# Twinstar m3 / Chihiros Doctor - Do you recommend them?



## DavidFranklin (28 Sep 2020)

Hi there,

I'm thinking of purchasing a steriliser for my nano aquarium. I see so many examples of aquascapes with sterilisers in but can find so little real life comparison between using them or not.

- What has been your experience with an electrolysis steriliser? 
- Did you see a boost in plant growth/health? 
- Did you get one without having visible algae in the tank?
- Why doesn't it affect the development of BBA?
- Which product do people prefer?
- Do they work as oxygenators if there isn't much surface agitation?

Would love to hear your general thoughts! Thanks very much!


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## dw1305 (28 Sep 2020)

Hi all, 





DavidFranklin said:


> Would love to hear your general thoughts!


You are in for an absolute treat. Put the coffee on, it may take some time:  <"Twinstar, what is it?">.

cheers Darrel


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## Siege (28 Sep 2020)

I will read war and peace quicker than you can read that thread.

Youll be none the wiser once you’ve finished either!  😂


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## DavidFranklin (28 Sep 2020)

Thanks guys.

Yeah, I came by the thread before posting and noticed it was started *7 years ago*! I was hoping there was a general consensus or, at least, an abridged version.

I've skimmed through the thread and get the idea of how it works, that it may have the beneficial affects as noted by Viktor (and claimed by Twinstar) but doesn't work magic and aquarium fundamentals still need following.

Is it safe to conclude, then, that it's beneficial for these specific algae issues and worth getting if (1) you have the disposable income and/or(2) like the look of it, otherwise it's unnecessary?

Have you tried them yourselves? It's interesting, there are not so many divisive subjects in the hobby.


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## Wolf6 (28 Sep 2020)

I use it whenever I start up a tank (which is not often tbh). I use it untill the reactor is full of calcium deposits or whatever it is. By that time the tank is up and running fine so its use has run out. I believe it helps a tiny bit with preventing some spot algue and green algue, but not with bba for instance. And even if it doesnt help, the effect looks pretty cool and if you have visitors will almost always start a conversation when they see the white clouds going through the tank. I never regretted getting it  But I've not done a side-to-side comparison so its just a gut feeling, and maybe that gut feeling is just my head wanting to make me feel like I didnt waste money on it.


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## Sammy Islam (29 Sep 2020)

Hmm might aswell pitch in....

Firstly i have had both the chihiros and twinstar, and the twinstar lasts a lot longer than the chihiros. I've got very hard water, i assume most people on here have similar water parameters.

The chihiros disc worked for about 2 weeks until the output dropped and it got limescale on it, even after cleaning it wasn't the same. Where as the twinstar has lasted me 7months so far and i clean it every 3 weeks and it works great without a drop off in output. 

Does it work against algae?
Highly doubt it, but i feel Like it may help keep things a little cleaner for the first month probably because of extra oxygen?

Does it look cool? 
Definitely, i love it and so does everyone else. I would say the main benefit would be extra oxygen and everything that comes with that. Other than that i would say its pretty pointless, however it's something "cool" to spend your money on 🤣


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## Siege (29 Sep 2020)

I run the Twinstar on tanks at home.

loads of additional oxygen. Good for the filter and substrate at tank start up. I actually continually run them on the basis that if I have a good prune or reduce plant mass it’s still adding loads of oxygen that I’ve just lost.

the premise is that single cell things find it hard to live in an oxygen rich environment. It’s not a miracle cure for algae but tanks always seem easier at start up with one in.

Others have reported it has solved  their issues with mould on shrimp carrying eggs and discus diseases but that is purely antidotal.

The Twinstar reactor plate has a coating of titanium and white gold. I’m unsure of the chihiros one I doubt it, hence the issue people have with running it in hard water.

And yes it does look cool, especially after a water change when the water struggles to dissolve the oxygen it produces! 😃

Jury out really, I’m a fan, others donot believe in it.


Hope that helps.👍


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## Dr Mike Oxgreen (30 Sep 2020)

I am doubtful about its effects against algae. But there is one definite benefit: in my nano tank, I have it placed underneath my spray bar, so the device fills the whole tank with tiny bubbles and allows me to visually check the flow of water around the tank. I can actually see the water flowing forwards across the surface, then down the front glass, and then it goes backwards over my carpet plants. But if I let my stem plants grow too tall I can see this flow being disrupted or even blocked.


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## adavin (30 Sep 2020)

I've just ordered the twinstar unit. Hear reports of keeping the tank from algae, but only time will tell I guess.   I must admit being a tech head they do look cool as well.. 🤓


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## Wookii (1 Oct 2020)

I use the Twinstar unit on my tank. There have been three instances in the last 9 months where I have forgot to turn the unit back on after maintenance or accidentally cutting the power to it (it doesn't 'remember' its previous on setting) and I've seen a small but notable proliferation of BBA and staghorn within a week of the unit being accidentally off.

Purely anecdotal, and could be purely coincidental - but I do believe it helps inhibit algae, though more through increased levels of DO than anything the marketing might suggest.  That said, I've seen similar small occurrences of algae when my filter maintenance has slipped or when my doser failed to dose macros properly - so I view the Twinstar simply as one of many 'tools' available to me that help me improve the environment in my aquarium, not in any way a magic bullet cure for algae.


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## Wolf6 (26 Nov 2020)

I cant find any info on this, but perhaps someone here knows: If you have a tank thats larger then the maximum size the twinstar supports (200l I think the 'largest' model supports is), are you supposed to use 2 of them, or do you use one with reduced effectiveness (as far as they have effect)? As said, its effectiveness is subject to speculation, I feel it works for me, so would like to use it on my new larger tank as well, just looking at how currently.


