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Twinstar..what is it?

Edvet said:
(no disrespect but how would you feel if your doctor prescribed expensive meds (not covered by insurance) on anecdotal evidence without any degree of scientific evidence? just my viewpoint)
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how would you feel if your doctor prescribed meds or treatment which is prescribed/advised by its governing professional body, but your doctor failed to give is personal recommendation (which he isnt covered for by their governing professional body) :banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead:

But like the 'WHO' guidelines on sugar intake 😱 sorry well off topic 😳
 
Been using Chihrios one in my nano 30l and noticed much slower algae with same treatment as before. Get at least 3 weeks without sign of any on glass etc, just looks awful as white.

Could be smaller tank less vol means it circulated easier and works better than say a larger one.

Only draw for me to TS is the colour grey on top - it baffles me why they are all white! Make them grey or black please.

Anybody tried to paint theirs? I’d be tempted by the cheaper Chihiros and paint it.


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I think we tend to avoid too much surface agitation as we lose co2 in term, so likely why these are so popular with aquascapists as fish tanks without co2 can be as agitated as they like.

I have a sump on my planted tank with heavy overflow and return pump surface agitation so I likely don’t need one on the bigger tank. Having said that if they do actually do something we all don’t yet appreciate for killing spores and illness, coupled with they fact they oxygenate without gas off and look cool in the process, than that’s reason enough for me!

Like I said the worst part is that they are white, such an eye sore in a lovey planted natural environment.


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this is exactly the reason i use it, it's a fancy air stone in my eyes and anything else is a bonus, i have virtually no surface agitation and want to keep it that way due to frogbit so this serves a purpose for me (just not necessarily what it's being marketed as/for)
 
Hi,
How often do the chihiros version cycle please?
Thanks,
Ady.
 
Andrew Butler said:
I think that depends which setting you put it on.
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Yeah, I was under the impression, perhaps incorrectly, that it would be every half hour or so, didn’t come on once last night that I saw except when I set it up. I could have missed it I guess or it may just have needed to set itself in a cycle. It came on this morning when I was doing a water change though so that’s encouraging.

Does everybody set the tds correctly on theirs? I don’t currently have a tds pen so don’t know the tank value.

Thanks
Ady.
 
You've got the newer chihiros version with an app haven't you? No experience with that.
Maybe as it's 'intelligent' it knows it's night?!
I know on the previous version there is some kind of info in instructions to dial back for hard water but don't think anything of the sort with my twinstar one.

I think looking at your water companies report for your postcode should give you enough of an idea for this.
 
I found out with the Twinstar that it doesn't like TDS above 300 ppm 🙂 Once I started using my Ro/di water for water changes instead of my tap water it started to work as it is suppose too. So high TDS tanks is not a good match for this type of unit.🙂
 
Andrew Butler said:
You've got the newer chihiros version with an app haven't you? No experience with that.
Maybe as it's 'intelligent' it knows it's night?!
I know on the previous version there is some kind of info in instructions to dial back for hard water but don't think anything of the sort with my twinstar one.

I think looking at your water companies report for your postcode should give you enough of an idea for this.
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Thanks, it seems to be working now, on every 7 minutes or so currently from the last half o hour I’ve been watching the tank 😎
My tds from tap is around 85 however I’m guessing adding fertilisers increases this plus perhaps the Seiryu stone will effect it also.
I’ll have to invest in a tds pen again but I think it will change dramatically through the week so I don’t really know what value I’m supposed to enter 😕

Ed Wiser said:
I found out with the Twinstar that it doesn't like TDS above 300 ppm 🙂 Once I started using my Ro/di water for water changes instead of my tap water it started to work as it is suppose too. So high TDS tanks is not a good match for this type of unit.🙂
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I hope the chihiros is working now as it has found its cycle and not because I did a water change which lowered the tds.....

Cheerio
 
My Chihiros v3 has been working very well as the last one was faulty and touch button didn’t work.

Yesterday I noticed this one was also slightly damp on the control unit, water drips down the cable and into the unit so be careful. This one has since also stopped working.

If I get another one I think I’ll go Twinstar as these seem to just not be made very well at all and corrode so easily as the main units are not water tight or any attempt to seal.


