A500X Controllable LED Aquarium Light - Tuna Blue
Kessil
A500X Controllable LED Aquarium Light - Tuna Blue
5 Reviews
$653.65 $769.00

Reflector-35 - Narrow Reflector (A360X / A360XE / A500X)
Kessil
Reflector-35 - Narrow Reflector (A360X / A360XE / A500X)
1 Review
$33.15 $39.00

What is the best mounting height for the Kessil A500X?

There are three different reflectors available that you should choose based on the dimensions of your tank. The deeper the tank, the narrower angle lens you should use because it will focus the light and penetrate deeper. The optimal mounting height changes based on the particular reflector because of the light spread it creates. 

  • No lens (native 120° reflector) - 9" from the water's surface
  • 55° reflector - 12" from the water's surface
  • 35° reflector - 22" from the water's surface

What type of corals is the A500X best for?

Being a pendant-style light, shadows will ultimately be created as corals grow larger and begin to block light.  This will create areas of higher PAR in the upper water column and areas of lower light in those shadowed zones down below. For this reason, the A500X works best over a mixed reef with SPS corals in the upper water column and lower light demanding corals down below.  

What is the difference between the A360X and A500X?

The main difference is the wattage and physical dimensions. The A500X housing is slightly larger but runs at double the wattage and contains exactly twice as many LED diodes compared to the A360X. The mounting and available control options are identical between the two.  

A360X A500X
  • Dimensions: 4.3" x 2.1"
  • Power Consumption: 90W max
  • Dimensions: 5.2" x 3.7"
  • Power Consumption: 185W max

How do you control the A500X?

Kessil A-series lights give you a few options when it comes to control which is great because you can choose the option that best suits your needs. 

  1. You can run them on a simple timer, adjusting the output and spectrum using the manual control dials.
  2. You can use the Kessil Spectral Controller X which is a wired controller that allows you to control both the output and spectrum. The controller also has the ability to create custom schedules and engage weather and moonlight effects. 
  3. The Kessil Wifi dongle is the most robust option which allows you to connect to the light via Wifi using the Kessil control app on your smartphone. You can then use the app to set the output and program your light schedule wirelessly. 

Which is better, the AP9X or A500X?

Both lights have very similar technology from Kessil, the difference here is based on the type of tank you want to illuminate.  While both fixtures are capable of 185 watts of total light output, the AP9X uses two separate dense matrix LEDs while the A500X is a single, more powerful dense matrix LED.   

The AP9X is set up to efficiently illuminate rectangular-shaped reef aquariums no more than 24" deep.  The A500X is better for deeper aquariums (up to 36" deep) or in situations where you want to mount the light much higher from the water's surface.