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2.5G Perfecto vs. AGA

3K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  gnome 
#1 ·
Is there any difference in quality? Petsmart has the Perfecto for $10.00. My LFS can order the AGA, Ballpark price was $25. Is the AGA worth the extra money? The Perfecto comes with a solid top. The AGA doesn't.

Has anyone used the AGA or Perfecto Incandasent(sp?) hoods with PC bulbs? What are you opinion of the quality vs. price wise? I would love the coralife mini aqualight, but I was wondering if PC bulbs would work just as good.
 
#4 ·
I had the same question a while ago, and to verify i just bought both of them.
The only difference between the two is that the AGA version has a little hole in the inner lip of the tank, it looks like a missing piece of the lip, the purpose of this is because the glass top cover all the top and with this hole you can pass cables or tubing or just a breathing hole for a betta.

About the light it will fit, the only thing you will notice is that it is slighty bigger (like a 1/8") in both sides but u can notice it, this is with both tanks the perfecto and the AGA. Anyway it looks great so go for it.

I hope this help you. And if you have any other question just let me know.

BTW sorry for any error, english is not my first language. :proud:
 
#5 · (Edited)
Sorry I'm getting to this late. I REALLY suggest against getting an incandescent hood. I bought a 12" incandescent strip light so that I could use one of those 10W screw-in PC bulbs, but it was hideous. It only lit one side of the tank and the color was terrible. The only thing that benefitted from it was the algae. I really like the "rich" look of a normal-output T5 daylight bulb.

I LOVE my 12" AGA fluorescent strip light, but I've had to go through hell to find the *correct* replacement bulb. I believe that AGA makes these available, now, but I e-mailed them to find out what bulb they include with the fixture because all the other bulbs I've used to replace it have been given me really bad results. They replied that they used Sylvania flo tubes (8W 6500K, 350 Lumens, 76 CRI). I looked high and low, found a bulb supplier who sells this lamp, and they were finally able to ship it yesterday (and I ordered it about three weeks ago). Even though I bought it from a regular on-line bulb company, it cost me nearly $12. I also ordered a cheaper one (~$4) that's made by a different manufacturer, and I'm going to try it out to see if I get similar results so I don't have to pay an arm and a leg for the Sylvania.

$25 for just a regular 2.5-gallon glass tank? Plain old rectangular?!?! I got mine (AGA) for $7.99 from a warehouse-type place called Pet Club. Then I ordered the 12" AGA fluorescent strip lights from Drs. F & S and they're like $25 (give or take a buck). I got a glass top custom-made at a glass shop for something like $3.

I was able to grow almost any plant under the sun with the light, too. It was when I had to replace the bulb that I started having serious problems. Don't get Power-Glo. They're too blue and you'll get all sorts of algae on everything. Colormax was really ugly and not very bright. I'm hoping that the new bulbs will do the trick.

Sorry I just rambled like that. I'm a bit loopy on cold meds at the moment :confused:

-Naomi
 
#6 ·
gnome said:
I REALLY suggest against getting an incandescent hood. I bought a 12" incandescent strip light so that I could use one of those 10W screw-in PC bulbs, but it was hideous. It only lit one side of the tank and the color was terrible. The only thing that benefitted from it was the algae. I really like the "rich" look of a normal-output T5 daylight bulb.
I am with you in this, the only reason i kept it is because i need it at the moment i bought it. About the thing of only lighting one part of the tank is true but i fixed it with an extension (.59 cents n my local home depot) that help me put the light in the middle.

Anyway i have a better one that i can really recommend. Here is the link to it

http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=29559;category_id=1875

This is my new one and i really love it. It works great. I don't hated that much the other one after the fix but in comparison this one is better.

Again sorry for any error. My first language is spanish.
 
#7 ·
In a rush of excitment I got the perfecto 2.5 and a incandescent(sp?) hood. I didn't think I would be happy with that hood and I was right. LOL I am new to plants so I have just been throwing a few plants in here and there. I have a nice piece of driftwood that kinda forms a bridge, with java fern attached. I split a microsowrd into 4 pieces and put them around the tank (I think that was a mistake). One day it will be nice and green and the next it will be brown and dieing. I have some hornwart floating to soak up some nutrients. So far after almost 3 weeks(I think anyway) nothing bad has happened. I also have another plant that I don't remember the name of. 1 betta and 2 african dwarf frogs. Neat tank. Cost as much for the 2.5 as it would have a 10 though. Next is a Mini Aqualight. Oh yeah I also had a cutom top made for $1.50, a hagen mini 25 watt 6" heater(I like this heater it's only about halve the diameter of regular 25 watt heaters), and a nano filter. I wish I had a digital camera.
 
#8 ·
Oh, I think I'm in heaven... Today I received that replacement Sylvania bulb for the 12" strip light, and the color is just SO "unobtrusive" (the best word I can come up with), yet bright. Granted, the tank has to be re-planted and I only added water back today, but I'm already happy with this light. I tell ya - if you can return the incandescent fixture and pay a little more for the fluorescent light, do it.

Truthfully, it's not that much more for the mini Aqualight, but I think 18W over a 2.5-gallon tank is overkill. I've heard all of the arguments that suggest the smaller the tank, the more WPG's you should have... But there was a time that I could grow almost any plant with the 8W on the 2.5-gallon. I'm also partial to the more even distribution of light with the normal fluorescents. Besides, the 6700K Coralife lamp that I use in my Aqualight on my 10-gallon gives everything this sort of yellowish-greenish tinge that I really dislike. Same with the screw-in PC bulb on my 12" incandescent fixture. Granted, I've only heard really good things about the mini Aqualight, so I probably just don't know what I'm missing out on...

I LOVE those 25W Hagen compact heaters. Actually, I've been running some of my tiny tanks without heaters, but the cold water makes it very uncomfortable to prune and stuff. I really don't like that no matter how small the heater, it's always going to take up valuable space in a nano tank. The other option is to use a reptile tank heater and place it under the tank. I've heard of some people using them, but I'm told that it doesn't have a thermostat.

Good to hear that your new little set-up is giving you enjoyment. Happy planting!

-Naomi :)
 
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