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Something Fishy said:
water drips down the cable and into the unit so be careful
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Just google 'drip loop aquarium' you should always have one with any electrical product when water is involved.
Something Fishy said:
This one has since also stopped working.
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Switch it off, unplug it straight away and do not use it again.
Something Fishy said:
If I get another one I think I’ll go Twinstar as these seem to just not be made very well at all and corrode so easily as the main units are not water tight or any attempt to seal.
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The twinstar sterilisers are not waterproof either. I've both a Twinstar nano and a couple of Chihiros doctors and for the money I would not buy another Twinstar.
The Chihiros replacement meshes are a fraction of the price compared to the twinstar and also fit the twinstar; I know my choice. 😉
 
Andrew Butler said:
Just google 'drip loop aquarium' you should always have one with any electrical product when water is involved.

Switch it off, unplug it straight away and do not use it again.

The twinstar sterilisers are not waterproof either. I've both a Twinstar nano and a couple of Chihiros doctors and for the money I would not buy another Twinstar.
The Chihiros replacement meshes are a fraction of the price compared to the twinstar and also fit the twinstar; I know my choice. 😉
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Thanks for feedback, no idea how water gets in as it has to go back up technically but it does seem to. Even a tiny splash I guess would be enough to ruin it inside. Would siliconing it around the edges be worth it you recon?

The wires on the Chihiros one in the actual tank also have started to come loose coincidently at the same time!


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Something Fishy said:
Thanks for feedback, no idea how water gets in as it has to go back up technically but it does seem to. Even a tiny splash I guess would be enough to ruin it inside. Would siliconing it around the edges be worth it you recon?
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Which version do you have? - I will have to look what / if the instructions recommend (assuming there are any included!)
I will also have to have a look at my Chihiros and its construction over the Twinstar; wont be today though.
The cables all enter the bottom of my Chihiros so if you are getting water entering the unit along a cable this suggests to me the drip loop is not big enough maybe this link might explain things a little easier - not saying all the info is right but should give you the general idea.
If the cord is too short from the doctor to the mesh I did manage to find the correct sized extension; the size you are looking for is 3.5 x 1.3mm but is a little tricky searching as headphone type plugs are 3.5mm so you get flooded with those so this link should help. if it is too short from the power supply to the doctor then you can buy longer ones of those easily enough too.
STOP PRESS
Am I correct to think you have the doctor inside the cabinet of your TMC Sig 600 sump build? If so that would probably explain everything. The inside of the cabinet will naturally be a 'moist' environment so strictly speaking you should not have something without the correct IP rating inside the cabinet. If this is all correct then simply moving your doctor to the outside of the cabinet should solve this unless you're going to soak it in water (still use drip loops).

Just thinking about the Twinstar and also the cradle you can get for it left me thinking about the cable placement; looking at the Twinstar Iberica page about installing the unit you can see the power in connection (low voltage) is at the bottom of the unit and the socket for the mesh is at the top. - I wouldn't like to comment any further

Just remember you should always keep a drip loop with any mains voltage socket when water's involved.

Something Fishy said:
The wires on the Chihiros one in the actual tank also have started to come loose coincidently at the same time!
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I had this problem too assuming you mean where the cable meets the mesh body; if I still have the mesh I will have it I'll put a picture up.
The rubber around the connection between the mesh and the cable meet came loose; you could see the cable inside including the coloured wires but it looked to have an internally sealed connection an carried on working fine.
I've no idea what kind of voltage is put out to the mesh.
I did consider some heat shrink tubing to also turn it black instead of that unsightly white but never did.
 
Something Fishy said:
Would siliconing it around the edges be worth it you recon?
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Hi, my 4th generation unit came with 2 small white gaskets which I’m now guessing are to slip into the connection points on the main unit before plugging the wires in to ‘waterproof’. I may have to do that :nailbiting:
 
Ady34 said:
Hi, my 4th generation unit came with 2 small white gaskets which I’m now guessing are to slip into the connection points on the main unit before plugging the wires in to ‘waterproof’. I may have to do that
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pictures of the 4th gen and the gaskets would be great.
The original power etc with the doctor and twinstar may have some kind of barrier; will investigate.
It isn't 240v at any of these points but drip loop always a good idea in my opinion
 
Andrew Butler said:
pictures of the 4th gen and the gaskets would be great.
The original power etc with the doctor and twinstar may have some kind of barrier; will investigate.
It isn't 240v at any of these points but drip loop always a good idea in my opinion
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I’ll get some photos later. The gaskets almost looked like they weren’t meant to be in the box, offcuts or something, but now I think that’s what they are.
Drip loops are a must I agree. I haven’t stuck mine in position as yet as I wanted to decide where exactly I wanted it but once I have I will definitely have the loops.
Cheerio,
 
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