Johnny Ciotti
Member
With the recent introduction of many plant aquarium specific LED light fixtures hitting the market, I couldn't see a better time to review one that has a lot of buzz circulating it.
Being one of those guys that is eager to adopt new technology for the better of my flora, fauna and over all well being, LEDs only seem to make sense. Well, for the last few years the handful of fixtures I tried left me wanting more and pointing me back in the direction of my trusty T5s.
The Kessil A150W Amazon Sun, a 32 Watt 24V DC "Dense Matrix LED" is assumed to be a 150watt metal halide replacement. With an approximate color temperature of 6700k, this particular flavor of LED is meant to be focused at us aquatic gardeners. Without getting to much further into the techy aspect I'd like to aim this review at the practicality and mind state of current aquarium equipment trends.
The Look of Light
This was the first thing that turned me on and turned me off about LED lighting. Most solid state light fixtures produce hard shadows, uneven illumination, and strange color fringing that is unpleasant to look at. The Kessil seemed to get around that with their multi chip array. Blending multiple colors of LEDs into one tightly packed group helps eliminate the unsightly blue or red shadows you would commonly see with varied color temps. The idea of using multiple bin colors gives the more natural look we are used to of full spectrum metal halide but with the added benefit of greater than T5 efficiency. Now this sounds great, but what does it mean and how does it apply to you and me?
My personal opinion is lighting should do more then just grow plants (more on that later), but give life to the aesthetic of our aquatic plant layout, breath inspiration into our homes and create an emotion to something that was otherwise still and dead.
LED has always looked sort of flat with an overwhelming seizure like inducing strobe when placed over an aquarium. The Kessil doesn't have a hint of this, rich full color with beautiful metal halide shimmer lines. But what about the uneven spread from a point source? This isn't always a bad thing in my honest opinion, I've got lots of opinions but this one I really think makes sense. Shadows add depth, shape and a sense of mystery to areas of our tank that used to be uninviting plant caves. This light challenges you to remember why those images in Nature Aquarium World made you think. Take a look at your favorite photo and imagine what it would look like without shadows, probably something like a T5 luminare over a freshly trimmed hedge of Rotala, yuck.
Growth and Health
This would arguably be the most argued about argument in lighting. As much as I hate to say it, yes, yes good quality LEDs will grow plants just fine. I've had the Kessil A150W Amazon Sun over my 60cm nature aquarium layout for about 4 weeks now. The light was put up right after a trim and has brought the plants into shape very quickly. The color at first seemed lacking and I was hesitant to leave the fixture be, 2 weeks into the new spectrum photo period the plants popped with a vibrant glow and returned to their original saturated state, even the reds.
Form and Function
The Kessil has a unique approach in attaching to the aquarium. Being that most of us strive for functionality while balancing the wife friendly appearance factor, the Kessil did this with a sleek, easy to install "goose neck" arm clamp and I thank them for it. The fixture itself is a quality aluminum cylinder with anodized, powder coat and paint combination finish. I could have only asked for something other then black. Maybe if Kessil reads this we will see a silver or white option that blends in with an interior wall better. The open nature the light allows for makes trimming, feeding and topping up the aquarium easier then ever. The fan that provides active cooling isn't too loud, my better half can put up with it so this means yours can too. I can't make comment on how long the fixture will last as I've only had it a month, but with what I've seen the construction should prove to be worth the $270 USD.
Conclusion and Comment
Despite the need for cable ties to secure the power cord and the ugly brass hanging hardware (I didn't use), my T5 setup will be donated to a new hobbyist, the A150W will stay over my aquarium and I will give Kessil a big
!
(Jake Adams using his Lytro on my layout)
Let us not forget to rethink what we expect from an aquarium light and embrace change.
Being one of those guys that is eager to adopt new technology for the better of my flora, fauna and over all well being, LEDs only seem to make sense. Well, for the last few years the handful of fixtures I tried left me wanting more and pointing me back in the direction of my trusty T5s.
The Kessil A150W Amazon Sun, a 32 Watt 24V DC "Dense Matrix LED" is assumed to be a 150watt metal halide replacement. With an approximate color temperature of 6700k, this particular flavor of LED is meant to be focused at us aquatic gardeners. Without getting to much further into the techy aspect I'd like to aim this review at the practicality and mind state of current aquarium equipment trends.
The Look of Light
This was the first thing that turned me on and turned me off about LED lighting. Most solid state light fixtures produce hard shadows, uneven illumination, and strange color fringing that is unpleasant to look at. The Kessil seemed to get around that with their multi chip array. Blending multiple colors of LEDs into one tightly packed group helps eliminate the unsightly blue or red shadows you would commonly see with varied color temps. The idea of using multiple bin colors gives the more natural look we are used to of full spectrum metal halide but with the added benefit of greater than T5 efficiency. Now this sounds great, but what does it mean and how does it apply to you and me?
My personal opinion is lighting should do more then just grow plants (more on that later), but give life to the aesthetic of our aquatic plant layout, breath inspiration into our homes and create an emotion to something that was otherwise still and dead.
LED has always looked sort of flat with an overwhelming seizure like inducing strobe when placed over an aquarium. The Kessil doesn't have a hint of this, rich full color with beautiful metal halide shimmer lines. But what about the uneven spread from a point source? This isn't always a bad thing in my honest opinion, I've got lots of opinions but this one I really think makes sense. Shadows add depth, shape and a sense of mystery to areas of our tank that used to be uninviting plant caves. This light challenges you to remember why those images in Nature Aquarium World made you think. Take a look at your favorite photo and imagine what it would look like without shadows, probably something like a T5 luminare over a freshly trimmed hedge of Rotala, yuck.
Growth and Health
This would arguably be the most argued about argument in lighting. As much as I hate to say it, yes, yes good quality LEDs will grow plants just fine. I've had the Kessil A150W Amazon Sun over my 60cm nature aquarium layout for about 4 weeks now. The light was put up right after a trim and has brought the plants into shape very quickly. The color at first seemed lacking and I was hesitant to leave the fixture be, 2 weeks into the new spectrum photo period the plants popped with a vibrant glow and returned to their original saturated state, even the reds.
Form and Function
The Kessil has a unique approach in attaching to the aquarium. Being that most of us strive for functionality while balancing the wife friendly appearance factor, the Kessil did this with a sleek, easy to install "goose neck" arm clamp and I thank them for it. The fixture itself is a quality aluminum cylinder with anodized, powder coat and paint combination finish. I could have only asked for something other then black. Maybe if Kessil reads this we will see a silver or white option that blends in with an interior wall better. The open nature the light allows for makes trimming, feeding and topping up the aquarium easier then ever. The fan that provides active cooling isn't too loud, my better half can put up with it so this means yours can too. I can't make comment on how long the fixture will last as I've only had it a month, but with what I've seen the construction should prove to be worth the $270 USD.
Conclusion and Comment
Despite the need for cable ties to secure the power cord and the ugly brass hanging hardware (I didn't use), my T5 setup will be donated to a new hobbyist, the A150W will stay over my aquarium and I will give Kessil a big
!(Jake Adams using his Lytro on my layout)
Let us not forget to rethink what we expect from an aquarium light and embrace change.
