# Using New LED light for planted tank



## MiguelAngelo (6 Feb 2014)

So I bought a new LED light for my planted tank (64 liters) and had a few questions: 

TMC GroBeam 600 Ultima Natural Daylight - Single | Swell UK

1. As there will be more light does this mean I need to add more fertilisers and CO2? 
2. Should I combine with my existing light in the aquarium or standalone? (Standard fluorescent 30w at the moment) 
3. Is this lighting enough for most categories of plants?


----------



## ceg4048 (6 Feb 2014)

You have too much light already. People who worry about having enough light always have too much. Then they get algae and blame it on other things.

Cheers,


----------



## three-fingers (6 Feb 2014)

1. Yes.
2. No.
3. Yes. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## MiguelAngelo (7 Feb 2014)

Thanks for your replies. If the LED light proves to be too much light I can counterbalance with CO2 and algae fighting plants can't I? I do water changes and vacuum every week to remove excess nutrients that would cause algae. Also not worried to have some algae in the tank as long as I can clearly see my fish and it remains on some of the rocks and plants. Still learning and experimenting so will have lots of questions as I go through the experience.


----------



## Edvet (7 Feb 2014)

There are no algea fighting plants. Lots of light means you 1) have to provide a lot of CO2, 2) provide lots of ferts/micro's, 3) do large waterchanges. That's all


----------



## MiguelAngelo (7 Feb 2014)

I see. I thought plants compete for nutrients so a balanced tank would avoid algae. Thanks for your feedback as I'll now prepare to make sure I have enough CO2, ferts and larger waterchanges. Would you recommend macro and micro with ferts as I already have fish in there? Also I have floating plants covering about half the tank but thinking of getting rid of most unless you recommend I keep them since I'll have lots of light now.


----------



## stu_ (7 Feb 2014)

Hi, welcome to the forum
Excess nutrients will not cause algae, but excess light will.
In fact you'll probably need lots more nutrients (N & P) as well as good co2 to keep up with the demands that light will place on the tank.
This is not something you're gonna want to hear, but IMO you'd be better off doing this


MiguelAngelo said:


> Still learning and experimenting so will have lots of questions as I go through the experience.


with the original lighting, till you get more exerience with co2 and good flow.
Like i said, welcome to the forum & i hope i don't seem too negative.
ps can you give me a link to these "algae eating plants", i could do with buying some.


----------



## Edvet (7 Feb 2014)

A balanced tank "doesn't excist. Overdosing ferts does not happen. Testkits are useless.
Light determines everything. Lots of light puts everything in overdrive, so  you HAVE  to give lots of CO2 and ferts. Floating plants shadow a tank thus reducing demands a bit. This can help if you are struggling with getting enough CO2 in the tank..
The large waterchanges are not to remove ferts, but to remove toxins created by fast growth and polution.


----------



## MiguelAngelo (7 Feb 2014)

Thanks Stu. I'm completely fine with getting different opinions, that's how I'll learn after all.  

Thing is that the original lighting hasn't really helped me with some of my plants. I bought a few of the Grow 1-2 carpet plants from Tropica and most haven't grown very much at all (even though they're listed for fast growth) and one of them looks to be near death (medium difficulty category). I provide nutrasoil, ferts and CO2 yet this didn't make difference. Even some of my easy category plants started getting yellow leaves which I've read means deficiency in nutrients like Iron, phosphates etc and not enough lighting. Not making much sense to me so I was recommended to increase the lighting. Here is a good article from PFK 10 ways to beat algae | Features | Practical Fishkeeping and another good discussion on the subject Can live plants remove nitrate nitrite and ammonia from a fish tank? - Yahoo UK &amp; Ireland Answers. 

Thanks for the advice and tips Edvet! Seems like I'll have to go through some growing pains on this one. Will update on how it goes.


----------



## stu_ (7 Feb 2014)

There's a lot of reading, but have you seen these articles in the "Tutorials"
Setting up a 'higher' tech planted tank | UK Aquatic Plant Society
CO2 In the planted Aquarium | UK Aquatic Plant Society
EI DOSING USING DRY SALTS | UK Aquatic Plant Society

what ferts are you using?
I have a similar set up as you, with regard to size & lights (T8's?), and have moved from non co2 to pressurised.

TBH if your plants are already struggling with deficiencies, this is the worst thing you can do 


MiguelAngelo said:


> Not making much sense to me so *I was recommended to increase the lighting*.


----------



## Rob P (7 Feb 2014)

The TMC 600 Grobeams are rather bright! I have two over 125litres.

