# ADA Aquasky or BML?



## Planted_Edge (Apr 29, 2015)

Got rid of my fluval edge and got a Ada 60p tank, set it up, now I gotta buy a light , fast..
My local retailer has the ADA Aquasky 601 for 325$+ tax

BML asks for 219$ for a 24" fixture but sits right on the rim of the tank, and even with 90 degree beam angle, I'm not sure I'll get even coverage front to back,(12") unless I raise the light.(heard the plastic legs for mounting on the rim aren't that good)

Aquasky on the other end, is arguably a nicer looking fixture, taller ,making access in the tank easier, but made in China vs USA for the BML...from the other reviews it looks like a solidly built unit though...

So there it is, 100$ Difference...
If price is no question, which would you choose?
Of course, add the fact that I can get it today vs 2 weeks from now ..considering I have plants in the tank and no light atm, well...

Share your experience please...


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## Planted_Edge (Apr 29, 2015)

I should add, both of them grow almost any type of high light plant just fine , maybe BML is too strong and would have to get a dimmer at over 100 par and Aquasky around 70par or so


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

Planted_Edge said:


> I should add, both of them grow almost any type of high light plant just fine , maybe BML is too strong and would have to get a dimmer at over 100 par and Aquasky around 70par or so


approx:24"x12"x14"...........


Neither.. 
For $300 plus you get full spectrum control. ramp up and dimming.

https://www.reefbreeders.com/shop/photon-24/

anyways:



> The 602's are overkill for most anyone except perhaps something like my 120 Gallon high light tank......
> Colors are okay, but more red and yellow is needed for my taste before I buy an LED.


http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=298722&page=2

Regardless of the rest.. $300 plus and no dimming.. no thank you..




> ADA	Aquasky 601	LED	25W	2520-2850 lm	125-145par (16")


At least w/ the BML you can add a cheap oem dimmer...
http://www.buildmyled.com/manual-dimming-switch/


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## Planted_Edge (Apr 29, 2015)

Jeff, that looks like a massive unit.
Anyone having any experience with it growing HC, glosso etc?

Looks like it's made for the reef rather than plants?
Obviously considering the same price between the 2 units I'm 100% sold on this reef breeders unit if it's potent enough to grow what I need it to grow.


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## FlyingHellFish (Nov 5, 2011)

Planted_Edge said:


> Jeff, that looks like a massive unit.
> Anyone having any experience with it growing HC, glosso etc?


A good way to gauge a product is to ask to see the user' tank. Here my ADA 60P

MicMol AquaMini's w/ glosso carpet on a ADA60P

Top view looking down w/ only the white leds on.









The Glosso vs HC Cuba vs S. Repen race.
























Too lazy to trim? Let the plants grow out of the tank! 









There also a few people who had great results with the Ecoxtoic E series, my boy Alan got a sweet tank using two of them.


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## Planted_Edge (Apr 29, 2015)

^Great looking tank are you getting good light coverage with that unit?

@Jeff, I found your posts on another thread on this unit looks like I can customize it to my needs, which is awesome. gotta read up some more on it...hanged up w/rimless should look awesome, not to mention how much potential this light has.


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

Planted_Edge said:


> Jeff, that looks like a massive unit.
> Anyone having any experience with it growing HC, glosso etc?
> 
> Looks like it's made for the reef rather than plants?
> Obviously considering the same price between the 2 units I'm 100% sold on this reef breeders unit if it's potent enough to grow what I need it to grow.


Everyone misses the "freshwater" or custom spectrum part. You can design it anyway you like.. 
You can get the smaller model and hang it..

ANY of the 3 lights will grow anything practically.. esp. w/ CO2 injection..
23.5″x8.5″x2.5″
or
15.75″x8.5″x2.5″
16" hung higher.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=672985


A sample freshwater pattern (moonlight not included):
Low K/red channel and highK blue/cyan channel 









reefbreeders "canned" fw spectrum (or as I like to call it reef lite)
32 >= 10,000k 12-4500k 4- "red"


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## FlyingHellFish (Nov 5, 2011)

Planted_Edge said:


> ^Great looking tank are you getting good light coverage with that unit?


