Tmc Growbeam 500?

[blue130]

hi folks,as anyone had any experience with the tmc growbeam 500 twin led? ive currently got 70 watts of t8s and was thinking of investing in a set for my 130 litre planted tank. as my lights cost £60 every 7months and these would cost £145 and last 10 years +. but i didnt want to jump the gun and jeperdise my hard work! any imput appreciated!!

 

[fleeing]

I've been running two Growbeam 500s for about 6 weeks now, in a new set-up 200l which is quite heavily planted.

Exactly how effective these LEDs are is a bit hard to judge at the moment. I started with just 6 hours of lighting, to avoid algae problems, and I'm just starting to slowly increase that now that I feel that circulation is sorted.

Almost all of the plants I have are doing fine, especially the undemanding crypts, weeping moss and most echinodorus. Echinodorus quadricostatus (Helanthium bolivianum) is running amok! But I have had some problems with more demanding plants, heteranthera zosterifolia and an unidentified round leafed echinodorus. But this may be down to inefficient flow and feeding.

To be fair TMC recommend using 4 Grobeams on a tank of this size, so I am quite satisfied with the growth I am getting all things considered.

The previous owmer of my lights had them running on a 60cm long tank with pressurized CO2 and achieved quite stunning results. I'm desperately trying to save my pennies for a decent CO2 system and eventually another pair of Grobeams so I can try more light demanding plants. I think running 4 Grobeams without CO2 would be asking for problems.

You don't mention how long your tank is, but I assume 80cm. TMC recommend two Grobeam 1000s for tanks that size. But there again they also think that a 60cm should have three Grobeam 500s, which, considering the growth I am getting with just two in a 100cm, seems like overkill.

 

[StandbySetting]

You could build your own unit pretty easily for a 1/4 of the cost, the price of LED bars is a joke, and building your own unit is a fairly easy task.

 

[Mcbenthy]

You could build your own unit pretty easily for a 1/4 of the cost, the price of LED bars is a joke, and building your own unit is a fairly easy task.

I'm pretty interested in LED units atm, so would you mind expanding on your point?

 

[SuperColey1]

hi folks,as anyone had any experience with the tmc growbeam 500 twin led? ive currently got 70 watts of t8s and was thinking of investing in a set for my 130 litre planted tank. as my lights cost £60 every 7months and these would cost £145 and last 10 years +. but i didnt want to jump the gun and jeperdise my hard work! any imput appreciated!!

Why are the lights costing you that every 7 months? And that is a lot of light over the tank anyway

You don't need to replace light tubes every 7 months unless you want to believe the marketing myths so yearly on a magnetic ballast and 3 yearly on an electronic ballast is fine. Personally I would have 3 tubes max over a 130 so circa 54W (3 x 18W)

Even 7 monthly and even if you have 4 that shouldn't be £60. Good tubes can be had for a fiver each sometimes less. Don't need to pay for the ink that prints the letters A Q U A R I U M on the tube