Zetlight has released a new reef aquarium light called the X9. The 5.5” square, compact light fixture features a central LED array and comes in two models – the 66-watt Basic model and the 96-watt Advanced. The outer aluminum housing features both cooling fins and a six-speed cooling fan and the two models only vary in the number of diodes they have been populated with – 53 chips for the Basic model and 88 for the Advanced.
Each includes seven different colored diodes – UV, Violet, Royal, Blue, Cyan, Green, and Red, the Advanced model carries more of every color except the green and the red. The UV channel is 395nm UVA.
90-degree lens
The diodes are densely packed and placed behind a single, spherical 90-degree lens, with the manufacturer recommending the Basic is used to light areas up to 50x50cm, and the Advanced, 80x80cm, although the areas shrink down to 30x30cm and 40x40cm if wanting to grow SPS under them.
The X9 can be app-controlled via a mobile device and is compatible with both Android and iOS devices. Interestingly it features both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, so the connection should be straightforward, even amongst a haze of other aquarium devices, and the app features 14 easy presets including SPS, LPS, 14K, and Fluorescent to promote pop. It is worth noting however that the seven-colored LEDs are grouped into only four channels of control. The lens features a neat shade to avoid glare and the fixture can be tank-mounted or suspended, both available separately.
What we think
The X9 is a brand new light and although we haven’t gotten our hands on one yet, Reef Builders presenter Remy won one in the Silent Auction at ReefStock Denver 2024 and he has. He’s going to try it out on his nano nem tank and will report back on his progress in the future.
On paper, the X9 has just about everything the modern reefer demands although the icing on the cake would have been seven separate channel controls, not four. We like that they’ve produced two models to keep the price points as entry-level as possible for the Basic, while also appealing to the more discerning aquarists with the Advanced moniker.
At 96 watts the Advanced has a power draw similar to that of a Kessil A360X, yet it comes with the app control built in. If the cooling systems can handle it long term, and if it delivers on some independent par and spectrum testing, it looks like a lot of light for its $200 price tag, and two or more could of course be used for longer tanks. Zetlight is known for offering OEM facilities to existing lighting brands so we won’t be surprised if the X9 also shows up under someone else’s label in the future.
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