Which light is best for me? This is a question we get asked all day, so lets cover the different lights we sell and their suggested use as well as their specifications to better help you decide which Chihiros light is best for you.
Chihiros lights come in many shapes and sizes. Here at AquariumCo2 we sell only full RGB lights, no white LED's here. We believe in RGB lights because we have seen how they can make your plants and fish can really pop and stand out in your tank, after all that's the entire point! Maximum impact, right? You wont find a white LED in the house because we're in love with Chihiros RGB lights. Lets talk about a few of our offerings and how they compare.
First, lets start with power ratings. I will use 60 cm Chihiros fixtures as examples except for the Chihiros C2 RGB, Chihiros Vivid Mini, and Chihiros Vivid II with the most powerful fixtures at the top of the list.
Chihiros Vivid II 130w, 5500lm, Number of LEDs : 160 Waterproof Level: IP43
Chihiros Vivid Mini 75w, 5000lm, Number of LEDs : 80 Waterproof Level: IP43
Chihiros WRGBII 67w, 4500lm, Number of LEDs : 60 Waterproof Level: IP43
Chihiros WRGBII Slim 45w, 2400lm, Number of LEDs : 60 Waterproof Level: IP43
Chihiros RGB Plus 45w, 2400lm, Number of LEDs : 40 Waterproof Level: IP43
Chihiros C2 RGB 20w, 1580lm, Number of LEDs : 40 Waterproof Level: IP43
First, lets talk about the Chihiros Vivid II. https://www.aquariumco2.ca/product-page/chihiros-vivid-ii. The Chihiros Vivid II is one of our top-of-the-line pendant-style planted tank lights. This light has a 90cm effective grow area, and power to light even the deepest tanks. The high power means each channel of Red, Green, and Blue have more power in each color which means that even a deep tank can benefit from brighter reds, greens, and blues on their plants and fish. This light is perfect for hanging above a 90cm tank. It comes with a hanging kit in the box. Both a stand, and shades are available as accessories. The stand we carry is the version 2, its a flat bar rather than the older model which is made from round tubing.
Second, the Chihiros Vivid Mini. https://www.aquariumco2.ca/product-page/chihiros-vivid-mini-rgb-lighting-system. The Chihiros Vivid Mini is similar in style to the Vivid II, but it's made for smaller tanks. So what makes it different than the Vivid II? Well, its made for smaller tanks! This light has a 60cm effective growth area and is less powerful at 75w compared to the Vivid II's 130w. This light is perfect for 60cm tanks, but you could get away with using it for fish or a plant more centrally located, similar to an island aquascape, in a 90cm tank. This fixture comes with a stand for rimless tanks with a maximum glass thickness of 12mm. Shades and a hanging kit are available as accessories.
Third, we recommend the Chihiros WRGB II lighting system (available at https://www.aquariumco2.ca/product-page/chihiros-wrgb-ii-lighting-systems) for its impressive power and versatility. With 67W of power, the 60cm version of this fixture is perfect for growing plants in deep tanks, providing even coverage across the entire tank. It's also ideal for rimless tanks, as it can really make your tank stand out and enhance its natural beauty.
However, due to its high power output, some aquarists may find that they don't need to run the light at full brightness on rimless tanks. The adjustable metal stand that comes with the WRGB II can be flipped to add extra length or height, and additional accessories like shades, a hanging kit, and an acrylic stand are also available.
If you have a 60p tank, the 60cm Chihiros WRGB II with acrylic stands will fit perfectly and help your aquascape really stand out. In fact, you may even find yourself selling trimmings in your local aquascape group in no time with this high-powered fixture.
Fourth, the Chihiros WRGB II Slim. https://www.aquariumco2.ca/product-page/chihiros-wrgb-ii-slim-lighting-systems. The Chihiros WRGB II Slim is a great light when you dont need all of the power of the WRGB II. This light pairs really well with tanks that are less demanding. The 60cm fixture has 45W versus the 67W of its big brother the Chihiros WRGB II. The Slim is just that, slimmer. 30% in fact, and 30% less power at a great pricepoint. These lights have been flying off the shelves with their updated metal stands which some may argue look better than the WRGB II. The light is still RGB and you benefit from all of that extra color that comes with a true RGB light. Want your tank to look purple in the evening to really show off your fish's colors? No problem, the Slim can do that. This is a great light at a great price point, soon you'll be saying Fluval who? Shades from the WRGBII do fit this fixture as well. Speaking of shades, you may have noticed the shades only come in 30cm, 45cm, and 60cm. So what do i do if i purchase a Chihiros WRGBII Slim 120? Good question, you would need to purchase two sets of 60cm shades for this fixture. What about the 90cm? You guessed it, two sets of 45cm shades. At the moment, shades and a hanging kit are the only accessories available for the Slim.
Fifth, The Chihiros RGB Plus. https://www.aquariumco2.ca/product-page/chihiros-rgb-plus-black-friday. These lights are very similar to the WRGBII Slim in terms of power, the 60cm is rated at 45w, with 40 LEDs so 20 less LEDs than the WRGBII Slim has. This means it has a slightly smaller footprint, and it comes in silver! The only other fixture that comes in silver is the Chihiros Vivid II. This light is also at a great price point due to its power and size. I have a few running right now, and even use one as a back light for a 60p i'm working on. Makes for amazing photos and colors without the need for editing. This light comes with the same RGB LED's you expect from a high end Chihiros product. Insane reds, bright blues, and vivid greens. This light will happily grow plants in your tank, and make the colors of your fish pop! Accessories available are a hanging kit, and an acrylic stand as well. This light is currently on sale, and includes either the hanging kit, or the acrylic stands FREE!
Last but not least we have the Chihiros c2 RGB. https://www.aquariumco2.ca/product-page/chihiros-cii-rgb-for-nano-tanks. The Chihiros C2 RGB is rated at 20w of RGB power. This fixture is great for nano tanks and is very minimalist with its small mount for rimless tanks. For rimmed tanks or bowls, a stand is sold seperately that makes the light free standing, perfect for an aquascaped Dooa tank / vase. Dont let its small size fool you, this light is very capable for growing plants in nano tanks, it packs a punch!
With the My Chihiros app available for Apple and Android you have full control over the color spectrum and times. No timer needed! All of our lights are bluetooth controlled. You can use the wizard and set your sunrise, sunset, ramp time, and even color spectrum. Or, you can choose from one of the presets available on the app such as Red, Green, Buce, Fish and Shrimp. You can create stunning light schedules with daytime time brightness fading into more stunning colorful evening views for the last hour of your light schedule.
I hope that helps break down the different fixtures and their different applications and specifications for you to easier decide which Chihiros light is right for you. If youve read this far, id like to thank you for taking the time to read the blog, and as always, thank you for your ongoing support. Without you, I'm just a person with way too many lights. Stay safe! AquaCo2.
Thanks for the write-up. Do you have an article that discusses Light settings? Specifically on how to use the app and settings for different unit models? I'd like to learn more about using the WRGBII Slim in terms of setting up day/night modes, thanks!