Reef Guy 04
Member
Hello All!
I am looking at upgrading the lighting for my 65 gal mixed reef. Mostly sps. Last similar post I've seen was 7 years ago, so things have changed dramatically since then.
The dimensions of the tanks are 36L×18W×24h. I currently have a pair of oldschool Fathom LED Hydras. I have a several replacement options I'm looking at. Some may be overkill, but that's ok because the new lights will eventually be lighting a larger upgrade or a 50 gallon lowboy frag tank.
Here are the 4 options I'm considering:
1. One Kessil AP9X. There's a lot to like about this one and possibly my favorite of the 4. Only problem I'm unsure about is the tank has a center brace and the lights are only about 9.5 inches apart. 12" spacing would be ideal for avoiding brace shadowing and lighting the ends of the tank. If that would even be an issue.
2. Two Radion XR15 G6's. If it weren't for the price, I probably would have already purchased these already. Sounds like a good option and would provide similar performance as the AP9X.
3. Two Kessil A360X's. I was considering these at first, but I'm not sure if they're a viable option at this point. Performance is good, but other options seem to have better programabilty without having to purchase aditional items. Unless, I'm mistaken.
4. Finally, Two Maxspec Jump 65's. Sounds like they have good performance and good par ratings without emptying the wallet. Not sure if the depth would be a problem. The main problem I've seen is the app and wifi functionality.
Any feedback, experiences, and relavant info would be greatly appreciated. Also, feel free to mention any other options to consider.
Thanks!
I am looking at upgrading the lighting for my 65 gal mixed reef. Mostly sps. Last similar post I've seen was 7 years ago, so things have changed dramatically since then.
The dimensions of the tanks are 36L×18W×24h. I currently have a pair of oldschool Fathom LED Hydras. I have a several replacement options I'm looking at. Some may be overkill, but that's ok because the new lights will eventually be lighting a larger upgrade or a 50 gallon lowboy frag tank.
Here are the 4 options I'm considering:
1. One Kessil AP9X. There's a lot to like about this one and possibly my favorite of the 4. Only problem I'm unsure about is the tank has a center brace and the lights are only about 9.5 inches apart. 12" spacing would be ideal for avoiding brace shadowing and lighting the ends of the tank. If that would even be an issue.
2. Two Radion XR15 G6's. If it weren't for the price, I probably would have already purchased these already. Sounds like a good option and would provide similar performance as the AP9X.
3. Two Kessil A360X's. I was considering these at first, but I'm not sure if they're a viable option at this point. Performance is good, but other options seem to have better programabilty without having to purchase aditional items. Unless, I'm mistaken.
4. Finally, Two Maxspec Jump 65's. Sounds like they have good performance and good par ratings without emptying the wallet. Not sure if the depth would be a problem. The main problem I've seen is the app and wifi functionality.
Any feedback, experiences, and relavant info would be greatly appreciated. Also, feel free to mention any other options to consider.
Thanks!
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