AI Prime vs Kessil A360x?

[Kiriesh]

Hey all, I’m considering swapping my Twinstar 900S on my tank for either an AI prime or A360x and I’m wondering if anyone has good comparative experience between the two?

I have an A360x tuna sun on a different tank that I like, but the AI prime looks to have better color customization and a dramatically lower price tag.

I’d be getting 2 lights either way so it really boils down to which one.

I’ve found a few reviews online but not much in the way of comparisons.


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[Qwedfg]

What don’t you like about the twinstar?

 

[Kiriesh]

What don’t you like about the twinstar?

It’s a good light but a few things:

- it has a pretty stark white spectrum that gives the tank an almost blue-ish hue

- even with an inline dimmer, it’s hard to get the lighting levels “just right”

- I’d like some more control over color spectrum

- I like the shimmer/shadows that pendant style lights give you

- I’ve almost knocked the damn thing into the tank multiple times now, one of the reasons I’m not a big fan of the “bar” style lights

I got it used when I bought my tank otherwise I probably wouldn’t have gotten a Twinstar to begin with.


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[Qwedfg]

Since you are looking at pendant style lights you should also take a look at the chihiros vivid and week aqua.

 

[Kiriesh]

Since you are looking at pendant style lights you should also take a look at the chihiros vivid and week aqua.

I’m looking specifically for a spotlight effect so that rules out chihiros and I want app controlled color tuning so that rules out the week aqua T series.

I’m pretty sold on either the AI Prime or the Kessil A360X, it’s just a matter of which one


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[oreo57]

I’m looking specifically for a spotlight effect so that rules out chihiros and I want app controlled color tuning so that rules out the week aqua T series.

I’m pretty sold on either the AI Prime or the Kessil A360X, it’s just a matter of which one


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Well... take what I'm about to say with a grain of salt but if faced with the 2 choices the AI wins.
First the 360 if one can believe the "talk" have a higher percent of repairs than the AI.

Kessil A360X is the absolute most common repair that I do. Requires a board level repair and component upgrades.

Kessil only has 2 channels unless you buy more "parts"


Too secretive of a company for my taste.
Really more reef centric and I "feel" fw is an afterthought and not really in their forte.
Like you said more expensive especially when you add all the "parts" not included with the light itself.

AI's not perfect either though. They were much more perfect when the price was at $200US 😉
Many feel it is too "warm" out of the box.

You may want to peek at the MT-450 Micmole Master light.

LED aquarium light, LED lights, Nano reef aquarium, Reef Builders, Reef and Marine Aquarium Blog, Aqua mini, Aqua Pro, LED nano, micmol

LED aquarium light, LED lights, Nano reef aquarium, Reef Builders, Reef and Marine Aquarium Blog, Aqua mini, Aqua Pro, LED nano, micmol

www.micmol.com

cost is no object.. GHL Mitras 7004

Mitras LX 7004 Freshwater

Freshwater model, 4 cluster.

www.aquariumcomputer.com

When asking light questions it is helpful to give tank dimensions and goals.

 

[Kiriesh]

Thanks for the insights! While I appreciate the alternative brand recommendations, I’m really looking to replicate the “point source light” as Kessil calls it to get the intense shimmer which limits options.

I’m not really looking for general lighting recommendations so I didn’t think my tank size was necessary, but it’s a 90x50x50cm tank. I’m mostly interested in anyone with hands on experience ideally comparing the two but at a minimum the AI Prime.

Tank in question:



And my cube tank running my Kessil with the shimmer effect I love:




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[oreo57]

Thanks for the insights! While I appreciate the alternative brand recommendations, I’m really looking to replicate the “point source light” as Kessil calls it to get the intense shimmer which limits options.

I’m not really looking for general lighting recommendations so I didn’t think my tank size was necessary, but it’s a 90x50x50cm tank. I’m mostly interested in anyone with hands on experience ideally comparing the two but at a minimum the AI Prime.

