# Twinstar 600E options



## Kimm8 (16 Feb 2020)

Hi, 

I am struggling to decide between buying the first or second generation of the Twinstar  600E series light for my 60x30x45. According to a seller, the second version is about 15% brighter (2400 vs 2550 lumens) and has a richer colour (6800K vs 7000K). Is it worth the extra $100? ($280 vs $380). 

On another note, should I spring for the new Chihiros WRGB 60 II instead and forego twinstar? 

Help much appreciated, thank you. 
Kim.


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## Nuno Gomes (16 Feb 2020)

I'd take any of the Twinstars over the Chihiros any day, I know this will be controversial but the only thing chihiros wrgb grow well is algae...No matter which intensity I used I could never get healthy growth like with the twinstar. As for the price difference, I'd save money and get the old one.


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## Kimm8 (17 Feb 2020)

Nuno Gomes said:


> I'd take any of the Twinstars over the Chihiros any day, I know this will be controversial but the only thing chihiros wrgb grow well is algae...No matter which intensity I used I could never get healthy growth like with the twinstar. As for the price difference, I'd save money and get the old one.



Thanks, I was somewhat skeptical as I too had trouble in the past with Chihiros but thought new developments would have made them worthy competitors. Were you able to achieve good red growth with your plants using the E series? A friend had the 450 variant but found it too strong so had it on a dimmer at 45-55%. This could be different for the 600 due to increased tank depth but I am hoping is not the case, hence justification for purchasing the old Twinstar model?


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## alto (17 Feb 2020)

Kimm8 said:


> Were you able to achieve good red growth with your plants using the E series?


don’t be fooled by plant growth that IS red vs plant growth that APPEARS red 
Unfortunately it’s difficult to find online photos/video of the same tank under various lighting (after having been grown under light A) - though I think it’s fairly obvious in this George Farmer video



Unfortunately I don’t believe GF has done any comparisons after the tank was grown under the Twinstar S for some months, and then (again) checking tank appearance under Kessil vs Twinstar S

As I recall Filipe Oliveira, Jurijs mit JS, Green Aqua all discuss encouraging red pigments in plants via nutrient management (I suspect GF mentions this as well in some video)


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## CooKieS (17 Feb 2020)

Go with the chihiros wrgb 2, Built in Bluetooth control, same 3 in 1 led than the vivid (awesome reds and greens), well buit and only 170-180€ from aliexpress, can't beat it IMO.

The new twinstar E rendition is not very good, yellow greens and pinkish reds, check on YouTube which you like the most.



Nuno Gomes said:


> I'd take any of the Twinstars over the Chihiros any day, I know this will be controversial but the only thing chihiros wrgb grow well is algae...No matter which intensity I used I could never get healthy growth like with the twinstar. As for the price difference, I'd save money and get the old one.



That's because the chihiros is very powerful in comparaison to the twinstar, should start dimmed at 50% and then slowly increase power.


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## Kimm8 (17 Feb 2020)

Thanks for the video alto, I see what you mean. The Twinstar did bring out the red/browns more but at the cost of greens.



CooKieS said:


> Go with the chihiros wrgb 2, Built in Bluetooth control, same 3 in 1 led than the vivid (awesome reds and greens), well buit and only 170-180€ from aliexpress, can't beat it IMO.
> 
> The new twinstar E rendition is not very good, yellow greens and pinkish reds, check on YouTube which you like the most.



I am conflicted now CooKieS. I saw your posts in the Vivid thread. How is your experience with it so far? I realised the WRGB 2 only comes in black, then had an impulse search and seriously considered the Vivid 2 in silver, although it would be overkill for a 60cm(?). Also do you have a video of the new E rendition's colours? I can already tell that the old model produces flat greens but was hoping the newer one would be, better?


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## CooKieS (17 Feb 2020)

Go for the vivid if you Can, I'm running mine at 50% on a 60p tank ans it's looking fabulous. And you could Always put it on a bigger tank later if you decide too...only downside is the noise of the fan but the 'no screws' mod I've done to mine make it near silent.

Here's m'y Friend tank with the New twinstar E, good medium growth but poor color rendition IMO:






He is now considering the vivid 2 aswell.


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## CooKieS (17 Feb 2020)

Twinstar E (old one) vs vivid 2


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## Kimm8 (17 Feb 2020)

CooKieS said:


> Go for the vivid if you Can, I'm running mine at 50% on a 60p tank ans it's looking fabulous. And you could Always put it on a bigger tank later if you decide too...only downside is the noise of the fan but the 'no screws' mod I've done to mine make it near silent.



