# Beamswork LED lighting



## dcutl002 (Apr 8, 2014)

Looks like pretty low PAR. http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/9554738-post1.html


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## Blackheart (Jul 5, 2011)

So would work well for a low-tech tank then? Plants like Vals, Sag, Crypts and such?


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## dcutl002 (Apr 8, 2014)

Maybe. I would try to get the FSpec.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019YXYNYC/ref=twister_B019YXYNVA?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

I think that is the one which I use a 36" on a 20 gallon long where it overhangs the ends a bit but I keep it about 6" up off the top to avoid too much light. That tank has Java moss and ferns, swords and narrow leaf sag that do well with CO2 injected. I might think it okay for a longer tank but need to be lower and assume a bit of darker space at each end?


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## Joshism (Nov 26, 2015)

The one on your link is for salt water aquariums. Don't get the one with 3 rows of LEDs. There's another Beamswork that has 5 rows of LED's and it has the red, blue and green LEDs too. It's the full spectrum (FSpec) one.

https://www.amazon.com/Beamswork-FS...99&sr=8-2&keywords=beamswork+full+spectrum+36

That's the one you want if you're growing plants. It's a lot brighter too. I have it, and my fish hate it because it's too bright for my 36"X18"X16" aquarium. It should be sufficient for you if you're on a budget. I also have a 72"L X 18"D X 24"H aquarium, and I've been able to grow a dwarf hair grass carpet with this light in the 72" version. These lights might not have the best PAR, and in a deep tank, you might not get that much pearling, but they get the job done, they don't break down, and they have a lot of good real world reviews.


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## Kampo (Nov 3, 2015)

below i a good chart for some beams work and other lights. your par would be under 10 according to the chart for a EA light.

the ones you would want for a low light tank at that depth would have DA or DHL in the name any of those would work and give you light in the 30-50 par rage


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## dcutl002 (Apr 8, 2014)

OK, guys help me with this. The OP wants Low Light plants. The tank is 21" tall, and the low, medium, and high PAR ratings are as follows:

Low light - 15-30 micromols of PAR - CO2 is not needed, but is helpful to the plants
Medium light - 35-50 micromols of PAR - CO2 may be needed to avoid too many nuisance algae problems
High light - more than 50 micromols of PAR - pressurized CO2 is essential to avoid major algae problems
(*SOURCE*: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/10-lighting/184368-lighting-aquarium-par-instead-watts.html)

Would not one desire 15-30 PAR at the substrate for LOW LIGHT plants? I believe the Beamswork PENT to be a bit too much PAR, which would be above 30. 

The problem for me with Beamswork is that I can never find a manufacturer's website featuring different models like Finnex and Current USA. All I can find are Amazon and FleaBay sellers.


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## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

Deep tanks are what makes it tough to decide. On one hand you need the light to reach the bottom, but if your pushing too much light into a co2-less tank that isn't heavily planted you'll probably end up with algae-issues.

I have the first one the OP linked (EA 6500) on a 20 long (12" tall) and I'm easily growing medium light plants (with co2) even though the PAR numbers showing are lowish light even at that height. BTW take these PAR measurements pretty lightly, many of those tables are way off since there is a difference between manuf PAR information and real world user PAR info/error, etc.


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## dcutl002 (Apr 8, 2014)

houseofcards said:


> Deep tanks are what makes it tough to decide. On one hand you need the light to reach the bottom, but if your pushing too much light into a co2-less tank that isn't heavily planted you'll probably end up with algae-issues.
> 
> I have the first one the OP linked (EA 6500) on a 20 long (12" tall) and I'm easily growing medium light plants (with co2) even though the PAR numbers showing are lowish light even at that height. BTW take these PAR measurements pretty lightly, mainly of those tables are way off since there is a difference between manuf PAR information and real world user PAR info/error, etc.


Aha! So one does not grow plants by "blasting" a massive amount of light into a tank: they grow algae!


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## Blackheart (Jul 5, 2011)

Joshism said:


> That's the one you want if you're growing plants. It's a lot brighter too. I have it, and my fish hate it because it's too bright for my 36"X18"X16" aquarium.


I am already currently using this fixture. I want something that's lower light. I'm pretty sure I have too much light for my tank and I'm having horrible algae issues.


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## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

dcutl002 said:


> Aha! So one does not grow plants by "blasting" a massive amount of light into a tank: they grow algae!


Generally yes, if your blasting a ton of light the tank will operate in a very thin bandwidth of very heavily, fast growing plants with co2. The best scenario i have found overall is to get a light that allows you to program just a few hours of strong light and the rest much dimmer. Even light demanding plants seem to be happy this way and it helps keep algae at bay. Otherwise your best bet is a dimmer light (with appropriate plants) and even better would be a dimmer light with co2. 

The beamswork are good buys, but the obviously don't have this programming built in.


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## ipkiss (Aug 9, 2011)

Don't forget that there's this is a nice plugin dimmer that will work for those fspec units in case one feels that it's too bright. Here's a post by @clownplanted: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/1...s-stories-beamswork-club-31.html#post10338641

Or you could get fancier and slap on a tc-420 for programmable dimming. More info in same thread. But beware though, it's only programmable for 2 channels: blue and full spectrum.


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## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

..or you could raise it.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/10-lighting/1218458-beam-me-up.html


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## Blackheart (Jul 5, 2011)

Not looking to program anything and I don't have the capability to raise anything up.


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## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

Blackheart said:


> Not looking to program anything and I don't have the capability to raise anything up.


How bad is your algae? Is it on just hardscape surfaces or is it growing on you plants as well. How long of a light cycle where you running?


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## Blackheart (Jul 5, 2011)

All over my substrate. Horrible blue-green slime algae. 6 hours.


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## ipkiss (Aug 9, 2011)

Blackheart said:


> Not looking to program anything and I don't have the capability to raise anything up.


did you not click into the first link? The "manual" dimmer on that post is plug and play. If you hooked up your light to work, you can hook up that dimmer. Can't get simpler than that.


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## Joshism (Nov 26, 2015)

Too much ammonia also causes algae. ADA does Power Sand under the substrate to keep flow underneath to keep the bacteria alive, which avoids toxic pockets and ammonia, which helps with less algae. Lava rock is an alternative to Power Sand.


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## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

Tanks aren't in controlled laboratories. So you can have the same light, same tank with same everything with two different people and get two different results because their husbandry skills/efforts are different. Water changes for example will greatly affect what you can get away with in term of light and algae. Larger water changes reduce/eliminate more organic content before it decomposes into ammonia and other waste products. 

BGA is not really an algae it's a type of bacteria. It's pretty easy to get rid of if that's the only "algae" you have. There are many products on the market that work very well. It's usually a result of an inadequate bio-filter in terms of plants/BB for that particular setup. In other words keep the tank cleaner (more water changes), add more plants, etc.


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