New LED light strip

foxfish · 10-07-2009, 05:15 PM

Hi Guys, I did a quick search on you site to see if any one has tried this light from TMC http://www.tmc-ltd.co.uk/planted-tank/grobeam-500.asp but could not find anything..
It looks to me like this is the first decent LED system that has come onto the UK market although I have not actually seen any results, good price though....Fox.

Wasserpest · 10-07-2009, 05:36 PM

Not the first LED system, but it's about time that we see more of them, including controllers/dimmers, and about time prices come down to realistic numbers.

**Hoppy** · 10-07-2009, 06:10 PM

This is also the best way to design LED lights - as modules to be fitted together to meet the needs of any size tank. (My opinion) They also use the high power Cree LEDs, which is good news. I don't recall seeing these in any USA ads yet, so I wonder what their price will be here.

foxfish · 10-07-2009, 09:00 PM

We only have one large publication mag covering general fish keeping in England & these new TMC lights are being tested in the mags office tanks at this moment.
It would seem the marine version light tile is a very effective product but the fresh water plant grow light has yet to have a full trial.
The timer accessory is also said to be very effective as it can offer many variations including a 6 hour build up to full power and 6 hour down power plus full colour change sun rise sun set modes.
The best part for me however is the cost - I think with the current rate of exchange the 500 grow light would cost about $120 & is said to be the equivalent of a 30'' T 5.
I have ordered the grow light but there is a waiting list due to demand!

hbosman · 10-07-2009, 09:11 PM

subscribed

foxfish · 10-18-2009, 09:26 AM

Well it arrived today - not sure what to think at the moment!
Nice neat light just like the advertising shows but when I first switched in on in the lounge I was not exactly impressed.
I tried switching off all the room lights & seeing what the hand held effect would be on the room, definitely a bright LED spot light but I dont think it could light up the room anywhere near as well as a T5 or even a T8.
I mean you could not light up the room anywhere other than where the light is pointing, not necessarily a bad thing in the aquarium but I guess I wasn't sure what to expect.
Any how it was not difficult to install the unit, not for me anyhow due to my tank cover being made from wood.
The effect is interesting due to the shimmer effect you get from the unit but it is not as bright as I had hoped however I am not unhappy because at 12 watts this is a seriously bright light - time will tell how well it performs.......
Fox

foxfish · 10-19-2009, 11:11 PM

OK - two days after installing the "12watt" light I can see noticeable activity from the foreground plants directly under the light.
My pogostemon helferi seems to be especially joyous showing changes in colour & form.
The LED seems to have good penetrative power though the water column & in no way as invasive to the room ambience as other shimmer effect or spots lights I have tried.... looking very promising!
NB. The Grolight is an addition to my present fluorescent lighting.

foxfish · 10-21-2009, 09:35 PM

I have now positioned the light strip right at the front of the tank & only 2'' above the water. I found that when the light was suspended 6'' up the ripple effect was a little to distracting!

foxfish · 10-29-2009, 10:44 PM

Well plants are growing well but my question is - I would like to use a basic routine of daily fertilizer dosing, What would you recommend I buy?
I have been using easy life carbo & profito for the last two weeks & it seems to work ok but as I have no thing else to judge against I was just wondering what you views would be?
Thanks Fox.

**Hoppy** · 10-30-2009, 03:28 AM

I'm pretty sure I have read that you can now buy KNO3 and KH2PO4 in the UK. If so, that would be a starting point. Then add a trace element mix, which your profito may be, and you are set to dose per the estimative index method, or any other method, for that matter.

foxfish · 10-30-2009, 08:13 AM

OK thanks I will have a search around to see if I can find KNO3 and KH2PO4.

foxfish · 10-30-2009, 08:30 AM

I found the products for sale here http://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/inde...main_page=page I just need to find out about using them!?

Wasserpest · 10-30-2009, 04:45 PM

Reading the page you found would be an excellent start!

foxfish · 10-30-2009, 05:44 PM

I am starting to wonder about my tank set up as it uses a sump.
I initially thought the extra water would provide a more stable environment but it now seems that aspect is unlikely to matter when you carry out a 50% weekly water change.
So my display tank holds 150 lts & the sump holds another 40 lts but weather there is any benefit I dont know?
On the other side of the coin my tank does seem to work & look well?

foxfish · 11-01-2009, 08:32 AM

When I look at this link http://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/inde...&cPath=145_146 the powders for sale dont use the same description letters & numbers as has been recommended

Ca you tell me which powders are KN03 - KH2P04 & which one has the trace elements?
Thanks Fox.

10-07-2009, 05:15 PM	#1 (permalink)
foxfish Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Channel Islands England Posts: 71	New LED light strip Hi Guys, I did a quick search on you site to see if any one has tried this light from TMC http://www.tmc-ltd.co.uk/planted-tank/grobeam-500.asp but could not find anything.. It looks to me like this is the first decent LED system that has come onto the UK market although I have not actually seen any results, good price though....Fox.