Tank in question:

View attachment 212262

And my cube tank running my Kessil with the shimmer effect I love:

View attachment 212263


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Well the Kessil design makes the "most" shimmer than any other light with the possible exception of the reef centric Noopsyche K7 Pro or the like.
just physics.
Note the big ole lens on it.
Reefers go through this discussion regularly.
Note I said most since "best" is relative to ones tastes.
Besides all will have zero shimmer on dead flat calm water. 😉
Almost all leds shimmer to some degree and increasing surface turbulence will increase the shimmer.

Lighting a 75 gallon with 2 existing AI 16

Hey y'all, I recently picked up a 75 gallon and wondering what I should add to supplement 2 AI 16hd's?

www.reef2reef.com

I haven't heard of the noopsyche K7 before. Would that plus the two AI primes be enough?

Yes- It has great penetration and better shimmer than Kessil

Different spectrums but shimmer isn't reliant on the color of light.
As a "cultural" thing don't think too many fw people go changing top tier lights as readily as sw people seem to do sooo finding someone that used both "here" may be a bit difficult.
Not to mention not sure how popular Kessil is in the UK in fw.
So spend some time mining the saltwater reefer sites for opinions.
Or the US

UNS 90L with 2xKessil A390X - First Planted Tank

www.plantedtank.net

Or:

flood light LED's

I'm going to take the plunge in LED's for 3 of my planted tanks, hoping to get some advice. Been reading alot about the Finnex on here and that seems to be one route alot of people are choosing. I came across a post on my local fish forum from someone who purchased LED floodlights from China...

www.plantedtank.net

I suspect it was surface agitation though.

My LFS runs AI Sols, AI Vegas, Ecotechs, Kessils, MH, and floods and the AIs and Ecotechs definitely seem to glimmer more than the MH, Kessils (also an array but higher wattage diodes than floods), and flood lamps.

One doesn't need to own either light to know you have much more fine control of the spectrum w/ an AI than a Kessil.

One thing I'm curious about with the Kessil is how " warm" can you make it?
Past Kessil fw before the addition of green,red,and violet was 6000k was about the warmest one will go.

 

[Wookii]

AI Prime wins hands down over the Kessil A360X on almost every parameter you can consider, so that would be my choice out of the two.

I love the shimmer too, so I have the Week Aqua T90 Pro's now - also point source, with controllable colour spectrum and far better colour rendition that the AI, but a bigger more cumbersome form factor.

WEEK AQUA T90 PRO RGB+UVA Aquarium Lightning【WEEK AQUA INTERNATIONAL】

 

[oreo57]

Not seeing an issue w/ the AI shimmer here.. 🙂

 

[Kiriesh]

AI Prime wins hands down over the Kessil A360X on almost every parameter you can consider, so that would be my choice out of the two.

I love the shimmer too, so I have the Week Aqua T90 Pro's now - also point source, with controllable colour spectrum and far better colour rendition that the AI, but a bigger more cumbersome form factor.

WEEK AQUA T90 PRO RGB+UVA Aquarium Lightning【WEEK AQUA INTERNATIONAL】

Wow I didn’t know the T90 came with app control, the ones I were seeing were just basic dimming. You’re right though it’s a bit bulky for what I was planning, but maybe I’ll give it a go on a future build.

Thanks for the tips everyone! I opted to give AI a try, I’m excited to see first hand how it holds up against the much pricier Kessil.


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[oreo57]

Wow I didn’t know the T90 came with app control, the ones I were seeing were just basic dimming. You’re right though it’s a bit bulky for what I was planning, but maybe I’ll give it a go on a future build.

Thanks for the tips everyone! I opted to give AI a try, I’m excited to see first hand how it holds up against the much pricier Kessil.


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Good timing.. Seems they are on sale..

Prime 16 SOL LED Light - White Body

Smart Aquarium LED | Simple No-Frills Coral Growing Power For those who loved the Sol Blue color, the Prime Sol brings back the historic spectrum in a new compact package. All with modern smart control through the myAI app and a proven track record of success. Simple Built-in Control All AI...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

Remember the AI's are about 1/2 the wattage as a Kessil.

