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Kessil A80 Review – Worth The Money?

Many people like decorating a tank beautifully and keep the most colorful fishes in it. However, just adding the right ornaments will not do. If you want your tank to look amazing then you also must opt for the best-LED lights.

Earlier, T5 fluorescent lights were commonly used in fish aquariums but owing to the many benefits that the LED lights offer they have now become a favorite of every aquarist.

One of the most popular LED lights and the ideal choice for small-sized tanks is Kessil A80. We shall learn more about it through a Kessil A80 review. But before that, let us discover what makes LED light the right choice for your tank.

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Benefits of LED Lights for Your Fish Tank

The main reason why people use LED lights is to light up their aquariums. Such lights have been created to offer the best possible visual effect. It proves to be the ideal decor element for your tank. No matter what kind of light pattern you are interested in, you can create the effect by making little adjustments from a provided control panel.

Various LEDs also offer wireless connectivity so that you can adjust the light pattern and color. You can easily replicate various light patterns and create different times of a day like sunrise, sunset, dawn, midday, dusk, and night.

A Safer Option

If compared to the metal halide and T5 fluorescent lights that were earlier popularly used the LED lights make a much safer choice.

They are believed to be safer because they do not require any metal filament. Nor does it need any noxious gases to light the cells of the LED. Nowadays, even LEDs that are water safe are being introduced. Not that those are not water safe are no good, they work amazingly well too.

LEDs Support the Better Growth of Marine and Plant Life

The light that is emitted by the LED panels affects the environment of a tank in a very important way. It is very helpful for the growth of fish, corals, and plant life.

Most of the LED lights that you can select from offer about 8000k to 10000k of lighting. This is good enough for the healthy growth of various plants. Also, it is perfect for the growth of different water organisms.

When your tank gets the right lighting it enjoys the right quantity of vitamins and other important ingredients that is necessary for good growth. Also, some of the LEDs have a Deep Water Light feature that replicates that type of radiation that is good for coral growth.

LEDs Do Not Produce Much Heat

What is also amazing about the LED lights is that they produce much less heat compared to the other kinds of lights. The light that it produces is still almost the same or maybe more than the conventional ones. Still, it does not affect the general temperature in a tank.

Nowadays, various LED panels also come with passive systems or cooling fans (just like Kessil A80) that prevents the LEDs from getting way too hot. It keeps the temperature in the tank under control while also increasing longevity. As less heat is generated, it proves to be greatly beneficial to any fish tank. The low generation of heat helps conserve power while maintaining the perfect conditions in a tank.

LEDs are Budget-Friendly

Yet another reason why people everywhere prefer LED lights for their tank is that they are cost-effective.

The power used by these lights is very less. If you use LED lights you are also using less power for your aquariums compared to any other lighting system. Furthermore, LED lights are much cheaper to purchase and installing them is also very easy.

Lasts longer

If you use the normal lights for your tank then you will have to keep investing in new bulbs often as they do not have a big life span.

LRD lighting systems, on the other hand, have a long lifespan. You will not have to keep changing it, not for very long at least. Thus you will end up saving more money.

Now that we understood the benefits of LED lights let us dive into the Kessil A80 review and understand why it is so popular and the best choice for you.

Kessil A80 Review

The Kessil A80 LED Light has a simple design that enables high heat to easily transfer through its aluminum powder-coated body. No fan is needed here for cooling purposes as it has a passive cooling system. Also, the light operates without making any noise and you would thus not mind installing it in your bedroom aquarium. As there is no fan present there is also no chance of water splashing.

The light draws a power of only 15W that too at maximum speed. This is why passive cooling is able to work so efficiently.

The complete unit comprises of 15 LED lights. It covers the total light color spectrum, starting with white LEDs, a reddish magenta, different types of blue, and also some UV. The entire lighting takes less than 10mm space. It even features secondary lenses. When in use, it blends perfectly and creates beautiful glittery lines using the surface water movement.

The entire body is black in color, which looks very attractive. You also get a little gooseneck mounting attachment which helps to keep the Kessil A80 LED in place. It is very compact and extremely light in weight as well.

Kessil A80 LED Light Head

The light head is petite and cute. It is circular in shape and is 2.5 cm thick and has a diameter of 12 cm. The LED light, which is the main portion of this head, sits in the middle. On the top, you will be able to see the controls.

There is an output button and an input button as well. Near them are present control knobs – one for intensity and one for color. The light output of the Kessil A80 is stunning and opaque. There will be no disco effect at all. It just glitters beautifully, creating magic.

You can use the intensity and color to make the most of this amazing lightning system. Adjust it to match the ambiance or your mood. All thanks to the color and intensity adjustability, you also will be able to control the temperature.

Easy To Mount

As a part of this Kessil A80 review, you need to know that this light comes together with one mounting bracket and a power cord (24V DC). It measures only 12 cm across and has a 2.5cm thickness. This tiny light is ideal for little tanks. Unit link cables are present using which you can connect multiple units if you have larger tanks.

There are various ways you can mount the light. Using the top mounting bracket you can screw the light onto any surface, like a hood. If you have an open-tank then the Gooseneck will prove to be a better option for you.

You can even suspend the light from the ceilings.

How Does It Work


Video: “A80 Nano Aquarium Light from Kessil”


This light is good for small and nano tanks. Owing to it being small in size, additional light may be needed. Its 15cm height will help it to create the right effect if you have coral or fish tanks that are about 35-cm deep. If your aquarium is bigger, then for better light penetration additional lights will be helpful.

The company itself recommends A360 or A160 to maintain the right SPS.

The light has a nice broad range. Its expected coverage in diameter is about 18-inches from 6-inches of height. Once the height reaches or goes beyond eight inches, the coverage will expand to about 24-inches in diameter. Thus it is a perfect option for you if you have a shallow reef aquarium.

As already mentioned, there are two dials/knobs on the upper surface of the LED light that helps you adjust intensity and color. Thanks to “Kessil Logic” you will be able to have full control over the light intensity and ultimate color. You also will be able to maintain the right spectrum for the health and growth of your corals.

The light even includes a 0-10V output and input for control usage (external) together with third-party controllers. This is a common feature with Kessil items. There are output and input ports present on your Kessil Spectral Controller that will allow you to set full day cycles. Simultaneously, you will be able to maintain a constant spectrum and output.

Pros and Cons

Let us now discover the pros and cons of Kessil A80.

PROS:

  • Very light in weight and compact.
  • Controls make it highly adjustable.
  • Gooseneck attachment makes it more flexible.
  • Offers passive cooling.
  • Offers an intense light output.

CONS:

  • Not as intense as is needed by deep or large tanks.
  • Has no PAR readings.

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Conclusion

To conclude this Kessil A80 review it can fairly be said that this LED light system is a high-quality product. It is light in weight, adjustable, provides high performance, and offers all of what it ensures.

It will make your tank look stunning and is a perfect option if you have less demanding fish and corals.

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Aaron Boyd
Aaron Boyd

Hello, I’m Aaron Boyd, the proud owner and author behind Aqua Movement. I hope my article was able to answer your questions. If you want to learn more about me, click the home icon above.

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