Oh boy, I think you've convinced me, I am really going to pull the trigger. Do you have any issues with the bluetooth? I read some issues re new WRGB II whereby a blackout meant that the lights would not turn back on automatically unless the operator used bluetooth to turn it back on? Is there a small dimmer you have to use or is it all in the app? How is the QC/build quality? 
Thanks!


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## Nuno Gomes (17 Feb 2020)

CooKieS said:


> That's because the chihiros is very powerful in comparaison to the twinstar, should start dimmed at 50% and then slowly increase power.



Nah, it's just crap. I've used many different settings, from 30% to 100% and could never get satisfactory results, I've used that light for over a year and I'm done struggling with it. Now it has been moved to my wife's terrarium where its lack of quality shouldn't matter.
Keep in mind I'm talking about the original WRGB, not the WRGB2 or Vivid, I don't talk about products I haven't used, but Chihiros won't see another cent from me.


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## CooKieS (18 Feb 2020)

Kimm8 said:


> Oh boy, I think you've convinced me, I am really going to pull the trigger. Do you have any issues with the bluetooth? I read some issues re new WRGB II whereby a blackout meant that the lights would not turn back on automatically unless the operator used bluetooth to turn it back on? Is there a small dimmer you have to use or is it all in the app? How is the QC/build quality?
> Thanks!



All is in the app, which is an bit slow but works great (sunset, sunrise, setup blue/green/red separately,dimming...) and yes if there is a blackout you have to use the app to turn the led on again but that's no big deal IMO. QC is on paar with twinstar.



Nuno Gomes said:


> Nah, it's just crap. I've used many different settings, from 30% to 100% and could never get satisfactory results, I've used that light for over a year and I'm done struggling with it. Now it has been moved to my wife's terrarium where its lack of quality shouldn't matter.
> Keep in mind I'm talking about the original WRGB, not the WRGB2 or Vivid, I don't talk about products I haven't used, but Chihiros won't see another cent from me.



I've grown plants succesfully with the chihiros a series, rgb series (first one) and now vivid2.  I didn't tried the WRGB yet. But I know some guys that are using it with good results. Sorry to hear that you have had such bad experience.
I loved my twinstar E600 too of course, it's an good medium power lightning, for low tech or medium demanding plants.


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## Nuno Gomes (18 Feb 2020)

CooKieS said:


> All is in the app, which is an bit slow but works great (sunset, sunrise, setup blue/green/red separately,dimming...) and yes if there is a blackout you have to use the app to turn the led on again but that's no big deal IMO. QC is on paar with twinstar.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I could grow plants with the WRGB90 but I always felt like something was wrong, then I switched two tanks from chihiros lights to TS E series and saw great improvements, in both absense of algae growth and healthier plant growth. I considered the fact that the E series is indeed less powerful than the chihiros options but dimming the chihiros just a little made a huge difference for the worst. The best growth I got out of it was when it was on full blast and even so it improved a lot with the twinstar.

I don't own Twinstar stock or anything, I even bought both of them used, but I have to admit the "quality" of the light, if you can call it that, is way better than the knock off.

Also, I've considered an RGB Vivid but I made up my mind that when I take that step up, I'll go all in with the Solar RGB


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## Kimm8 (24 Feb 2020)

CooKieS said:


> All is in the app, which is an bit slow but works great (sunset, sunrise, setup blue/green/red separately,dimming...) and yes if there is a blackout you have to use the app to turn the led on again but that's no big deal IMO. QC is on paar with twinstar.



I just received it today! It is beautiful  Thank you for putting me in the right direction Cookies, I'm in awe. Luckily it was not at all loud but will opt for your screws mod when it starts.

May I ask what settings/duration you currently are using, including sunrise/sunset? I've got ramp time to about 30 minutes but finding that the sunrise and sunset lighting is too sharp in transitioning from light to off, as opposed to a gradual change in colours - if this makes sense.
Do I have to manually do this i.e. decrease RGB % with each 5 minute interval during sunset phase?


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## CooKieS (24 Feb 2020)

Glad you went with the vivid, it really is an awesome light.

I’m running it for 8h including auto Sunset / Sunrise for 1h.

50% power for the green and blue and 60% for the reds.


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## Kimm8 (25 Feb 2020)

Also forgot to ask, at what height from the tank are you suspending it? Your tank is gorgeous, just had a look at your journal


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