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Light Recommendations

mattyc

Member
Joined
17 Oct 2008
Messages
518
Location
Thelwall, Warrington
Hi all,

Please see my journal thread for background link below,

https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/back-in-the-game.54705/

I am looking for a low profile light to fit my custom 70cm wide bracless tank. I have been looking at the Twinstar 600E but I don't know much about them.

Can anyone point me in the direction of a review on the light or do you have any recommendations? I an intending to 3D print new mounts for the sides of the light so that it will fit on the new tank.

Do the twinstar lights need a controller?

Thanks
 
Not put my Twinstar 600S in use yet (soooon!), but I'd definitely use a controller. These things are BRIGHT! I plan to use a tc-420, I know others do too.

It's a very low profile and sleek looking light though. Expensive too. George Farmer might have some on the lights here, and on youtube.
 
I have the Twinstar 900S and absolutely love it! Great design, great plant/fish color and super good plant growth, then Highly Recommended ! :thumbup:
I added the below LED controller with an adapter and it's perfect. You can set different time, different power at different times and it s also a dimmer (and quite cheap).
Not sure if you need the same adapter for the 600S (no soldering needed)

the S2pro Smart LED Controller :)
In total over 8 different programmable time slots.
You can get it on eBay for quite cheap and you'll also need to buy 1 small adapter to fit the Twinstar PSU (see photo below)

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Hi SDIESEL77 thanks for the information.

I have a 150w metal halide at the moment.

Do LED lights give the shimmer affect like with a halide?
 
Hi SDIESEL77 thanks for the information.

I have a 150w metal halide at the moment.

Do LED lights give the shimmer affect like with a halide?

Not always, lights with diffusers generally have less shimmer. Lights from a single concentrated source (ie kessil units) usually have much more shimmer than ones that span the whole tank. The twinstar units don't have much shimmer at all. If you really want shimmer then kessil is a good option.
 
Leds fixtures with give a shimmer is there are not too many leds, ramps with lots of leds won't give shimmer, or little shimmer.

Example one Kessil, with one spot LED, or Grobeam 600 with 5 leds, will give shimmer.

Michel
 
Also what are the ADA aquasky lights like and are there any alternatives that give good performance for the price like the Chihiros A-Series Plus?

the light is for a 70cm tank, making it fit isn't too much of a problem (I am going to 3D print some mounts) so I was looking at the 60cm versions of the lights.
 
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I have ordered an S2-pro controller for the lighting

I am looking now at three lights,

The ADA Aquasky 601 £110
https://www.thegreenmachineonline.com/shop/ada-aquasky-601/
I think this needs a transformer, I assume 110v to 240v.

The Twinstar 600E £159
https://www.aquariumgardens.co.uk/twinstar-led-aquarium-light-600e-2117-p.asp

and the TMC GrowBeam 600 ultima £130
https://urmstonaquatics.com/tmc-aqu...MI-5_4wt3V3QIVlcqyCh1FbA2bEAkYASABEgItyvD_BwE

Can anyone give me an idea of how these compare and if they can be used with the controller?

Thanks
 
The Hinterfield controller will work with Twinstar. You could go for the 600 EA. The A being adjustable ones. Save you making your own attachment.
 
Green Aqua run a fair number of ADA Aquasky & Twinstar ... I’d give them a call ;)

They also have experience with the various ADA Aquasky versions (might be worth asking TGM which Aquasky they have for sale)
 
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