10-07-2009, 05:36 PM	#2 (permalink)
Wasserpest Born to be mild (View User Tanks) PTrader: (72/100%) Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Monterey, CA Posts: 10,578	Not the first LED system, but it's about time that we see more of them, including controllers/dimmers, and about time prices come down to realistic numbers. __________________ All my tanks Cheap Autodosing Cheap Water Change Cheap Filter Acrylic Filter Pipes The Wasser-Controller

10-07-2009, 06:10 PM	#3 (permalink)
Hoppy Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (22/100%) Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 5,690	This is also the best way to design LED lights - as modules to be fitted together to meet the needs of any size tank. (My opinion) They also use the high power Cree LEDs, which is good news. I don't recall seeing these in any USA ads yet, so I wonder what their price will be here. __________________ Hoppy

10-19-2009, 11:11 PM	#7 (permalink)
foxfish Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Channel Islands England Posts: 71	OK - two days after installing the "12watt" light I can see noticeable activity from the foreground plants directly under the light. My pogostemon helferi seems to be especially joyous showing changes in colour & form. The LED seems to have good penetrative power though the water column & in no way as invasive to the room ambience as other shimmer effect or spots lights I have tried.... looking very promising! NB. The Grolight is an addition to my present fluorescent lighting. Last edited by foxfish; 10-20-2009 at 08:53 AM.

10-21-2009, 09:35 PM	#8 (permalink)
foxfish Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Channel Islands England Posts: 71	I have now positioned the light strip right at the front of the tank & only 2'' above the water. I found that when the light was suspended 6'' up the ripple effect was a little to distracting! Attached Thumbnails

10-07-2009, 09:00 PM	#4 (permalink)
foxfish Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Channel Islands England Posts: 71	We only have one large publication mag covering general fish keeping in England & these new TMC lights are being tested in the mags office tanks at this moment. It would seem the marine version light tile is a very effective product but the fresh water plant grow light has yet to have a full trial. The timer accessory is also said to be very effective as it can offer many variations including a 6 hour build up to full power and 6 hour down power plus full colour change sun rise sun set modes. The best part for me however is the cost - I think with the current rate of exchange the 500 grow light would cost about $120 & is said to be the equivalent of a 30'' T 5. I have ordered the grow light but there is a waiting list due to demand!

10-07-2009, 09:11 PM	#5 (permalink)
hbosman Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Leesburg Virginia Posts: 363	subscribed

10-18-2009, 09:26 AM	#6 (permalink)
foxfish Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Channel Islands England Posts: 71	Well it arrived today - not sure what to think at the moment! Nice neat light just like the advertising shows but when I first switched in on in the lounge I was not exactly impressed. I tried switching off all the room lights & seeing what the hand held effect would be on the room, definitely a bright LED spot light but I dont think it could light up the room anywhere near as well as a T5 or even a T8. I mean you could not light up the room anywhere other than where the light is pointing, not necessarily a bad thing in the aquarium but I guess I wasn't sure what to expect. Any how it was not difficult to install the unit, not for me anyhow due to my tank cover being made from wood. The effect is interesting due to the shimmer effect you get from the unit but it is not as bright as I had hoped however I am not unhappy because at 12 watts this is a seriously bright light - time will tell how well it performs....... Fox

10-29-2009, 10:44 PM	#9 (permalink)
foxfish Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Channel Islands England Posts: 71	Well plants are growing well but my question is - I would like to use a basic routine of daily fertilizer dosing, What would you recommend I buy? I have been using easy life carbo & profito for the last two weeks & it seems to work ok but as I have no thing else to judge against I was just wondering what you views would be? Thanks Fox.

10-30-2009, 03:28 AM	#10 (permalink)
Hoppy Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (22/100%) Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 5,690	I'm pretty sure I have read that you can now buy KNO3 and KH2PO4 in the UK. If so, that would be a starting point. Then add a trace element mix, which your profito may be, and you are set to dose per the estimative index method, or any other method, for that matter. __________________ Hoppy

10-30-2009, 08:13 AM	#11 (permalink)
foxfish Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Channel Islands England Posts: 71	OK thanks I will have a search around to see if I can find KNO3 and KH2PO4.

10-30-2009, 08:30 AM	#12 (permalink)
foxfish Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Channel Islands England Posts: 71	I found the products for sale here http://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/inde...main_page=page I just need to find out about using them!?

10-30-2009, 04:45 PM	#13 (permalink)
Wasserpest Born to be mild (View User Tanks) PTrader: (72/100%) Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Monterey, CA Posts: 10,578	Reading the page you found would be an excellent start! __________________ All my tanks Cheap Autodosing Cheap Water Change Cheap Filter Acrylic Filter Pipes The Wasser-Controller

10-30-2009, 05:44 PM	#14 (permalink)
foxfish Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Channel Islands England Posts: 71	I am starting to wonder about my tank set up as it uses a sump. I initially thought the extra water would provide a more stable environment but it now seems that aspect is unlikely to matter when you carry out a 50% weekly water change. So my display tank holds 150 lts & the sump holds another 40 lts but weather there is any benefit I dont know? On the other side of the coin my tank does seem to work & look well?

11-01-2009, 08:32 AM	#15 (permalink)
foxfish Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Channel Islands England Posts: 71	When I look at this link http://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/inde...&cPath=145_146 the powders for sale dont use the same description letters & numbers as has been recommended Ca you tell me which powders are KN03 - KH2P04 & which one has the trace elements? Thanks Fox.

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