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Regina Contreras photo
Netherlands, Amsterdam
1 Level
427 Review
0 Karma

Review on Finnex Stingray Aquarium Light 20 Inch by Regina Contreras

Revainrating 4 out of 5

OK, but not perfect.

The light output is really good, with a nice tone that looks very natural. It appears to be fairly neutral with no preference for any particular colour. The mount itself is small and thin, making it invisible on your tank. Sounds like I love it, so why only four stars instead of five? First a hardwired transformer. My guess is that Finnex have great confidence in the quality of the transformer they use as it is not just a plug in item. Most other lights have a cylinder connection, which makes changing the transformer easy. This is one of the most common problems I've had with LED lights, which is those cheap transformers blowing out. Hope this one lasts. Another reason I love the Barrel Inline is that I've recently started using the Current USA Ramp Timer. This element sits between the light and the transformer and creates a beautiful twilight effect as it turns the light on and off. With a wired Finnex I can no longer use it and instead have to use a timer plugged into an outlet. Second, the kit includes clear plastic clips to allow the mount to sit on top of the tank. They look good and are designed to fit a variety of tank rim designs. They even allow you to remove the inside for larger frames. It's great, but they don't tell you how to do it anywhere on the box or in the instructions. It's clear plastic and looks obvious, but it really isn't. It has a small C clip for a part that needs to be removed in a specific way that you can't really see. You bend it outward and it comes out, but you have a feeling something is going to break it. Actually, I wonder how much gets broken by people trying to figure it out. There must be instructions somewhere on how to do this. If I missed it in my rush to turn on the light, please leave a comment for others where you found it. Overall very happy with the build quality and light output of this unit but would not have bought it if I knew I would no longer be able to use my ramp timer. This is a good product but not perfect. If Finnex had decent clamping instructions and if it had a removable transformer I would give it five stars.

Pros
  • Included components: LED bulb, legs
Cons
  • Neutral