Reef LED Puck vs Bar Comparison Guide: Spread and Spectrum
The reef-LED market splits cleanly into two form factors and the choice shapes coral placement, shadow patterns and total cost. Reef LED puck vs bar matters because pucks (Kessil A360X, AI Hydra, Radion XR15) light a tight circle of intense PAR while bars (ATI Straton, Reef Brite, AI Blade) deliver even spread along the long axis of a tank. This guide from Gensou Aquascaping at 5 Everton Park compares the two formats, walks through the use cases each suits, and lists the Singapore pricing reefers should expect.
What Pucks Do Well
A puck concentrates PAR in a 50-70 cm diameter pool below the unit. Coral colour pop under blue-channel actinics is unmatched — pucks like Kessil A360X and Radion XR15 G6 produce dramatic shimmer and fluorescent excitation that makes Acropora and chalice morphs glow. Vertical PAR penetration to substrate level is excellent. Pucks suit cube and rimless tanks where the footprint is roughly square.
What Bars Do Well
A bar spreads even PAR along its length with minimal hot spots and no harsh shadow lines. Long shallow tanks (120 cm+ length, under 50 cm depth) benefit massively because a single bar covers the whole footprint where two pucks would still leave dim corner zones. ATI Straton, Reef Brite XHO and AI Blade dominate this category. The trade-off: less shimmer, slightly less colour pop, but happier corals at the tank ends.
Coverage Math
A Kessil A360X covers a 60×60 cm footprint at full intensity. Above that and the corner PAR drops below 100 µmol — fine for low-tier corals, but inadequate for SPS corners. A 90 cm tank running a single A360X needs a second unit at 30 cm offset to maintain even spread. Bars eliminate this calculation: an 80 cm Reef Brite covers an 80 cm tank end-to-end.
Singapore Pricing
Kessil A360X retails SGD 700-820; AI Hydra 32HD SGD 850-950; AI Hydra 64HD SGD 1500-1750; Radion XR15 G6 SGD 1100-1300; Radion XR30 G6 Pro SGD 2200-2600. ATI Straton bars start SGD 1400 and Reef Brite XHO 60 cm sits SGD 380-450. AI Blade Grow runs SGD 600-750. Browse compatible reef LEDs in the aquarium equipment range.
Hybrid Layouts
Many serious Singapore reefs run hybrid lighting: pucks for the prime SPS placement zones and a supplementary bar for fill light at the tank ends. A 120 cm reef typically pairs two Kessil A360X with a single 80 cm Reef Brite — colour pop from the pucks, even substrate fill from the bar. Total hardware cost runs SGD 1700-2100, comparable to two full puck setups but with much better edge coverage.
Mounting Considerations
Pucks need a hanging kit or rail mount with adjustable height. Most pucks ship optional mounts that bolt to the tank rim or hang from a ceiling rail. Bars typically ship with rim brackets that clip directly to a rimless tank or rest on the open glass top. Mounting hardware lives across the aquascaping tools range.
Spectrum and Programming
Modern LEDs control 4-7 channels of LED arrays. Royal blue, blue, ultraviolet, white, red, green and warm white channels each tune independently. Park your blues at 60-80 per cent for coral colour and your white channels at 25-40 per cent for visual clarity. Schedule a 12-hour photoperiod with 60-90 minute ramp-up and ramp-down at start and end.
PAR Distribution Testing
Borrow an Apogee MQ-510 from a local reef club to map PAR across the tank under your chosen lighting. Read at the substrate level, mid-water and just below the surface at five horizontal positions. Look for hot spots over 500 µmol that would burn SPS even at the upper tier, and dim corners under 50 µmol where lower-tier corals would struggle.
Cooling and Power
High-output reef LEDs run hot. Pucks like the Hydra 64HD push 165W and need ceiling clearance for the integrated fans. Singapore HDB cabinets with closed canopies trap heat and reduce LED lifespan — install passive vents or add a small 120mm muffin fan to the canopy. Power draw matters at scale: a 200-litre full reef typically runs 100-200W of lighting plus pumps, totalling SGD 25-45 per month in electricity.
Singapore Build Notes
For a 60 cm cube reef, a single Kessil A360X or AI Hydra 32HD is the standard recommendation. For a 120x60x60 cm reef, two pucks or one bar plus one puck. For long shallow lagoon-style 150x40x40 cm tanks, a bar wins on coverage. Pair with quality salts and dosing equipment from the marine and saltwater range, and budget a PAR meter rental day before final placement decisions.
Related Reading
emilynakatani
Still Have Questions About Your Tank?
Drop by Gensou Aquascaping — most walk-in questions get answered in under 10 minutes by someone who has set up hundreds of tanks.
5 Everton Park #01-34B, Singapore 080005 · Open daily 11am – 8pm
