# Intensity and positioning of GroBeam 600



## Jaap (31 Jul 2014)

Hello,

I set the light intensity to 30% and the distance from the substrate is 55 cm. Do you think its good for starters or should I lower intensity?

Here are full details of the tank:
http://www.ukaps.org/forum/index.php?threads/33795/

Thanks


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## James D (31 Jul 2014)

Mine is around that height (looking at your pictures) but on full intensity. My tank is low tech as well and I never encounter any algae (apart from BBA when I weaned it off the pressurised CO2). I'd say it'd be safe enough to either lower it or increase the intensity.


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## Mr. Teapot (31 Jul 2014)

I have the big tile by Grobeam which is twice the power of your 600 above the same size tank. About 40cm above the surface at 100% power (run with only one channel for 3 weeks when I first set up). Agree with James about being fine to increase if you want to see if it suits your tank better. Personally I'd make an adjustment and wait a couple of weeks to see the result… in my experience, what works on my tank (and anyone else's) won't necessarily work in your set-up. Be careful and make your adjustments very slowly.


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## Jaap (31 Jul 2014)

So 30% and 55cm above substrate is a bit little?


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## Mr. Teapot (31 Jul 2014)

If your plants are growing, your light is plenty. If they're sat there not doing anything, I'd play around with the amount of light and find what works for your tank.

Are you not happy with what's going on in there at the moment?


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## Jaap (31 Jul 2014)

At the moment I have no problem since the setup is 4 days old so I dont expect to see growth soon. I just dont want my plants to die off....as long as they are alive then I am happy  then they can grow!


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## Jaap (7 Aug 2014)

Plants are melting...is there a chance its due to too little light?


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## ceg4048 (7 Aug 2014)

No.

Cheers,


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## Jaap (5 Sep 2014)

I found out that the Grobeam 600 gives 61 PARs at 40cm in air!

I am guessing this is full power....now will this be less through water?

Info I found is here in page 26
http://www.tropicalmarinecentre.co.uk/flipping/AquaRay/files/assets/downloads/AquaRay.pdf


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## Bhu (25 Sep 2014)

I have the twin 600 resting on the glass drip trays at 100% no melting plants.  Im giving 4 hours full light but ramp is 4 hours before and after. I'm on about 2-3 bubbles per second, light green on the drop tester. My tank is a 55cm cube also a new set up with lots of plants from high light loving to low light easy grow and harder to grow. So far so good...


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## Jaap (26 Sep 2014)

So basically you have two of these grobeams at aproximately 50cm above substrate level and at 100%.....Please explain the ramping....4 hours full 100% and 4 hours before as well as 4 hours after from 0% to 100% and then 100% to 0%? So a total of 12 hours?



Bhu said:


> I have the twin 600 resting on the glass drip trays at 100% no melting plants.  Im giving 4 hours full light but ramp is 4 hours before and after. I'm on about 2-3 bubbles per second, light green on the drop tester. My tank is a 55cm cube also a new set up with lots of plants from high light loving to low light easy grow and harder to grow. So far so good...


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## Bhu (26 Sep 2014)

Ok I'll try to be a bit clearer. I have the TMC Aqua Grow 600 twin connected to a dual controller. They sit on glass drip trays 55cm above the substrate. They are set to come on at 8 with the maximum of 4 hour ramp, so by midday they are at full capacity. They then stay that way until 4 in the afternoon then start to ramp down for 4 hours finally going off at 8. Looks very good and very natural. So far my plants are doing great. The only issues are the mosses. The ones on the substrate (weeping moss and Christmas moss) or just of it on bogwood have browned off slightly, while others higher up on bogwood and braches coming down into the aquarium are doing fine. I'm hoping its just acclimatising in and will recover as soon as they adjust. Plant list:
Echinodorus argentinensis
Aponogeton Boivinianus Bulb
Aponogeton Longiplumulosis Bulb
Aponogeton Ulvaceus Bulb
Vallisneria nana
Anubias barteri angustifolia
Anubias nana bonsai
Pogostemon erectus
Anubias, Microsorium and Moss on Wood - Small
Aponogeton Capuroni Bulb
Cryptocoryne undulatus brown
Aponogeton crispus 'Red'
Ludwigia peruviana
Lilaeopsis brasiliensis
Echinodorus tenellus
Tropica Vesicularia ferriei 'Weeping' Moss
Alternanthera rosaefolia

The rest are doing fine, showing signs of moving in well.


