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Looks great. I'll give it a go at 5% and see how things go!

Thanks for the reply. I was thinking about 10% as that actually allows you to see something in the tank. Its not illuminated by any means but it does give an almost moonlight glow.

Hi All, I've been using my LED fixtures with the TMC Aquaray controller and it allows you to set your effective lights off light value so that you can have them dimmed right down if you wanted to. Has anyone done this on a planted tank and did it have any adverse effects? I was thinking about...

I've just done the same thing and have 4 of the Grobeam 600's over a 100CM tank. I'm currently running all 4 at 40% having upped them from around 15%. Only when increasing the lighting have i seen growth start to happen. If you read my journal, you'll see the problems I have been having!

Hi Guys. I'm going to stop updating this thread with images and continue with my journal for all pics. I'll post back here if I have any further problems and to update the settings I am using so as to help other people. Lee

OK, benchmark time! Added Some M. Monte Carlo, C. Helferi and H. Tripartita. I mived a few things about and i noticed the Blyxa I added previously has shown sign of new root growth. some of the other plants have also shown signs of growth as well as root growth. Lets see how this goes! Photo...

Hi guys. Believe me, there is very good flow on the right hand side of the tank with CO2 being blown down to the substrate. I'm getting an almost yellow drop checker on both sides of the tank. While it may look like its conflicting flow, that koralia is pulling water massively from the left of...

Hi Chaps. The Koralia position compliments the flow of the tank. I get a full on swirl effect in the tank. I had to move it higher in the tank as it was blowing the sand all over the place with how I had it before. It all seems to be stable at present though. Getting good light green on drop...

Here you go. Here's a picture of it as of the 5th. I've just received a load of Blyxa which I added and I've ordered some more plants form Aqua Essentials so as soon as they are in I'll baseline the progress with another pic. We can then see what's deteriorating and/or progressing. DSC_0417 by...

I agree that its got to be something to do with hitting that lighting sweet spot. Particularly on my tank, all the equipment is the same as when I was running a healthy and thriving tank. Only difference is the switch from 4x T8's to the LED fixtures. The thing that's totally different is how...

Thanks for the messages. I've taken some a full tank shot as of yesterday so will upload that to document the progress. I know I can grow plants, its just the switch to LED has threw me off and I need to understand LED better to know how it reacts with the plants.

Hi Guys, Not good news to report I'm afraid as for some reason my CO2 Art regulator stopped allowing gas through thus reducing my bobble rate. I think its because my working pressure was set to be quite low so as the pressure in the bottle slightly dropped, so did the bubble rate. I'm now at...

Hi Alto - Not sure what you mean by this? @Paulo - The diffuser is not affected by any suction of the filter as its not in contact with the filter inlet. The reason the bubbles get sucked in is because of the swirling flow of the water. I think the problem with the bubble counter is that it is...

Hi Alto. Yes, its a Rio 180 and my photo period is 8.5 hours with a 30 minute ramp up and down. I'm using two controllers (the two way version) The odd thing is, when I first got these I did run them at 40% and everything melted even though my CO2 was good. I have to say I wasn't dosing MGS04...

Hi Sk3lly, Its reassuring to see someone who has also had these problems, and more importantly came out the other side with good progress! This week is the 3rd week since the tank was re-scaped so I think now I have my CO2 stable and at the right level I will increase the lighting again and see...

I think that might explain some of it then although I'm not seeing that on the hairgrass. That's is just stubbornly sitting there dormant! On closer inspection, I do have some chunks taken out of the leafs of some of the larger stem plants too. Anyone want a pair of angel fish?! :D

Hi all. Its been some time since I've taken your advice and to be honest, I'm not really sure how things are going. I've re-scaped the tank after putting in Tropical Plant substrate capped with Unipac sand. I've also added some additional plants which I got from some of the guys in the for sale...

Hi Ian, Simply put, I didn't know. The chemistry aspects of all this goes well above my head so I have been running only on the advice of others. I'll take a look at adding MGS04 in my next batch tonight.

So I'm confused. I've been dosing EI with the following chemicles: Potassium Nitrate (KNO3) Monopotassium Phosphate (KH2PO4) This is based on James Planted Tank site (http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/EI.htm) I live in the Midlands and have typically hard water from Severn Trent Water. Are you...

They are the bars. I've upped it to 15% and I'll see how I go. I'm going to get some test plants at the weekend and see how they go as an indicator.

I should have said really. Its an old tank, newly set up after a house move where the lighting ballast got broke in the process. All new plants however the tank was running, un-planted, for 6 months housing fish only.

Hi Darrel. Thats interesting as I have only today been reading about your duckweed test. I assume they feed only from the water column then? I'm sure i could squeeze in a bit more CO2 but I'm not exactly what I'd call high tech. When you say you let the PAR dictate the growth rate, how are you...

Hi All, Since setting up my tank months ago with 4 x TMC Grobeam 600's over a Juwel 180L I've been battling hard to get the Lighting vs CO2 balance right along with my EI dosing. Initially I started off with all 4 lights set to 30% brightness for 5 hours a day but it melted a lot of my plants...

Hi Ian. Given that the LEDs are more directional that conventional lighting, woudl that equation still be correct? I ask because i had to get 4 lights to actually give the coverage of the entire substrate. SO with that in mind, not all of the lighting would overlap from each LED?

Hi All, I wanted to start a discussion on peoples experiences on the effects of lighting intensity vs the lighting duration in the aquarium. I've recently moved from T8 to LED (4 x Grobeam 600 over 180l 3ft tank) and I totally underestimated the power of them causing me to have massive plant...

