# Please recommend me a new light for my 60l nano tank



## Zeppo (9 May 2021)

I have a Fluval 60l tank 56x29x38cm and would be grateful for a recommendation for a new light.

Tank has been going for three weeks and is low tech using the equipment it came with, notably a 10w LED.  Plants are a mixture of crypts, anubias, buces, moss and Hygrophilia Siamensis 53B + some salvinia.

The problem with the current (stock) light is its lack of flexibility.  It cannot be dimmed and although I have a Fluval timer which has a sunrise/sunset ramp feature, either:

if I program the "night" setting to 1% I have to turn the light on & off manually or else the tank is never truly dark at night
if I program the "night" setting to 0%, the light turns off OK, but needs to be manually turned on the following day - not much use if I am out of the house.
I'm finding this somewhat annoying and so would prefer to replace the stock light with something better - it needs to be fully programmable, dimmable and turn on/off without manual intervention.  My current light is also built into a hood, so I guess I'm going to have to go open top (glass seems to be 4mm thick, but my eyes aren't as good as they once were!).  The tank has all the equipment behind a partition at the side, so although tank width is 56cm, there's only really 47cm of plantable space.

Any suggestions?


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## FishKeeper55 (9 May 2021)

I use nicrew HO planted on 60cm tank and now on 30cm is well, along with nicrew timer, very good light, I had to turn down to 60-70% for low tech plants.  Link to light if you on budget

Amazon product


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## shangman (10 May 2021)

I also use a Nicrew light on my 60L tank and it's grown plants lowtech really well, and very reasonably priced. The timer is easy to set up too.


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## castle (10 May 2021)

Kessil A80 might be a nice fit for you


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## Zeppo (10 May 2021)

Thank you all for the suggestions, it is very much appreciated.  I will look into both suggestions.

It's a really annoying flaw on the stock Fluval light with which I've otherwise had some success.


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## FishKeeper55 (10 May 2021)

@Zeppo If you go for the Nicrew just check which light you go for as they have few options, the HO stands for High Output, I wouldn't personally take the 24/7 with remote control a bit of gimmick if you ask me, lot easier just to use nicrew timer, failing all that Chihiros from aliexpress if you don't mind waiting a bit but they are bit more powerful and you might have to run them on lower power


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## Zeppo (10 May 2021)

Thanks @FishKeeper55   I have been looking at the Nicrew lights on Amazon and there does seem to be a myriad of options which is quite confusing.  I'm not bothered about remote control - just want something I can set up/program and then leave to its own devices unless a bit of tweaking is required.  The light that you linked to needs a timer to be bought separately as well?  Can you recommend one as there seems to be a number of Nicrew options there as well!    Many thanks


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## Andy Pierce (10 May 2021)

castle said:


> Kessil A80 might be a nice fit for you


Kessil A80 is the right size for your set-up and can be run just fine on a timer.  If you want more programmable control you'll have to splash out for a spectral controller to go with it.  The A80 can not be controlled in steps more granular than 5% increments of light and colour (although those are controllable independently).  If you want a 1% "moonlight" mode, you'll need to get one of Kessil's more modern offerings.


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## FishKeeper55 (10 May 2021)

Zeppo said:


> Thanks @FishKeeper55   I have been looking at the Nicrew lights on Amazon and there does seem to be a myriad of options which is quite confusing.  I'm not bothered about remote control - just want something I can set up/program and then leave to its own devices unless a bit of tweaking is required.  The light that you linked to needs a timer to be bought separately as well?  Can you recommend one as there seems to be a number of Nicrew options there as well!    Many thanks


I use this one, took me few min to figure out how it works, is kind of set up and forget it.  This allows for 6 different setting, But the last setting always has to be at zero so will shut the light of and then next day will power the light on.
Amazon product


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## FishKeeper55 (10 May 2021)

Andy Pierce said:


> Kessil A80 is the right size for your set-up and can be run just fine on a timer.  If you want more programmable control you'll have to splash out for a spectral controller to go with it.  The A80 can not be controlled in steps more granular than 5% increments of light and colour (although those are controllable independently).  If you want a 1% "moonlight" mode, you'll need to get one of Kessil's more modern offerings.


Kessil is nice light but about triple the price, for low tech I think is bit OTT, but if money is not a problem then why not, I might be able to afford one my self one day as For some reason I like shimmer 👍


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## dcurzon (11 May 2021)

I got the nicrew 24/7 and grew a carpet of dhg, of that helps at all.
I stopped using the 24/7 feature, and just used the S2 dimmer as someone above has pictured.

Also, maybe my eyes, but the light did seem to become a bit dinner than when first purchased. However, I contacted nicrew, and they refunded me 50% as an Amazon credit. And the light hasn't dimmed any further, and carpet is still thriving. So nicrew customer service (via Amazon) seems pretty fair


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## Zeppo (13 May 2021)

I went for the Nicrew light in the end.  Kessil clearly a better light, but as FishKeeper55 says it's probably more than I need at the moment.  Thanks for all the advice everyone.


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## FishKeeper55 (14 May 2021)

Zeppo said:


> I went for the Nicrew light in the end.  Kessil clearly a better light, but as FishKeeper55 says it's probably more than I need at the moment.  Thanks for all the advice everyone.


Hope you will be happy with the light 👍


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## Zeppo (14 May 2021)

Thanks. Got to be better than the stock Fluval 👍


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