# New ADA Aquasky "Moon" - Thoughts?!?...



## Daniel (16 Dec 2014)

ADA is launching a new Aquasky dubbed "Moon". It has the same basic design but the acrylic has a frosted look instead of clear and there is a mirror at the rear of the unit to enable you a "top down" view from the front. The LED's output is also up 50% compared with the current Aquasky. I couldn't find any details regarding European release but I would possibly think early/spring 2015 might be a good bet?!

I'd be interested to hear people's thoughts as I'm not quite sure what to make of it. It's pretty cool looking and the mirror might be something of a different feature, but I think perhaps their time would of been better spent developing additional features on the current models such as a dimmer, timer, 90cm version, etc.

http://reefbuilders.com/2014/12/12/ada-unveils-aquasky-moon-led-brighter-diodes-novelty-mirror/
http://peha68.pl/aquasky-moon-nowe-wcielenie-aquasky/


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## Wisey (17 Dec 2014)

Like you say, they would have been better off developing things like dimmers etc. As with many ADA things, style over substance!


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## flygja (17 Dec 2014)

Love the style. Can't pay the entry fee. LOL. That flip down mirror is kinda weird, seeing that ADA tanks and cabinets in this size are quite low so you're always looking down on it as you walk up to it.


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## Stu Worrall (17 Dec 2014)

looks really nice but as you say they need a dimmer and somewhere to hide the wire coming down the side which flaps about


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## plantnoob (17 Dec 2014)

thoughts are its got the ada badge on so price will be a joke like all ada stuff


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## kirk (17 Dec 2014)

Not a fan to be honest but because it sits on the tank. It's sleek but sitting anything on a tank of the price I imagine it being, would be a no no for clumbsy me. It would end up on the floor or in the tank.


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## Daniel (17 Dec 2014)

No doubt the price will be a fair bit more than the standard Aquasky. Maybe we can hope that following the "Moons" release and recent price drops on Aquasoil that the original Aquasky's will follow suit, or perhaps a price drop is just a dream


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## Chris Jackson (18 Dec 2014)

I prefer the look of the standard one and I have a 602. One issue I have with it is that the light passing through the rim at the back of the tank causes a very bright unattractive strip on the wall behind the tank. My solution has been to rest a length of plastic L section on the back edge of the tank which works but is hardly elegant. I imagine that the mirror on the "Moon" will stop this but I don't like the look of it or fancy keeping it clean and splash free.

I agree that #1 thing missing from these is a dimming facility, I've added a dimmer to mine that works but by using it neither the dimmer manufacturer nor ADA will offer any guarantee. Hardly ideal!


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## viktorlantos (28 Dec 2014)

Dimming is against the ADA philosophy i guess. Have you ever read to start your light low and less hours? Nope.
They start with the same light power all the time and use it for 7-9 hours a day. No dimming required in this picture.
They promise completed scape in 3 months with their instructions and everything is aligned to this on their range. Light, filter, fertilization, soils.

The question is why we would do dimming?
For aesthetic reason? Which sometimes really useful but nothing to do with the aquascape. 
Or for safety (algae) reason? Then i would think about why i need to go safely  probably something else is missing. Like regular maintenance or proper filtration?

Really we do use some dimming light, but i do not get the point. 
If this missing people miss it. If it is there i usually hear the dimming is expensive. Which is true.
The dimmer units usually adds up too much overage on any unit.

But the main point is the philosophy behind their things. Use enough power for a specific time. You usually cause more problems starting low, but if the plants selected carefully this could work.

On the lamp i do not like the mirror 
The light is kind of a replacement of 602 which is an extreme powerful unit. So they came out with something in between 601 and 602.
This has 50% more LED in it than 601 so this is where the additional lighting power comes from. You can see some photos on the unit.
Mist stand? could work, but goes against the super clean opti, perfect clean glasses we do use. Will check in life how this works. Maybe works better also as not that sensitive for cleaning.
But still i am not in love with the mirror  It only looks good when you have a fully matured scape with surface close planting.


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## Chris Jackson (28 Dec 2014)

Well for me I want as much creative flexibility as possible and this means having the ability to vary the light intensity as well as duration. ADA seems geared towards high profits and so encouraging their customers to run full speed highly lit tanks that require the frequent purchase lots of CO2 and fertilisers etc. suits their business model but it does not necessarily meets my needs.

Running a single Aquasky unit is a bit like running a single HQI but without the heat, hum or power consumption but still it's a lot of light and not ideal for a low tech scape or a sleepy moss and fern style for instance.

Add dimming to the Aquasky and you get T8, T5 or HQI equivalents and more in the one aesthetically pleasing unit. With dimming on my 602 I can light my tank for 10 hours or more if I want by running one unit on low and the second unit on high for a shorter period... Looks good and more closely replicates an actual tropical photoperiod.


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## viktorlantos (28 Dec 2014)

I do not get the speed growth vs profit factor, but of course there are many viewpoint. 