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## Bhu (27 Sep 2014)

How are you getting on now? Did you manage to stop the melt? i. Still running high light with his co2. No issues at all. Fish and shrimp are showing no signs of stress. 3 coreys 5 otos in 150 ltr but there is also 45 shrimp which are amazing! Clean clean clean they eat and eat at the micro films and algaes so algae cannot get a look in. The amano shrimp is worth its weight in gold!


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## Jaap (28 Sep 2014)

Bhu said:


> How are you getting on now? Did you manage to stop the melt? i. Still running high light with his co2. No issues at all. Fish and shrimp are showing no signs of stress. 3 coreys 5 otos in 150 ltr but there is also 45 shrimp which are amazing! Clean clean clean they eat and eat at the micro films and algaes so algae cannot get a look in. The amano shrimp is worth its weight in gold!


Well currently I have the intensity set on 80% with no problems showing. I can't see any melting but the growth rate is very very slow and for some plants near to zero...I will continue to inrease the intensity in 5 day intervals...well its just 2 more stages left and then if still there is no growth i will lower the light closer to the substrate. I think at 100% i will do fine though. My plants are:

Montecarlo
Eleocharis parvula
Limpnophilia 
Stayrogyne repens
Hemianthous microtrichoides
Fissidens 
Java moss
Flame moss
Christmas moss
Hydrocotyle tripartia

I think there are some light demanding plants in my list right?


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## Bhu (28 Sep 2014)

My Christmas moss and weeping moss did brown out for a while then became stable. 

Mid they AR light demanding plants then they will also be co2 demanding. Whatbis your current co2 dosing? Also what ferts are you using and how much? I'm using the neutro+ range and it's showing good results so far. Although I feel the root demanding plants such as bulbs and swords need root tabs with them. Temperature is also key. Keep it cool is the best to stop excessive melting and optimal growth. I think between 20 - 26 is best although I'm at 28 as I intend to introduce discus eventually. (Might be a huge mistake  at lower temperatures the water holds and exchanges gases with the atmosphere, much easier than at higher temperature so it's richer in co2 and O2.  I'm thinking that the co2 needs to be at least 25ppm but for you 30ppm would be better as its starting out and already struggling. How do you inject co2?

Found your link above at the top to your tank...

Looks like great flow! 

Now the melting has stopped maybe more nutrient is required. Just keep an eye on algae or good regular water changes. Would love to hear how this recovers.


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## Jaap (28 Sep 2014)

Bhu said:


> My Christmas moss and weeping moss did brown out for a while then became stable.
> 
> Mid they AR light demanding plants then they will also be co2 demanding. Whatbis your current co2 dosing? Also what ferts are you using and how much? I'm using the neutro+ range and it's showing good results so far. Although I feel the root demanding plants such as bulbs and swords need root tabs with them. Temperature is also key. Keep it cool is the best to stop excessive melting and optimal growth. I think between 20 - 26 is best although I'm at 28 as I intend to introduce discus eventually. (Might be a huge mistake  at lower temperatures the water holds and exchanges gases with the atmosphere, much easier than at higher temperature so it's richer in co2 and O2.  I'm thinking that the co2 needs to be at least 25ppm but for you 30ppm would be better as its starting out and already struggling. How do you inject co2?
> 
> ...


Yes the journal has all the info...i think that i have everything covered appart from light...


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