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New lighting for new tank....help?

Upgrading to 40g IM tank very soon..any day now it will arrive. I had originally planned on using my jbj unibody on it controlled by Apex. I set it up and watching it ramp up and down, it's very skittish. So I'm not very happy with its dimming capability.
Now I'm shopping for a more advanced system.
The tank will house coral, fish etc. SPS eventually, LPS and softs.
I've narrowed it down to kessil 360 or radion gen 3. The radion seems to have the features, but the kessil have better (much IMO) color. I am going to try to see a radion in person this week to visually compare the two.

If you own one of these could I ask for your opinion, pro and con?

Thanks!
 
I will throw a wrench in. Go reefbreeders photon and have $400 left for coral haha

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horseplay

NJRC Member
I have always wondered whether the reefbreeders photon lights are better than AI and Radion from the spread perspective. One of the problem with the LED's is the pointed source and shading problem. People with great LED setups have many units setup as an matrix thus alleviate the spread issue.
 
Sorry I thought you were a paid member one guy has them for sale here. I don't have one but looks like a great deal.
 
Radion all day. I'll never use another LED. Don't see how the kessil could have better color than the radion especially since the radion has several channels with 1% incremental power changes.
 
Radion all day. I'll never use another LED. Don't see how the kessil could have better color than the radion especially since the radion has several channels with 1% incremental power changes.

Not sure one can say it's better or worse, its so subjective. They both can grow coral, they both have a fan base. To me it's just a different methodology of creating light. If you compare the spectrum on both webs sites they are very similar. Radion went with separate channels of color led all spaced a bit in it's fixture. Kessil, packed them all together in a tiny foot print to allow more shimmer. If both spectrums shown are true then they both are pretty equal in the colors they produce. Just because you cannot independently control each color in the Kessil, is not a better or worse, just different.
 
I have the radion pros over my tank. I have two of them. I'm in Riverton 08077. You are more than welcome to come play.
 
I was referring to the OP's comment on how he believes the kessil has better color than the radion



As pointed out, color is completely subjective. Every person does not "see" color the same. While technical data can show data and interpret graphs and spreads, it still falls on the viewers eyes to interpret the color.
I believe Kessil has a better visible color blend of light than most LEDs I have seen. And while I am not a color scientist, I have been in the color business for almost 40 years.
YRMV.
 
Ok, looked at Radion, AI Hydra, and Kessil. They are all pretty amazing lights. Still like the way Kessil blends, but love the control of the other two. Actually leaning to the Hydra now since Radion has not released their alternative mounting solution. But I am told it should be on sale in about a month.
Also looking at alternative manufacturers..it makes my head spin with the number of choices out there!
Guess I have a few weeks to decide as the new tank cycles in...I'll post what I buy in this thread when it happens..
Thanks!
 
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