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## Wolf6 (26 Nov 2020)

Never mind, found the anwser on the twinstar UK facebook. Spotted a larger tank there using 2 twinstar nano+, so I'm assuming you can just stack.


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## Luvlyjub (27 Sep 2021)

Jumping late on this thread but I have also been considering between the two sterilizers after seeing many in use on popular You Tube channels. Mainly for new tank set-up and take on board actual effectiveness may be difficult to determine.

Anyhow, the new Chihiros Doctor has App control as you need to know your TDS as you input this and I assume it then controls the time on/off and the setting level. The unit gives you options between plant, fish and shrimp as an all-in-one unit compared to the Twinstar that markets these devices separately. Although I cannot see what they do differently for such condition you set?

My main concern was the TDS setting seeing the table for the Chihiros Doctor as follows






Good that they mix litres and gallons in the same table! But it seems that for smaller tanks and/or higher TDS you either should not use the unit or it operates on the lower settings as indicated in the graphic that is meant to show the selection button on the outside controller. But as noted this can be controlled now in the APP.

So my question is what happens if you have a high TDS (pending the basis of the TDS calculation that I raised in a thread earlier today) - if in automatic mode and you enter your tank size and TDS it will not work as I have seen reviews where this could be the case. Or if you operate manually and ignore does it mean the reactor will scale up quickly and if so does this cause a risk with the unit itself being damaged or your critters in the tank? 

I emailed Twinstar stating my TDS could be around 500ppm and wanted to use on a small 55L tank and they replied stating no problem. I then emailed Nicrew  as a store on AliExpress on this stating the Twinstar response and why TDS was important with their unit with a response of "Ummm.. I think it is their design."

So what is the problem with TDS and aren't the Twinstar and Chihiros units doing basically the same thing and if TDS is an issue why does Twinstar make no mention of it?


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## Geoffrey Rea (27 Sep 2021)

Luvlyjub said:


> So what is the problem with TDS and aren't the Twinstar and Chihiros units doing basically the same thing and if TDS is an issue why does Twinstar make no mention of it?



Could be materials as outlined by @Siege :



Siege said:


> The Twinstar reactor plate has a coating of titanium and white gold. I’m unsure of the chihiros one I doubt it, hence the issue people have with running it in hard water.



Longevity after cleaning seems to favour Twinstar’s offering, which again could be down to the plating used. It’s less of a problem as it can be repeatedly cleaned without diminishing…?

Not really able to comment further as have never personally used either product.


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## Driftless (28 Sep 2021)

I have only Twinstars, sometimes two on my larger tanks.  I am dubious of their claims but I do like the extra oxygen that is added to the tanks, particularly since it is 24/7.  I have not had good luck cleaning the reactors, once they are calcified I think that they are done.   I do have some Twinstar cleaner that I have not yet tried.  I did have an issue with SunSun 3000 that has an inline CO2 diffuser in a planted discus tank and once the CO2 went out of balance I had issues.  While the Twinstar/Chihirios are nicer gadgets, I do think that CO2 management and tank maintenance matter more in the long run.  YMMV.


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## Tim Harrison (28 Sep 2021)

The Twinstar reactor lasts a lot longer and more than makes up for its comparatively high cost. Especially in hard water. Once the Chihiros needs cleaning it's basically time to get a new one.
Admittedly I've only used the Chihiros reactor with the Twinstar brain but I doubt there is much in the way of difference between the two electronically. Either way I can go through half a dozen Chihiros reactors to one Twinstar. I have moderately hard water.






						Twinstar..what is it?
					

It's a relatively cheap oxygen generator ?



					www.ukaps.org


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## Luvlyjub (28 Sep 2021)

Driftless said:


> I am dubious of their claims but I do like the extra oxygen that is added to the tanks, particularly since it is 24/7



I was thinking to put on a timer and run overnight - do other users opt for an on/off time? I understand that they turn on/off as determined by controller during normal operation.



Tim Harrison said:


> The Twinstar reactor lasts a lot longer and more than makes up for its comparatively high cost



I think that must be it that the Twinstar uses a better quality reactor that is less susceptible to scale and I was leaning towards this. But the cost of Chihros is less than half the price direct import with the 3 in 1 option. Still do not understand these options if you using for algae control, fish health or shrimp?


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## bazz (28 Sep 2021)

Not sure about the Chihiros but the Twinstar has to be manually switched back on after power feed disruption.
Cheers!


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## Wookii (28 Sep 2021)

Luvlyjub said:


> I was thinking to put on a timer and run overnight - do other users opt for an on/off time? I understand that they turn on/off as determined by controller during normal operation.



You can't use a timer with the Twinstar units, as they require manual switch on after power loss.



Luvlyjub said:


> Still do not understand these options if you using for algae control, fish health or shrimp?



Think of it only as a device that (potentially but not empirically tested) increase dissolved oxygen in the tank. Whether that helps with algae is a matter of separate debate - I personally think consistent high dissolved oxygen levels are always of benefit to all tank inhabitants. In a mature heavily planted tank, particularly a CO2 injected one, high dissolved oxygen levels should typically occur naturally making the Twinstar unit redundant. 

Where I think it offers a benefit is new start up tanks, tanks with lower plant mass, and potentially lower light/low tech tanks that perhaps don't achieve as much dissolved oxygen in the water column during the usual lighting schedule.


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## Wolf6 (28 Sep 2021)

Aside from the potential oxygen benefit, I also use it to track flow in my tank, as the fine mist perfectly allows you to spot any dead spots/reduced flow areas.


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