My experience with the Kessil A500X

[schwaggs]

I originally posted the below information to another thread on August 21st, 2021. I am reposing it here to make the info and updates easier to find.

I resisted the switch to LEDs mostly due to cost and the fact my system has a chiller so temps are not a problem. I recently swapped out triple 250w Hqi on magnetic ballasts (supposedly overdrives the bulb for max output) with 2 rows of T5 actinic for 3 Kessil A500x units. Went from 14 amps of power for lighting to 4 amps. This is on a 210 72”x24”x30”

I used the clubs PAR meter to measure before readings at ~30 spots around the tank, over various colonies and along the sand bed. I installed the Kessils, adjusted the color to where I liked it and took par readings at those 30 points at various power levels. I adjusted the height of the lights and took more measurements.

I was able to come very close to matching what my halide fixture was producing. As you would expect, some spots were higher, others lower but on average, it was a good match. It ended up being 100% power at 60 color (0 being all blue, 100 all white) to match the par at the height I picked that had good spread.

its been 2 months and I haven’t noticed any real changes. Of course, time will tell.

The one thing I will share is the apparent brightness of 70% power to 100% was not that noticeable visually but the par meter told the story. I wonder if people are not running their LEDs bright enough. Or maybe in some cases, they cant get bright enough.

Also, my chiller still runs 5-6 times a day which is down from 8-9 times with halides but it certainly is still needed in my setup.

 

[schwaggs]

Update:

Its been almost a year with the Kessil A500 setup and I can confidently say that they are equivalent to the 250w DE metal halide setup they replaced. I have lost no corals to light (I have had some ca/alk issues cause losses). The coloration of my corals has improved greatly. The light spread isn't quite as wide as the MH but you can come close by raising them up a little.

They generate a good amount of heat into the tank and room. It isn't as much as the metal halides but it is still there. I think it makes sense that with the equivelant light output, you need to expect some heat with it. I don't think I could run my system without a chiller. Also the driver for these do get quite warm when running the lights at 100%. This could cause extra heat in your system if you mounted the power supplies in the cabinet of a tank.

Color and pop of the blue is good. I think the LED T5s I had before created a little more "glow", but the A500X is close.

I strongly suggest you use the acclimation mode when starting these up. Since no lighting system is going to have the same bright and dim spots as the prior lighting system, its a good idea to start the new one at a setting that is dimmer overall than the old system and bring up the brightness over time. Corals are much more tolorant of a suden drop in light than they are a sudden jump up in light. I started it at 50% of my destination power and color level and ran it up to 100% over 4 weeks. I didn't lose a single coral doing it that way.

These have been 100% reliable. No issues there.

Love, love, love the shimmer. I have to be careful not to cause too much surface agitation or the shimmer does get to be a little too much.

The place they are lacking is their controller and support of the controller. I can't get their controller to connect to my WiFi. Your phone needs to be on the same wifif network as their controller to get them to connect. Even if they are on the same network, often the app can't see the controller. Their tech support is terrible solving difficult situations like this. Days to respond, if they even do. When they do, it's a stupid suggestion you tried already. I tried the Neptune integration when it came out and that had limitations too (I should try that again to see if it has improved). I just reached the point where I setup the program and left it. Actually, that is probably not a bad thing!

$300 in electricity and $200 in bulbs saved so far!

 

[dough]

Nice review

 

[dough]

One other questiIon is are you running any other lights with the A500?

 

[schwaggs]

No, I don’t use any other lights on the tank. Some people add a row of 50/50 or actinic LEDs to reduce shadows and the shimmer effect. I don’t think they are needed.

 

[schwaggs]

2 year update-

The Kessil A500x have another year under their belt and are performing perfectly. No issues with the lights or the tank. I’m still loving these lights.

$600 saved in electricity and $400 saved in bulbs over the halide setup! The lights are almost 1/2 paid for in savings!

 

[Coraliscool]

You spoke about the lights putting off heat.. It was less but still knew it was there.
Is it possible that the heat in the room is caused by having a large warmer body of water in the room constantly circulating and less the lights?
When i worked in a hot kitchen we would fill one of the larger sinks with cold water and add ice and leave the water running just enough to move it. It made a difference at least in our minds anyway. Wondered if tank might have a similar effect.

 

[schwaggs]

I don’t think the heat is from the tank itself. There are cooling fans in the Kessil and the lens of the A500 gets so hot it will burn you. Plus, the room is hotter at the end of the light cycle vs at the beginning.

 

[Coraliscool]

Good to know thanks for response