Buy a controller and limit the output to 20% to start, then work your way up. Having these on full power without much idea to what your doing can have disastrous consequences, first hand experience is telling you this  lol


----------



## MiguelAngelo (7 Feb 2014)

Thanks for the links, definitely helpful. This is the multi-nutrient fertiliser I'm using: Brightwell FlorinMulti - Multi-Nutrient Fertilizer 250ml | Charterhouse Aquatics

I use the cheap Tropica option for CO2 which is the disposable cans and dose ml according to what they list for tank size (every morning) but it looks like with additional light I will need to have it very controlled and definitely additional ferts as I only dose 3-4 times a week. Rob, I'm feeling the challenge, can you tell me what controller you mentioned or provide a link? Will probably limit the time my lights are on as well as I do 12-13 hours at the moment.


----------



## MiguelAngelo (7 Feb 2014)

Is this a good controller for the light? AquaRay Lighting Controller | Charterhouse Aquatics

Quite expensive, if anyone knows of cheaper that would be great.


----------



## ian_m (7 Feb 2014)

MiguelAngelo said:


> This is the multi-nutrient fertiliser I'm using: Brightwell FlorinMulti - Multi-Nutrient Fertilizer 250ml | Charterhouse Aquatics


I don't think this has any macro nutrients, magnesium and potassium, so you will most likely get plant issues using this rather expensive fertiliser by itself.



MiguelAngelo said:


> Quite expensive, if anyone knows of cheaper that would be great.


Put some frosted glass or darkened plastic sheet or stockings around the light or strips of black insulation tape on the light or lift the light higher from the water, loads of cheaper ways to lower the tank light level.


----------



## MiguelAngelo (7 Feb 2014)

Excellent point. Just realised I've been dosing with something that isn't covering all my bases. I'll need to visit the shop this weekend and get some proper ferts. Feels good to have identified this as one source of the problem. Thanks for the tips on reducing my light on the cheap, will definitely try.


----------



## ian_m (7 Feb 2014)

This is even cheaper to fertilise with, makes litres and litres of the stuff. (making the assumption you are UK based).
Ei Starter Kit - Starter Kits - Dry Chemicals - Fertilisers


----------



## ceg4048 (7 Feb 2014)

MiguelAngelo said:


> I provide nutrasoil, ferts and CO2 yet this didn't make difference.


CO2 is not a pill that you take to solve your plant health problems. It is a skill that requires careful attention. Beginners who start adding CO2 for the first time assume that it is easy and they immediately start having CO2 problems. Your plants dying is attributable to poor CO2, regardless of what you once imagined. Yellowing plants is due to low Nitrogen so you need to change your nutrients to something more practical. Nitrogen is the second most important nutrient, right after Carbon.




MiguelAngelo said:


> I see. I thought plants compete for nutrients so a balanced tank would avoid algae.


 
This is the worst theory ever invented and is the primary cause of algae in the planted tank.

Cheers,


----------



## MiguelAngelo (7 Feb 2014)

Thanks for the advice. I'm going to work my way back on this one and make sure I focus on the essential nutrients and right amount of lighting. Those nice Tropica CO2 videos and call reps made it sound too easy and don't really explain what to watch out for. I understand they're a business trying to make money but it makes it less likely that I'll use them if I'm unhappy with the results their product/advice gives me. Beginner mistakes...


----------



## MiguelAngelo (7 Feb 2014)

Found a really good article on the subject of different CO2 sources: Carbon in the planted aquarium: Gas vs. liquid | Features | Practical Fishkeeping

I'm going to go the liquid Carbon route on this one and ask my favourite shop for advice.


----------



## Vazkez (7 Feb 2014)

Hello Miquel,

someone told me to bumb threads so I will start here  nah just kiding 
Anyway I am still learning but If you take advice from noob here I go:



MiguelAngelo said:


> Found a really good article


 
This is a good start (with the reading) but be careful as you can end more confuse like you are now...
The good thing on this is there are many nice ppl areound here which do not mind to help the beginners like we are. I might say same thing what was said before but do *NOT* buy ferts from LFL. They are 100x more expensive like dry ferts.



ian_m said:


> This is even cheaper to fertilise with, makes litres and litres of the stuff. (making the assumption you are UK based). Ei Starter Kit - Starter Kits - Dry Chemicals - Fertilisers


 
This is the best start you can have. But please before you start throwing things to your tank read it through.


EI doseing for exp here

The Estimative Index (EI) Dosing with Dry Salts | UK Aquatic Plant Society

I recetly (after 3 moths lol ) thanks to Ceg finaly realised that with EI you acctualy only have to concetrate on CO2 and flow, because you will dose enough nutrients + litlle more.

For now I will definetly keep the floating plants and reduce the light.

I do not know if this acctualy helped you at all but I hope it did 

Good luck dude 

PS sorry for my EN 

Vaz


----------



## MiguelAngelo (8 Feb 2014)

Thanks Vaz will definitely be investing in the dry ferts now. Have to be honest I was a little intimidated by any extra work this would take but watched the video on their site and was convinced: 

Must say this would make for quite some savings and not to mention correctly dosing my tank with the right nutrients. The LED light is arriving today but thanks to you guys I'm not going to simply be plugging it in and hoping for the best


----------