I see the lots of light lots of possibility. Or go without limitation. 
For sure a low tech does not need Aquasky nor HQI. 2xT5 is fine or T8.
I have a simple tank at home without any light too. A 60x30x36 and Anubias love it! This has been running for 5 years now.


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## Chris Jackson (28 Dec 2014)

Yes the growth/profit factor comment maybe unfair, I'm not in the business and really wouldn't know. 

I do know that I'd like one light unit that offers lots of possibilities rather than many different light choices for differing demands. I very nearly opted for a Giesemann Futura over the Aquasky because of this but in the end I decided I couldn't really justify that level of expense relative to all the other demands for my cash. I won't be upgrading to any kind of Aquasky Moon though, but I do wonder what will come after that mind!


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## aquascape1987 (3 Jan 2015)

Chris, not so sure your comments regarding ada and profiteering are unfair at all. I think you are bang on.... an example being their simplest products, such as scissors and pinsettes..... can anyone tell me what makes the ones with the ada logo on worth paying 3 times more for, than others on the market?? Other than the ada logo?

The light unit looks great, but i bet it's over priced


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## pepedopolous (3 Jan 2015)

I'm sure ADA will eventually come out with a dimmable LED lighting system.


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## Chris Jackson (3 Jan 2015)

Ah the overpriced scissors..... Haha now way back in in the early noughties when ADA products could only be purchased from ADA Europe in Rome I bough a ridiculously priced pair of long scissors and pinsette/tweezers over a hundred quid the pair .... but at that time I simply could not find anything similar anywhere so I finally stumped up the cash. Some ten+ years on and I don't regret that purchase for a minute. Those scissors are and continue to be an absolute delight to use, light, delicate, precise, balanced and sharp. Times have changed and there are many more imitators and options...I also have some Neutro tools...fantastic value, well made, but heavy and awkward in comparison to the ADA ones.

So many complain about ADA prices but I really don't know how much of this is down to profiteering or taxes, duty, exchange rates and middlemen but I personally don't particularly begrudge those prices after all I dont have to pay them. We have freedom of choice and these days there a so many other viable cheaper alternatives that the market is probably going to drive ADA prices down. However Takashi Amano alone has inspired and transformed the world of planted aquaria over the past two decades like no one before and I don't resent supporting his lavish lifestyle a tad by paying over the odds for a few products but not the Aquasky Moon.... In fact I've just ordered a pair of Giesemann Pulzars....


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## pepedopolous (3 Jan 2015)

Chris Jackson said:


> In fact I've just ordered a pair of Giesemann Pulzars....


Nice. Please let us know what they're like... Did you order the HO (dimmable) ones?

P


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## Chris Jackson (3 Jan 2015)

Yep HO dimmable with Bluetooth control....! I'll post a review when the time comes..


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## pepedopolous (1 Apr 2015)

Hey Chris,

Any update on the Giesemanns?

P


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## Chris Jackson (1 Apr 2015)

They've finally arrived... Report coming soon, like next week... But first impressions are very positive!


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## viktorlantos (2 Apr 2015)

Yeah this seriously kick some ass again 

I made some photos how this compare to the current king the Aquasky 602.

Yup this is not just the photo. This is equal in real life too.

From the side this does not look good. More noticeable the glass and the light material difference. But from front the stand gives a nice border to the tank.

ADA Aquasky Moon 601 by viktorlantos, on Flickr

ADA Aquasky Moon 601 by viktorlantos, on Flickr

ADA Aquasky Moon 601 by viktorlantos, on Flickr

Check the tanks in the back. Right one is a 4x39W ATI Sun Power. Next to that are the 150W ADA Solars. ATI is kind of a beast but this one is pretty much up to that level.

ADA Aquasky Moon 601 by viktorlantos, on Flickr

I find a bit warmer but probably more LED more heat exchange too. The heatsink is thicker on this model.

I am still not in love with the mirrors by the way.


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## pepedopolous (2 Apr 2015)

Words fail me as usual Victor. Are these using ADA liquid ferts? Would love to know how much CO2/what pH decrease you get on these tanks bearing in mind the high PAR of these lights...

P


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## parotet (2 Apr 2015)

pepedopolous said:


> Words fail me as usual Victor. Are these using ADA liquid ferts? Would love to know how much CO2/what pH decrease you get on these tanks bearing in mind the high PAR of these lights...
> 
> P


I bet Viktor follows the ADA system  high light, very soft water, AquaSoil for delivering enough basic nutrients (nitrates and phosphates) and lean fertilization regime (K + micros) in the water column. Would be interested in knowing what is done to have a good CO2 performance. As far as I've seen in my LFS, also an ADA official distributor, even using AquaSky 602 or 4x24w T5HO over 60 liters tanks, they switch on CO2 at the same time they switch on the lights, no water rippling (only aireation by night, rising up the lily pipes), with a quite long photoperiod and quite standard bubble rate.... Sounds magic, isn't it? What I've noticed is that they use always SuperJets or very powerful filters (I would say that 15-20x)

I think that when you become an ADA dealer you receive every month magic dust for the tanks... 