Yes, it's actually a reef fixture. I just turn down the intensity because it will turn my living room into a night club.

















Like throwing parties? What about a reef/freshwater/night club LED fixture? 

PS - If anyone wondering how vicious carpeting plants are, from my experience nothing is as invasive as DHG.

Dwarf Hair grass > Glosso > HC Cuba > a very distant 4th is S.repens


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## dcutl002 (Apr 8, 2014)

Nice tank and light FlyingHellFish. Thanks for sharing.


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

http://www.micmol.com/support/press/aquamini-freshwater.html

What is wrong w/ these people.. calling it FW ????? 

Hey are you tony T????

That is you!!!!!

and I thought my first light disco was bad...


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## Planted_Edge (Apr 29, 2015)

Jeff, tried to pm you but it doesn't work...
I was curious on which pattern was going to give me best results with mainly greens in the tank..
For my tank, a Photon 16 would be enough but at over 16" from the water surface, isn't that gonna be an eyesore watching the tank from couch level?...too much light flooding the room maybe?...instead of focusing directly on the tank?..I have no idea...
Somebody that has this fixture, how is it? How noisy are the fans on it?
Thanks


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## Kathyy (Feb 22, 2010)

I have LEDZeal, not Reefbreeder but I sit 3' from my tank with the LED unit 16" above the tank and maybe 2' from the ceiling and the LEDs don't bother me even when they are at 100% intensity. Mine have 90* lens on them and the light really does go mostly down. RB also used 90* except on reds and moonlights so it should be fine. At night the room isn't lit by the LED the way it was lit by the metal halides. I still think it looks a bit like Christmas lights though with all those colored LED.


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## Planted_Edge (Apr 29, 2015)

Ya im trying to avoid the "Christmas lights" look...personally I would enjoy all the added benefits of this light with timer and color customization ect...but I'm not sure it is needed...and if the ADA can grow anything just as well, especially since everything will be green in my tank(not planning on any red plants ), might as well get it , even though it's overpriced for what I get..
If I plug it into a timer, that should be enough right?

I would have used the photon on a bigger tank say over 75 G but on this small tank don't you think it's gonna look weird?
Don't know I can't decide...


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

Planted_Edge said:


> Ya im trying to avoid the "Christmas lights" look...personally I would enjoy all the added benefits of this light with timer and color customization ect...but I'm not sure it is needed...and if the ADA can grow anything just as well, especially since everything will be green in my tank(not planning on any red plants ), might as well get it , even though it's overpriced for what I get..
> If I plug it into a timer, that should be enough right?
> 
> I would have used the photon on a bigger tank say over 75 G but on this small tank don't you think it's gonna look weird?
> Don't know I can't decide...


i'm sticking w/ it it can't be dimmed I ain't buying it..
you know you could get all one color LEd's in a reefbreeder though certainly not recommended..
Or a collection of high and low whites.. zero disco..
One more to throw in the pot..again customizable..
http://www.dsuny.com.cn/

A tank I helped design the light for.. big of course..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkq9rr8NQtc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHX1hosIgzE


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## Planted_Edge (Apr 29, 2015)

Would it work to do low and high whites, 660nm red and some blue?
Don't think I need the green
Are Eco-tech radion's customizable?
Ya I know more expensive but an even better fixture made here , not as heavy as the photon, better looking and 6channel 

I emailed reefbreeders lets see what layout they come up with.


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## Planted_Edge (Apr 29, 2015)

Anyone have any experience with the Eco-tech Radion XR-15 FW?
Would I need 2 for my 24" long tank?

It looks promising and I might just order one today


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

Planted_Edge said:


> Anyone have any experience with the Eco-tech Radion XR-15 FW?
> Would I need 2 for my 24" long tank?
> 
> It looks promising and I might just order one today


The "cone" is about 24" so 2 would be unnecessary..


