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Anyone used a GroBeam 600 for high tech tank?

Jaap

Member
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30 Sep 2011
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Location
Nicosia
Hi

I find it a bit strange that the TMC GroBeam 600 could be ever used for a high tech planted aquarium. The light produced looks so dull and the tank looks poorly lit. My plants aren't doing well and yes I have ruled everything else out, its the light that's causing the problem no doubt about it! I even tried to place the light resting on the glass lid and it looks even worse, horrible. Quite a high price for such a mediocre output.

Has anyone used it to grow plants like Eleocharis Parvula and Monte Carlo?

Thanks
 
Well maybe you needed two. I use two growbeam 600's on a 150lt cube tank. The depth of water is 55cm and the brow rams rest on the glass. I'd like to consider my tank high tech. Not sure if that is true. I feed lots of pressurised co2. Plant ferts daily, just about to start EI. I've had really good plant growth with only one exception. My lilaeopsis brasiliensis has not spread at all although it hasn't died either. I'm still hopeful that it's just creating a fantastic root system ready to explode on top ;) to be fair it is known as a slow grower. Everything helse has grown huge and the only things that's died off were weeping and xmas mosses due to the light being too bright. As both are still doing well in my low tech and growing there!

I really don't think it's your lights to blame. As I use a controller on mine and for example today they were only on 50% due to me adjust co2 levels. As soon as that is more where I need it the light will go up to 80% max. I doubt if I will ever even need the 100% setting but here's hoping ;) if I can get the nutrient right maybe I can put that much demand on my plants!

If you do add another 600 you will defianately need the controller else you will put too much pressure on your plants to grow and they will die more...
 
Resent pic, sorry it's not the best quality...

947b244265ba5c728b0145646c964861_zps0b493861.jpg


Just to show that plants can and do grow well under growbeam 600 lights. The let corner had 3 echinodorus tenellus only now the corner is full and I've had to cut them back to stop them growing into the above mentioned LB. My crypts which are known as slow growers are growing really fast. One has even flowered :)

So don't blame the lights and don't give up! Must be some reason. Sometimes we miss something and rule that out before we see it so don't think about it. The key to success is about keeping things constant. Temperature swings, big pH swings, co2 swings, nutrient swings etc etc make an unstable growing environment that plants can't adjust too so show no signs of growing. Then the dreaded algae comes and mops up the mess...
 
Hello

Thanks Bhu for the answer. It is my humble opinion that the plants you have in the tank are not very demanding. I have grown most of these plants under low light or no light at all sometimes and by adding CO2 it just makes the growth faster and not the tank high tech. Thats just my opinion though. How about all the lush green carpets we see bt other members of the forum, have they grown it like that just because they have good co2 and nutrients and flow? I think a good light is also important but in thw fear of algae we all say its better to have low light. Well I disagree if the plants are not growing!

Bhu I think we are the only two people in this forum that have a Grobeam 600...isn't that a bit weird? If there are other people then lets see their tanks...
 
Well maybe so these plants are easy to grow, but carpet plants take time and patience is needed. I think it must take a lot of experimentation with many tank set ups to find the right circumstances for plants to grow. Just for the record, the cryptocoryne bullosa to the left are not so easy to grow and has done well :) Also the Ludwigia peruviana has grown well and coloured up good and that is a hard plant to grow really. Thee alternanthera rosaefolia is also a high light demanding plant and mine has grow one of the best in the tank. So not all these plants as easy to keep types...
 
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I've grown dwarf hairgrass in low light before without a problem what so ever so it should do fine in this tank, I've had less than 1.5W a gallon t8 bulb and duck weed if that means anything to this discussion.

The general use of high tech usually attributes to the use of CO2/liquid carbon regardless of having low demanding plants or not. As Bhu commented, carpet plants do need time to establish.
 
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I've grown dwarf hairgrass in low light before without a problem what so ever so it should do fine in this tank, I've had less than 1.5W a gallon t8 bulb and duck weed if that means anything to this discussion.

The general use of high tech usually attributes to the use of CO2/liquid carbon regardless of having low demanding plants or not. As Bhu commented, carpet plants do need time to establish.