Thanks for your comments guys. Perhaps something to help quell the debate as to 1 vs 2 Grobeams then... I'll be injecting pressurised CO2. Filter will be a Eheim Pro 3 2080 running on full whack and I'll have a Koralia in standby if needed. I'm not going for high light however having the...

Hi Guys, I've only ever had a Juwel Rio 180 and its probably a bit too big for me being able to keep the tank how I want it. I'm going to get a custom TMC Signature clone from Aquariums Ltd as I'm only allowed a new tank if it has a hood to prevent the cats getting in it! The lighting will...

Heh. it was actually mine but it broke my heart saying it.

I like the hanging bar. Did you buy that or make it?

Did you use the mountaray? Thats what I want to use but I'm trying to figure out whether the Grobeams, rails and mountaray are too long to mount on to the tank.

So if I have a 60cm tank like the signature 600, does the Grobeam 600's fit on this tank with the MMS rails or are they too long?

So how do I mount them on a 600mm tank?

the tiles are expensive but the grobeams looks like they are more in my price bracket. What to I need to mount them like in the journal you posted? Do I need further accessories like a controller?

Hi all, After some deliberation I've decided on a 60cm rather than an 80 CM. I've mocked up a cardboard cutout of both sizes in my new house and thing the smaller option fits better with the room. So I need some advice on some low cost lighting for the TMC. I want it to look modern and give...

Boy, I am out of date! So how come so many on here can measure par? I've looked online for a par meter and they are damn expensive!

Thanks for the replies. Rob - Do you need all of them things? So whats all this PAR business then?

Hi All, For years I've had high tech Juwel Rio 180 with CO2 injection but utilized T8 lighting. I've just moved house and I want something a little more contemporary to I've decided on going for a 80x40x40 tank and figured LED would be the way to go. My education was with watts per galon but...

I thought so, just wanted to be sure before I ordered. I cant understand what the benefit would be of a specialist bulb which costs £9 to the standard T8 bulbs which cost £3. If the plants don't care then I'm baffled by the price difference!

Hello All, I'm about to order some new bulbs from Lampspecs. My previous bulbs have lasted for years and I went primarily for 6500k daylight bulbs. I ran 4 x 30 watt T8s. What would people recommend I go for? does it matter on the colour temperature? I'm sure I read ages ago about plants not...

I apreciate that however there becomes a point where theres not enough light for photosynthesis. I want to be sure that TxT8's would be sufficient.

That may be the case however paying any more out for equipment isn't an option I'm afraid. So... anyone care to enlighten me on whether 2 x T8's would be ok or not?

I'm using an aquamas inline reactor however the filter isnt powerful enough to get to the levels of CO2 I need to keep algae at bay. I was wondering if I could drop to 2 x T8's to ease the burden on it?

Doh! I meant 4 x T8's.

Thanks for the replies chaps! I actually made a bit of a mistake though, its T8's I currently have. Currently running 2 x T8's. I know Juwel do an T5 luminaire bar but dont want to have to spend more unless its neccessary. Cheers

Hi guys, Im currently running 4 x t5's and having OK results but I'm getting through so much CO2 its unreal. Dropping the light will drop the CO2 demand however would just 2 x T5's on this tank be too little? The most demanding plant I have is Blyxa Japonica and I dont really want to lost this...

Thanks guys. This will be an EI tank simply because its so much easier to do water changes on. I'll have a 500g pressurised CO2 on it with an aquatic magic regulator. Just need to get the filter, Aqua Soil and T5 bulbs from lampspecs now and i'm away!

Hi guys, Would you say this is decent lighting for a nano? I know the wpg rule goes out the window on smaller tanks and this is my first venture into a nano. Any thoughts apreciated. Lee

I too have had this problem. I want only one for a duel luminaire that came with my nano but the delivery charge for this one tube makes the price about 15 quid!

Nost of the luminaires are adjustable so as long as you get one bigger than your tank it should fit.

Decided to get myself some of the more expensive bulbs based on james experiements. I've gone for 2 x 880's with 2 x growlux for me this looks the best out of all the photo's he's taken as it shows the sidderent shades of greens a lot better as well as giving good reds which should show off...

Well, I'm glad of the outcome on this, i'm already skint from the goldfish tank so its a refreshing change that I can get them cheaply.

Well, thats a pretty eye opening situation! If I had have known that a few years ago, i would have gone T5 instead of power compacts. I didnt like the interpet PC's, i broke too meny to mention and they distorted my juwel lids beyond recognition. So, the lower the k value the more red it has...

Is that a new development? Last time i really paid attention to the lighting was when i first started out so i've been getting plant bulbs since then. If the 2.50 ones would make the plants grow the same as the more expensive ones then I may as wel get them.

I have read it indeed and I know which i'd prefer if I can get them. I question really is about the differences between a 2 quid bulb like this: http://www.lampspecs.co.uk/Light-Bulbs- ... t-Sylvania and a more expensive bulblike this: http://www.lampspecs.co.uk/Light-Bulbs- ... att-Grolux I...

The T6's are a bit too much for me at the moment with the overhaul of the coldwater tank pending as well. I've always gone for daylight bulbs really at 6500k, I notice that James uses some 8000k as well. Is it worth getting a mix as I expect the colour spectrum to be more broad in the region...

So my bulbs are up for renewal and I've heard a lot of people going for non-specific bulbs saving a packet! What types of T8's should I be looking at? I've seen Growlux but they appear to be about the same price as a normal aquarium tube. I'm after 4 T8s (30w) and I'm currently using 2...