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Kessil A80

cvx195

New Member
Joined
1 May 2018
Messages
20
Location
East Yorkshire
Hi all

Coming from a marine background I have always seen kessil as being a rolls Royce brand of lights but seems to be less popular in the planted tank world.

Could anyone link me to any good journals that use kessil lighting?

Also general opinion of them as a light source?
 
I have to agree with @DutchMuch, I tried a Kessil 160 for my newest tank, and ended using a Twinstar instead.
Impressions outside the noise: I like the shimmer effect, but not enough to pay through the nose for it. The control unit is nice and seems like a good product. Not impressed by light quality or quantity. I tried the gooseneck for my unit, and it was a big bulky thing that got me scared it would chip my tank.
And yeah, the noise.
 
Wow ok so not really liked then.

Was looking at one of the A80 so would be silent but surprised that the light quality was not up to the job.

Could you possibly point me in the direction of a more suitable light? Like the shimmer of kessil if that's something other lights offer?
 
Wow ok so not really liked then.

Was looking at one of the A80 so would be silent but surprised that the light quality was not up to the job.

Could you possibly point me in the direction of a more suitable light? Like the shimmer of kessil if that's something other lights offer?
never can do wrong with T5HO.
 
It all comes back to T5 in the end. Wanted to go T5 over my marine but wasn't practical for size of tank.
 
I have to agree with @DutchMuch, I tried a Kessil 160 for my newest tank, and ended using a Twinstar instead.
Impressions outside the noise: I like the shimmer effect, but not enough to pay through the nose for it. The control unit is nice and seems like a good product. Not impressed by light quality or quantity. I tried the gooseneck for my unit, and it was a big bulky thing that got me scared it would chip my tank.
And yeah, the noise.

kessil 160 is for shallow tanks really or low light plant requirments, not saying you cant grow a carpet of hc with but thats why they do the 360 and the ap700. the a80 doent use a fan but has a large heatsink so no noise at all. but when all said and done t5 lights have proven their worthyness and my only gripe is changing the tubes every 8-12 months as regardless what you might thing the par readings do degrade over time.

you should be able to make a bracket so it attaches to a wall or have one made up so you dont have to use a goosneck if you dont want. the kesill controller is just a fancy timer really with a few funky settings added. i love mine all be it the 360 but kesill are also a proven company in the reef aquatic and horticulture.
 
Hi all,
ubes every 8-12 months as regardless what you might thing the par readings do degrade over time.
Send them to me.

If you have an electronic ballast, in the luminaire, and Triphosphor tubes, <"they do decline a bit">, but in practical terms you can tell when they need changing, it is when they don't come on.

It is called "lamp lumen depreciation" or <"lumen maintenance">.

cheers Darrel
 
Hi all,Send them to me.

If you have an electronic ballast, in the luminaire, and Triphosphor tubes, <"they do decline a bit">, but in practical terms you can tell when they need changing, it is when they don't come on.

It is called "lamp lumen depreciation" or <"lumen maintenance">.

cheers Darrel

dont use t5 anymore mate. used too when i kept marine then went kesill and never looked back. i suppose t5 can be used untill the end of their working life but ferts and co2 would have to match the degrading par of t5 bulb/ bulbs used also getting the correct bulb/ tube can be hit and miss when choosing colour in human term.
 
As the author of that article allow me to explain.

That specific tip was in reference to a recent experience regarding an aquarium makeover.

The client had 4 x T8 fluorescents over their Juwel Trigon 350. I believe the Juwel ballasts are electronic, even the old T8 type.

The bulbs were old, at least 18 months. 2 x Hagen Power-Glo, 2 x Life-Glo.

I tested the PAR at the substrate using an Apogee meter.

With the old tubes it was less that 10umol in the corner.

With the new tubes it was over 20umol. Same brand and model type.

So as you can see that's over 100% increase in light by swapping old for new tubes. There was some hard water deposits on the old tubes but not a significant amount.

I can't comment on whether this applies to T5 and have every faith in Darrel's comments.

i would have thought it would
 
kessil 160 is for shallow tanks really or low light plant requirments, not saying you cant grow a carpet of hc with but thats why they do the 360 and the ap700. the a80 doent use a fan but has a large heatsink so no noise at all. but when all said and done t5 lights have proven their worthyness and my only gripe is changing the tubes every 8-12 months as regardless what you might thing the par readings do degrade over time.

you should be able to make a bracket so it attaches to a wall or have one made up so you dont have to use a goosneck if you dont want. the kesill controller is just a fancy timer really with a few funky settings added. i love mine all be it the 360 but kesill are also a proven company in the reef aquatic and horticulture.

Well, I don't have a Kessil since I traded it in for a Twinstar. Not missing it either. I have a much wider range of light with the Twinstar, and personally I like the colour of it better. I could choose colour modes with the Kessil, varying between sickly and pallid. I looked into the A80s but since I probably would have needed two to get some decent coverage I decided against it. IMHO Kessils are very expensive but not really good value. The 160 I had cost 20-25 % more than the Twinstar 600S I ended up with, which has a higher output in a much sleeker package and is completely silent. I can live with the need to boot the laptop to program the TC420.

And well, the gooseneck. I actually physically LOL'ed when I opened the package... First thought was: "This gotta be a mistake".
 
And well, the gooseneck. I actually physically LOL'ed when I opened the package... First thought was: "This gotta be a mistake".

ye they are a joke for what the goosneck cost and i wouldnt use one tbh.
if twinstar was to produce a led in banks rather than block so you could adjust to different plant types and depth penatration within the same tank they would be onto a winner, suppose thats why im more for kesill as i can either lift one up/ lower it or turn it down/ up. but saying this they do have a fault in the controller as when connected you only get one output (all the same) but i can still lift one higher to get the desired affect if you get what i mean.
 
Thanks for all the replies everyone.

So from what I can conclude

1. To get guaranteed results go T5

2. Kessil are ok but probably over priced and the light they produce is to the individuals liking.

3. Twinstar seems a popular led light source.
 
Hi all,
i would have thought it would
We have a thread somewhere (found it, <"this one">), but I think the Juwel tubes are halophosphate, presumbly because they are older stock in a non-standard size.
To get guaranteed results go T5
There is nothing wrong with T5 lamps, but the future definitely is LEDs.

cheers Darrel
 
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