That's why I haven't given up on my LB as yet. It still looks really healthy close up amen grows the occasion shoot up now and then ;)
 
My carpet plants are trying to establish for the past 115 days :) i am a patient man but not that patient :)
 
Some of my Microswords were uprooted by Ramhorns so I left the floating and they are doing just fine. The ones that didn't get uprooted has only started to take off the past month (by taking off I mean actually making some visual growth) after I rescaped last September...

However, I will never give up on these as they were my first carpeting plants I've kept from something like 3 years back, really hardy but slow as hell! But they are one of the plants that can really reward people who first start out if they have the time to bare with its growth rate.
 
My carpet plants are trying to establish for the past 115 days :) i am a patient man but not that patient :)
But they had a very hard start in very high temps. If the conditions had been perfect from the start maybe it would be different now?
 
But they had a very hard start in very high temps. If the conditions had been perfect from the start maybe it would be different now?
They have been in fine conditions for the past 2 months :)
 
They have been in fine conditions for the past 2 months :)
Isn't that kind of a contradiction? If they are in fine condition then clearly the lights are ok for them?
 
Isn't that kind of a contradiction? If they are in fine condition then clearly the lights are ok for them?

Sorry...what I meant is that the conditions that they are in are fine...plenty of CO", flow and nutrients.....I still believe I have low/insufficient light....
 
I think you should just listen to your instinct. Experiment a bit. I reckon everyone has slightly (or radically) different magic formula but they all found it in the end. If you feel your light is rubbish, and you can afford it, just scratch that itch and see what happens - just be ready to reboot to version 2.0 if it goes wrong.
 
I think you should just listen to your instinct. Experiment a bit. I reckon everyone has slightly (or radically) different magic formula but they all found it in the end. If you feel your light is rubbish, and you can afford it, just scratch that itch and see what happens - just be ready to reboot to version 2.0 if it goes wrong.
You used to have a grobeam 600 and changes to a tile 1500 right?
 
You used to have a grobeam 600 and changes to a tile 1500 right?
Yep, but not saying it would work for you or any other tank. I eventually became frustrated with forever increasing the ferts, flow and CO2 injection that I just started again from scratch with my version 2.0. Hung the tile up high which reduces the glitter lines and harsher shadows, stuck the filter outlet in the general direction of the other side, halved the CO2 I was injecting by the end of the first version and concentrated on keeping the surface clean for good gas exchange. Quite a few hiccups along the way and a more than a few experiments and changes, but it eventually all worked for me in the end.

By the way, I think your tank is looking pretty good and its come a long way since you started. You could just play around with some new plants to see if they prefer the current conditions… maybe…. maybe not. Up to you really.
 
Sorry...what I meant is that the conditions that they are in are fine...plenty of CO", flow and nutrients.....I still believe I have low/insufficient light....

Well I'd did say ages ago and maybe in another post do get another 600 but you will need the controller as they will be way bright. Also the dimming feature for dawn and dusk rocks! ;) :thumbup:
 
Nice tank Mr Teapot! I see that you had a dry start though and that initially your tank started really well with the 1x 600 above. Also you experienced the more light=more co2, flow and liquid feed as well.

Jaap just keep trying. I think the introduction of some more plants now would be a good idea. If you are really happy that the balance and conditions there now are optimal. I'm still trying to get my co2 and gas off balance right now. Just added an airstone but my co2 is two low and lost a couple of leaves again on a crypt. It's really an ongoing challenge to get the balance right. If I started a planted tank again it would be shallow and square say 3'. But only 1.5' deep max. I'd also use an overflow system. I wouldn't add any fish until I was 100% sure I'm happy with the co2 O2 balance from the plants. That way I can experiment without killing fish. At the moment I've been more on the cautious side so have had no fatalities but that means I can't experiment with the co2 too high.

I'd like to think I'm getting there slowly but surely and I feel like I'm close now. So as soon as I'm 100% happy and can get my lights up to 100% (im only on 50 at the mo. ) then I intend to add some Monte Carlo to plant around the lilaeopsis brasiliansis. Both hardest to grow but once I find equilibrium I think it will be no problem at all.
 
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