AQUAEL LEDDY DAY AND NIGHT 60 KIT

Tester: Gabor Horvath Duration: 3 months

Price: RRP £72.99 More info: http://www.alfltd.co.uk/

The new AquaEl Leddy Day and Night 60 kit consists a base tank with a 60x30cm footprint. In the regular version it’s 30cm tall, with a 54-litre capacity. For an extra £9 you can get a taller, 40cm aquarium, holding 72 litres.

The hood is slightly curved with a large feeding flap in the middle. It also has two clips that can hold the hood upright, making maintenance easier. As these hinges are not fixed you can easily lift off the whole hood as well when needed.

Under the hood there’s a 7W light with white and blue LEDs. At first it was confusing to find a single on/off switch, but later I learned that as you turn it on and off it cycles through the colours. The first ‘on’ is white, followed by ‘off’, ‘blue and white’, ‘off’, ‘blue only’ and ‘off’ again. This is because of a microprocessor chip in the switch, which must be switched within five seconds for the colour change.

If you want the lights on a timer you can leave it on white and set it.

The Platinum heater also comes armed with a microprocessor. Most factory aquarium sets (especially those aimed at beginners) come with basic heaters and filters, so I was surprised to see something at a much higher end included as standard. This fully electronic heater (there is no mechanical thermostat) is especially reliable and precise. I have been using one for several years for my breeding projects, specifically as it keeps a very steady temperature.

The included ASAP 300 filter also has unique features. With the pump unit located at the bottom it can operate in water as shallow as 5cm. The removable filter chamber allows easy maintenance, without the need for lifting out the motor-unit. It contains a filter-sponge, which is my preferred choice over the disposable cartridge systems.

The AquaEl Day and Night 60 set is available in white and black, with matching cabinets for around £50.