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Please recommend a light for my tank

IndyM

Member
Joined
4 Mar 2020
Messages
74
Location
London
Hi.

Thinking about swapping out my fluval 3.0 46w light for something else. It isn't bad, but I feel like I could do better. I like that it's super easy to program and customise via the app and Bluetooth but so long as I can do better with a different light, something that'll actually be more beneficial, then I'm open to suggestions.

I have a Oak hooded tank, I'll attach photos.

DSC_2970.JPG DSC_2917.JPG DSC_2870.JPG DSC_2871.JPG

I have a 99.5 (W) x 40 (D) x 50 (H) cm, 200L tank. ADA substrate system, C02 injection, TNC complete ferts, Oase BioMaster Thermo 600 using default spray bar. Pretty well planted with the following species of plants.
  • Blyxa Japonica
  • Hygrophila Polysperma
  • Ludwigia Arcuata
  • Micranthemum Micranthemoides
  • Rotala macrandra green
  • Rotala rotundifolia
  • Cryptocoryne albida Brown
  • Cryptocoryne Petchii
  • Cryptocoryne Wendtii Brown
  • Marsilea Crenata
  • Eleocharis Acicularis
  • Bolbitis heudelotii
  • Microsorum pteropus Trident
  • Taxiphyllum Barbieri
What is the best light for me, here in the UK? Thanks. Was thinking about the twinstar 900sa but if there is a better alternative I'm open to suggestions. Obviously it has to work with my hood. Needs to be able to lay on the glass as my current one does.
 
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I have the Fluval Plant 3.0 (32W) on a 60 litre tank - the light is ok, and the app is great to be honest, but I find that low level plants at the substrate struggle a little for light, and that's in a 30cm deep tank. I also find the colour rendition is very yellow. I noticed it when I put a piece of red pepper in the tank for the shrimp. This pepper was incredibly dark red and juicy (which is why I thought I'd try a slice) but under the Plant 3.0 it looked almost orange.

I've ordered a Chihiros WRGB II as a replacement. These used thew same RGB LED's as the Vivid II. It should arrive in the next few days, so I can report back then on the comparison to the Fluval if you like.
 
Yeah I found the same with the fluval. At substrate level it's quite weak.

I'm going to go with that twinstar 900sa I reckon. With a controller that Juris recommends on his channel. I'll miss the fluval app convenience, but this manual device isn't so hard to set up and achieve the same thing.
 
Yeah, the Twinstar have a good reputation on this forum. The Chihiros units do have a blue tooth app too, so I’m hoping I can achieve the same thing as the Fluval, though I have heard it’s a bit flaky sometimes, so I’ll have to see how I get on - I’m just looking forward to seeing what the colour rendition of the RGB LED’s is like.
 
Wookii, how much was the Chihiros and where did you order it from? I’m looking for a light for my 43cm deep 60L.
 
I've seen the twinstar colour rendition to be on the cooler side from the various videos online, verging on pink/purple. It'll be a radical shift from the fluval Plant 3.0, but frankly, I think it'll just do a much better job, particularly of red plants. It's considerably more intense too and I like that it's wider so should cover more area. I do love the design, however being that I have a Oak hooded tank as shown above, the design will be lost on general viewing.

It's a bit of a proven performer at this point, it's all over the place.
 
I've seen the twinstar colour rendition to be on the cooler side from the various videos online, verging on pink/purple. It'll be a radical shift from the fluval Plant 3.0, but frankly, I think it'll just do a much better job, particularly of red plants. It's considerably more intense too and I like that it's wider so should cover more area. I do love the design, however being that I have a Oak hooded tank as shown above, the design will be lost on general viewing.

It's a bit of a proven performer at this point, it's all over the place.

Yeah, that’s another issue with the Fluval is it being so narrow, even in my small tank that is only 30cm front to back, it doesn’t provide very good coverage the front and rear of the tank.
 
Not actually on the edge of the tank, but inside on the side brace bars under the lid?

I wouldn't have thought it would be suitable for a lidded tank. The aluminium heat sink gets quite warm to to the touch, so it needs open ventilation.
 
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