Twinstar S-Line V: the light fixture with the boost in the DaniReef LAB

We had the chance to test in our DaniReef LAB the new Twinstar S-Line V, designed for the most demanding freshwater aquariums. A high-end light fixture with advanced control, a spectrum optimized for plant growth, and a particularly interesting feature: the Boost Mode, which increases power and PAR up to impressive levels.

Let’s take a closer look together in this full review with PAR measurements, spectrum analysis, and power consumption tests.

The Twinstar S-Line V features a minimalist and solid design, with an anodized aluminum body and no fans—meaning it’s completely silent. It has a premium Titanium finish and metal side brackets. Compact and elegant, it’s designed for aquariums up to about 36 cm wide.

Technical specifications – Twinstar S-Line V

• Dimensions: 28 x 10 x 11.5(h) cm
• Aquarium width: from 28 to 36 cm
• Rated power consumption: 27 W
• Maximum brightness: 1700 lumen
• Retail price: €144.90

Our video about the new Twinstar S-Line V

In the video below, we showcase the new and elegant fixture, our unboxing, and comment on all the results from our tests. Don’t miss it:

Which LEDs does the Twinstar S-Line V use? Advanced Spectrum V3.0

Actually, we don’t know. We couldn’t find any technical specifications online, and we didn’t want to disassemble our unit. As you can see from the photos, it also features a diffusing panel above the LEDs, making it impossible to identify them precisely.

One of the main strengths of the Twinstar S-Line V is its Advanced Spectrum V3.0. It’s not just a powerful light — it’s designed to deliver the perfect balance between visual aesthetics and actual plant growth performance. The spectrum covers the entire range from 400 to 780 nm, encompassing all the key wavelengths for photosynthesis and plant development. We’ll analyze this in detail on page two.

According to Twinstar, the blue component (around 450 nm) promotes compact and vigorous growth with stronger stems. The green range (500–600 nm), while less efficient for photosynthesis, greatly enhances visual appeal, making aquascapes appear brighter and more natural. The red light at around 660 nm is key for photosynthesis and brings out intense, vivid leaf colors. Lastly, the deep red (700–780 nm) supports root development and stabilizes growth cycles.

Overall, the six-color RGB + growth LEDs spectrum provides not only luminous energy but also a finely tuned balance for every growth phase — from rooting to high photosynthetic activity — delivering a vibrant, lifelike appearance to the aquarium. Especially effective on red plants, a hallmark of every Twinstar light.

Based on its technical data, the Twinstar S-Line V is suitable for virtually any freshwater aquarium, either as a standalone unit or paired with another, depending on the desired intensity.

Adjusting the Twinstar S-Line V

Twinstar equipped this fixture with an excellent control system, the brand-new LightControl PRO. This controller can also be purchased separately and used with older Twinstar light series that don’t include it.

The controller allows full management of the fixture through an app that connects via Bluetooth. The app is incredibly fast, intuitive, and powerful. The interface shows just three buttons: one for power on/off, one for color adjustment, and one for timer settings. No unnecessary features—just simplicity and speed.

From the color screen (the one with the black background), you can adjust the three main channels—blue, green, and red—as well as what Twinstar calls the Plant Grow LED. The spectrum changes dynamically as you move the sliders. You can also set the fixture’s maximum power output.

From the timer screen, you can set the total light duration, sunrise and sunset lengths (independent from each other), and access the planner function. This allows you to gradually increase intensity over a 25-day period, helping your aquarium adapt to this powerful light and preventing plant burn. Simple, intuitive, and extremely fast.

The fixture doesn’t include dedicated moonlight LEDs, but it has a fantastic feature — the Boost Mode, which increases power by about 20% (we measured it on page two), with a noticeable improvement in PAR and total performance.

Fixture extension

The Twinstar S-Line V has two holes on top, as shown in the pictures, where two terminals with clips attach to rest the fixture on the aquarium glass. These terminals allow its use on tanks between 28 and 36 cm in length.

Which plants are ideal for this light?

Our measurements show that the Twinstar S-Line V is an extremely powerful fixture for demanding planted tanks. With a peak of 389 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹ at 17 cm and 125 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹ at 37 cm, a single unit easily covers most aquascapes. Activating the Boost Mode pushes the peak up to 484 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹, making it suitable even for high-light plants or deeper tanks.

• Low–Medium light (Anubias, Microsorum, Cryptocoryne): easily covered even with a single unit, even at greater distances.
• Medium–High (Hygrophila, demanding Echinodorus, red stems): thrive with a single unit at 37 cm; with Boost Mode, growth is faster and more compact.
• High light / demanding carpets (Hemianthus callitrichoides, Micranthemum Monte Carlo, Rotala high light): optimal results at 17–37 cm; in deeper tanks or wide carpets, Boost Mode becomes essential, or you can pair two fixtures in parallel.

In short, the Twinstar S-Line V allows you to grow any aquascaping plant, from easy species to delicate carpets, with precise control of light intensity and spectrum through its app.

The complete table listing the PAR needs of each plant species is available on page two.

👉 Want to see the complete data and understand how the DaniReef LAB method works? You can find it on page two.