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## Planted_Edge (Apr 29, 2015)

Ok I'm debating between these 2 now.
The radion xr15 and the Kessil 360 tuna sun

The Kessil looks better on paper ...but 100$ more than the radion


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## A Hill (Jul 25, 2005)

I have the kessil. It's much better than the radion in person too.


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## Planted_Edge (Apr 29, 2015)

A Hill said:


> I have the kessil. It's much better than the radion in person too.


Kessil it is....everyone is having only good things to say about it as far as the color and plant grow go.
Where did you get it from?they say the maximum coverage is 24" ...im right there with my tank..hopefully it will cover the whole thing..
I love the design too, it looks like its making work in the tank so much easier...


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## A Hill (Jul 25, 2005)

I'm using them on six foot tall vivariums. I'm on break from aquariums since my condo is on the second floor.


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## A Hill (Jul 25, 2005)

I purchased them through southwest aquaculture. The owner is someone I know. 

-Andrew


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## jimbo662 (Aug 4, 2013)

I use Kessil's on my reef tank and love them.


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## AlanLe (Jan 10, 2013)

FlyingHellFish said:


> Yes, it's actually a reef fixture. I just turn down the intensity because it will turn my living room into a night club.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



From my experience DHG is not too invasive as glosso and HC. Glosso and HC will overlap each other when there is no more room for them to grow. DHG only grows underneath other plants and around the rocks/driftwood. 










I'm curing these manzanita branches for my next rescape........


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## FlyingHellFish (Nov 5, 2011)

dcutl002 said:


> Nice tank and light FlyingHellFish. Thanks for sharing.


Glad you like it. 



jeffkrol said:


> http://www.micmol.com/support/press/aquamini-freshwater.html
> 
> What is wrong w/ these people.. calling it FW ?????
> 
> ...


It's not your disco light that is bad, I think your light is fine.


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## BigL_RIP (Jul 12, 2013)

very happy Kessil owner here too, and I've tried virtually everything sans the Radion.


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## FlyingHellFish (Nov 5, 2011)

AlanLe said:


> I'm curing these manzanita branches for my next rescape........


Gorgeous!!! That thing is massive, being so far up north here, all we have is twigs. 

For me, Glosso just suffocates my HC Cuba. You can plant Glosso on top of HC and it will creep all over the place until it hits the substrate. Once it does, good bye HC Cuba.


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## AlanLe (Jan 10, 2013)

FlyingHellFish said:


> Gorgeous!!! That thing is massive, being so far up north here, all we have is twigs.
> 
> 
> 
> For me, Glosso just suffocates my HC Cuba. You can plant Glosso on top of HC and it will creep all over the place until it hits the substrate. Once it does, good bye HC Cuba.



You should contact Tom Barr. He lives near the manzanita jungle. 


-Alan


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## kilauea91 (Sep 19, 2013)

That's some great looking woods. Your tank is beautiful as is. Why not get a new tank for your wood scape? They should fit in a 180P nicely 
:hihi:


AlanLe said:


> From my experience DHG is not too invasive as glosso and HC. Glosso and HC will overlap each other when there is no more room for them to grow. DHG only grows underneath other plants and around the rocks/driftwood.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## AlanLe (Jan 10, 2013)

kilauea91 said:


> That's some great looking woods. Your tank is beautiful as is. Why not get a new tank for your wood scape? They should fit in a 180P nicely
> 
> :hihi:



Hey Edward how are you? That was my original scape when i was growing DHG. How do you like the radion light? You have 3 right? The 180p is big! I'm wondering if AFA still have that tank. 



-Alan


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## Planted_Edge (Apr 29, 2015)

Does DHG grow well with HC or not really?
I have 1/3 of my foreground empty and planning on planting HC there...the rest is all dwarf hair grass(the tall kind /eleocharis acicularis)...


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