Jordi


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## pepedopolous (2 Apr 2015)

parotet said:


> I bet Viktor follows the ADA system


And he probably doesn't faff around with pH profiles!

For every successful EI aquarium, it seems that there are more lean dosing/high light success stories that fly in the face of much, if not all of the EI dogma.

I feel like going back to the drawing board, buying a Mini-M, Aquasky, an _*in-tank*_ diffuser and joining the dark side! 

If that fails I'll just have to buy some Power Sand and Penac! 

P


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## viktorlantos (3 Apr 2015)

parotet said:


> I think that when you become an ADA dealer you receive every month magic dust for the tanks...



Actually there's a magic dust which makes your Super Jet shiny 
Powa Powda from Japan! 

Both EI and ADA works. But none of them will do the water change and cleaning for you


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## Chris Jackson (3 Apr 2015)

I reckon we should take great inspiration from the evidence that so many approaches work. 
Viktor's tanks are a joy and clearly meticulously maintained as are all the official ADA tanks. I don't know how Viktor approaches his display tanks but certainly when watching the ADA videos you see the tanks densely planted from the outset and often with a percentage of previously acclimatised plants and one can only assume pre-cycled filters. Many of the troubles we see on this forum are with people starting completely anew with new filters, only a very few plants and hoping they'll grow in quick. I wonder how many dramas our Japanese hobbyists have trying to replicate Mr A's successes...


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## pepedopolous (3 Apr 2015)

Very diplomatic Chris! The thing is after loads of time, effort, and money chasing the EI dragon, I'm not satisfied with my results. If it works for you, great! However, I'm changing course for my next (nano) project.

P


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## parotet (3 Apr 2015)

pepedopolous said:


> Very diplomatic Chris! The thing is after loads of time, effort, and money chasing the EI dragon, I'm not satisfied with my results. If it works for you, great! However, I'm changing course for my next (nano) project.
> 
> P


I've already done it! See here: http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/lava-rocks-20-liters.36715/, quite a few new things to experience closer to the ADA approach (especially.soft water and lean dosing). TBH in my other tank (http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/new-setup-from-2-to-just-plants.34374/) I can grow quite healthy plants also following the EI approach but I have to be very very careful no to have algae (2x 50% weekly WC) even with low light and huge amounts of CO2... and still suffer from them when the plant biomass is huge, especially on the inside of bushy groups.

Jordi


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## Chris Jackson (3 Apr 2015)

Great looking tanks Jordi. Yes it's strange... I started my current journal with the intention of following the ADA path but I came to realise that the only way I could actually truly do that would be to use their products exclusively, substrate additives, ferts, glassware, diffuser etc. etc which is very costly for one thing but really I'm too much of a DIY'er for all that. I don't know how many people really, genuinely know exactly how ADA run their tanks. I see a lot of talk about the ADA gallery tanks, at least, not being heavily lit but the Aquasky one's certainly are. I think we just have to be selective and learn from those having successes with whatever method and apply that to our situation as best we can.


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## parotet (3 Apr 2015)

Chris Jackson said:


> Great looking tanks Jordi. Yes it's strange... I started my current journal with the intention of following the ADA path but I came to realise that the only way I could actually truly do that would be to use their products exclusively, substrate additives, ferts, glassware, diffuser etc. etc which is very costly for one thing but really I'm too much of a DIY'er for all that. I don't know how many people really, genuinely know exactly how ADA run their tanks. I see a lot of talk about the ADA gallery tanks, at least, not being heavily lit but the Aquasky one's certainly are. I think we just have to be selective and learn from those having successes with whatever method and apply that to our situation as best we can.


Do you think you really need to use all the ADA stuff? They are ally great but very expensive... Especially for large tanks. I'm using glassware from other brands that I believe do exactly the same job (for example, Elos Co2 diffuser, CalAqua nano pipes...). My light is certainly not as powerful as AquaSky 361, but probably close. Regarding ferts, I'm trying to emulate a lean dosing with K2SO4 (Brighty K is really a K2CO3, but I do not want to add carbonates as I have enough in my mixed RO-tapwater). With my DIY K and micro solution I just try to deliver a similar amount of K, Fe and others micros than Brighty K and Step1 do... But honestly I am not really concerned if it is less or more. Plants will tell if something more is needed.

Jordi


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## Chris Jackson (3 Apr 2015)

> Do you think you really need to use all the ADA stuff? They are ally great but very expensive...



Well I do if you really want to claim to be truly doing things the ADA way... otherwise your adding a bunch of unknown variables. However I see nothing wrong with your approach at all. I've gone many years just adding a bit of this and that as and when I see fit with few problems but that was in a much larger 120x60x60 tank that I suspect maybe way more forgiving. Certainly I've had more issues in the last 6 months with my little 60x30x45 than I've ever had previously but I seem to be winning now under an EI regime..


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