 

[Kiriesh]

Thanks for the help folks! The new primes (bought on that BRS sale) just came in yesterday.

First impressions, not quite as punchy reds/oranges as I expected but the shimmer is great! I still need to adjust the color settings to lock in on the color spectrum I want.

Ironically I think my 360x might have slightly better reds right now but it’s hard to say because that tank has a lot more red plants.

TL;DR time will tell how these work out and hold up, but the shimmer was amazing right away so I’m sold.





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[oreo57]

Huh....your'e running a cool white spectrum
Is that the 100% out of the box look?

 

[Kiriesh]

Huh....your'e running a cool white spectrum
Is that the 100% out of the box look?

I tend to prefer cool white spectrums, I feel like it does a good job of emphasizing natural colors. That said this shot was nearly out of box right after hooking up everything, so I’ve made tweaks since then and will probably adjust it more in near future to dial it in to my tastes.

Right now I have it set to 13000K (pretty close to out of box colors) for most of the day and then getting progressively warmer for the last hour before ramp down to give it a sunset aesthetic.


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[oreo57]

Need to update my mental notes. 🙂
" Old" model was warmer out of the box.
Thanks for the clarity.

I end my day w 15min pure red after the ww/ red stage
There is an unproven " thing" about the bit of ir from the 660s for that 15min ( begin and end of day). No real proof it helps.
Fun though.

 

[oreo57]

I tend to prefer cool white spectrums, I feel like it does a good job of emphasizing natural colors. That said this shot was nearly out of box right after hooking up everything, so I’ve made tweaks since then and will probably adjust it more in near future to dial it in to my tastes.

Right now I have it set to 13000K (pretty close to out of box colors) for most of the day and then getting progressively warmer for the last hour before ramp down to give it a sunset aesthetic.


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You know a bit of an odd question.. Sure you got the FW version?
Reason I'm asking is going over the spectrum data for the fw and it really doesn't match what you are showing..
Could be published spectrums are wrong but my "napkin" analysis shows the base color temp to be about 5500K. About what the light over the Philodendron looks like.
Next ODD thing is I'm surprised at a 13000k preset in a fw.
Then there is this catalog" error..
Note the diodes:



You have a warm white channel right?

 

[Kiriesh]

You know a bit of an odd question.. Sure you got the FW version?
Reason I'm asking is going over the spectrum data for the fw and it really doesn't match what you are showing..
Could be published spectrums are wrong but my "napkin" analysis shows the base color temp to be about 5500K. About what the light over the Philodendron looks like.
Next ODD thing is I'm surprised at a 13000k preset in a fw.
Then there is this catalog" error..
Note the diodes:
View attachment 212553


You have a warm white channel right?

That’s a valid question! They’re definitely freshwater, unless the boxes and firmware are wrong:







I do have a warm channel. I took their color tune at face value which in retrospect is probably wrong:





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[oreo57]

Huh.. thanks. Hard to argue..
Not sure how to reconcile the whole thing.
This is the published spectrum overlayed on my translation of it in Raycal.
Ignore the text as the chart was set to saltwater atm.
Left is the expected spectrum. "Tint" in the upper left.
Right is verification of the data vs the published spectrum at 100%. Though the "tics" in the published are practically non-existant the 380 anchor point is valid.
Peaks match what the "should" be roughly. CREE photo red should be around 655-ish but can change by bin ect. 670 here.
Interesting.....

 

[Wookii]

That’s a valid question! They’re definitely freshwater, unless the boxes and firmware are wrong:

View attachment 212554

View attachment 212555



I do have a warm channel. I took their color tune at face value which in retrospect is probably wrong:

View attachment 212556
View attachment 212557


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First thing I do with Primes to boost colour rendition, is turn warm white off completely, and cool white right down, and turn the Red and Green up to max and blue about 50%. Then gradually increase the cool white and blue to get the colour rendition I want, finally adding in a bit of warm white if things are still looking a bit cool and I need more overall light output.