cable for the kessils.

Spectral controller is needed to have controllability but is only a hundred bucks.

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[timnem70]

Ummm no
Just... Nope

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[ktownhero]

I was just doing some research about lighting and came across this idea. I don't know if it's right or wrong but I thought the idea had merit. As a diver I'm sure you know there are many different kinds of waves and different kinds of shimmers on the bottom. I suspect this phenomenon is linked with evolution which gives us the rich diversity we see in corals. Each coral has adapted to the various light intensities available. When selecting lights it might be wise to consider the amount of agitation at the surface of the water along with the corals lighting needs.

There is no best light for everyone.

I'm also a diver and feel obliged to further correct you here. Yes, it is true that there are varying levels of turbulence throughout the ocean. But there is almost nowhere in the ocean that has less turbulence than even the most turbulent aquariums. The oceans are quite virulent.

The reason that different corals have adapted to different forms of light spread or shimmer has nothing to do with surface agitation, but of depth. Even the deepest of our typical aquariums is not deep enough to differentiate the shimmer at the surface from the shimmer at the bottom. But, in the ocean, some corals live practically touching the surface with waves crashing over them and some live 60' deep where everything is a pretty consistently, flat blue spectrum. And there are ones that live at every point between and even after those depths.

So, if you want to get into talking about simulating nature in an aquarium you need to talk about the depth you are trying to replicate. If you are interested in simulating a relatively shallow reef or lagoon, then Kessil lights are second-to-none. And by "second-to-none" I mean, there is essentially no other light that I am aware of that can even come close to simulating the look (except MH). If you want to simulate a deeper level of reef, then you'd want lights with more spread, therefore less shimmer, and maintain an overall bluer spectrum all day long.

But there's nothing about our aquariums that says they need to be "natural" looking, or that there is even any advantage to it. It's all about what you are personally trying to achieve. I'll tell you that there is nowhere that I've seen in the ocean's reefs that looks anything like an aquarium with T5s, and those are what people see the most success with in this hobby.

 

[ComforablyNumb]

I'll tell you that there is nowhere that I've seen in the ocean's reefs that looks anything like an aquarium with T5s

Wouldn't you need a dive light to see the warmer colors of corals at any depth over 30' or so? Depending on the clarity of the water at the time, at depth a beautiful orange gorgonian can often look grayish in the ambient light. Put a light on it and the whole area changes color ...dramatically! If you want to see spectacular colors in fish and corals, dive the Red Sea. I suspect the difference is the higher salinity. -Tim (PADI certified instructor)

 

[rjjr1963]

I'm also a diver and feel obliged to further correct you here. Yes, it is true that there are varying levels of turbulence throughout the ocean. But there is almost nowhere in the ocean that has less turbulence than even the most turbulent aquariums. The oceans are quite virulent.

If you look at 2:22 of this video it shows what I'm referring too. The video goes on to look briefly at this specific issue.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CR0FaKu35q0

The reason that different corals have adapted to different forms of light spread or shimmer has nothing to do with surface agitation, but of depth. Even the deepest of our typical aquariums is not deep enough to differentiate the shimmer at the surface from the shimmer at the bottom. But, in the ocean, some corals live practically touching the surface with waves crashing over them and some live 60' deep where everything is a pretty consistently, flat blue spectrum. And there are ones that live at every point between and even after those depths.

Depth and shimmer (surface agitation) are relevant as they both affect light intensity.

So, if you want to get into talking about simulating nature in an aquarium you need to talk about the depth you are trying to replicate. If you are interested in simulating a relatively shallow reef or lagoon, then Kessil lights are second-to-none. And by "second-to-none" I mean, there is essentially no other light that I am aware of that can even come close to simulating the look (except MH). If you want to simulate a deeper level of reef, then you'd want lights with more spread, therefore less shimmer, and maintain an overall bluer spectrum all day long.

Exactly my point.

But there's nothing about our aquariums that says they need to be "natural" looking, or that there is even any advantage to it. It's all about what you are personally trying to achieve. I'll tell you that there is nowhere that I've seen in the ocean's reefs that looks anything like an aquarium with T5s, and those are what people see the most success with in this hobby.

Absolutely. It depends on each individual's motivation.

 

[Scorpius]

Please don't get butt hurt over the mentioning of Kessil. I think they are great lights.

My butt is none of your business, bud.

 

[rjjr1963]

My butt is none of your business, bud.

You got that right pal.

 

[Scorpius]

You got that right pal.

At least you have a sense of humor. :lol:

 

[moondoggy4]

I don't think two XR15 would not be enough for a 4 x2x2 tank, I think the Kessil would cover it better.

 

[jumplittlechloe]

I have 3 Kessils with two 2 T5 retros (coral+ bulbs) to address any shadowing. Tank is a 120g 4x2x2.