1 month growth in my macro algae reactor.

[gus6464]

Do you grow a lot of pods in yours? One of the reasons I haven't done it on my large tank is because I have a small Refugium that grows pods.

Also what light are you using? I don't like the accel aquatics light that MarineDepot is selling.


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Yeah I can see tons of pods inside the reactor when the lights come on. I just did a pod order from algaebarn and dumped 2 bags of 5280 pods into the reactor and some of their live phytoplankton as well to feed them. Now I just throw some phytoplankton every other day in the sump by the feed pump of the reactor and my tank is now crawling with pods everywhere.

As for the lights it's these.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LL8395C/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You get a roll, power supply and dimmer. The lights are waterproof so they are coated in this sticky stuff that just sticks to the walls of the reactor and I have zip ties on the top and bottom.

I am also dosing iron every other day.

I have the lights set to full power but thats because the reactor is quite big. If you put them on a smaller unit you would for sure have to dim them.

 

[CrayolaViolence]

I'd like to see how one of these is position in a tank. Where the pump for the reactor is located, how it's attached, and does the chaeto spin? I'm not sure how this could be more quiet than lets say a eshopp skimmer that's no more than eight inches-10 inches tall and 2 wide with a tiny 2x2 inch pump. This is what I use on my ten gallon tank. However, I'd love to use one of these instead so the brine I hatch won't get sucked into a collection cup.

 

[gus6464]

I'd like to see how one of these is position in a tank. Where the pump for the reactor is located, how it's attached, and does the chaeto spin? I'm not sure how this could be more quiet than lets say a eshopp skimmer that's no more than eight inches-10 inches tall and 2 wide with a tiny 2x2 inch pump. This is what I use on my ten gallon tank. However, I'd love to use one of these instead so the brine I hatch won't get sucked into a collection cup.

Chaeto doesn't need to be spun if it gets light from every direction. I've personally never found the so called "nano" skimmers to be that great so if these units on a small tank can replace them while growing macro and tons of pods that's ok by me.

 

[oseymour]

I have a small 3 gallon refugium on my Red Sea Reefer 350. I'm going to add the lights there first.

https://goo.gl/photos/iypLKxm336mxjpup8

Yeah I can see tons of pods inside the reactor when the lights come on. I just did a pod order from algaebarn and dumped 2 bags of 5280 pods into the reactor and some of their live phytoplankton as well to feed them. Now I just throw some phytoplankton every other day in the sump by the feed pump of the reactor and my tank is now crawling with pods everywhere.

As for the lights it's these.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LL8395C/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You get a roll, power supply and dimmer. The lights are waterproof so they are coated in this sticky stuff that just sticks to the walls of the reactor and I have zip ties on the top and bottom.

I am also dosing iron every other day.

I have the lights set to full power but thats because the reactor is quite big. If you put them on a smaller unit you would for sure have to dim them.

 

[scuzy]

Ok I'll give it a try. Day one

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[scuzy]

Wondering if the LEDs get hot enough to burn the reactor casing.


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[ali1]

Very cool. What would someone use for a larger scale. 300g tank with big load. I use an ATS now and while I love its effectiveness, its messy to clean every 10days

 

[gus6464]

Very cool. What would someone use for a larger scale. 300g tank with big load. I use an ATS now and while I love its effectiveness, its messy to clean every 10days

The biggest reactor you can find.

 

[sde1500]

Wondering if the LEDs get hot enough to burn the reactor casing.


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Mine barely gets warm. I used the same lights as oseymour did. Used a TLF reactor I had been running GFO in. Cleaned it out once already, can't say I've gotten as awesome growth, but it's new and this round of growth is looking better for sure. Here is mine:

 

[deputydog95]

Are you guys dosing iron? Supposedly it's essential for this to work well.

 

[sde1500]

IDK why it would be, but no I am not. Just keeping up with water changes, thats all.

 

[wildman926]

Are you guys dosing iron? Supposedly it's essential for this to work well.

Not at all...and mine work well without it.

 

[gus6464]

Are you guys dosing iron? Supposedly it's essential for this to work well.

I dose iron once a week but that's about it. If you start to have an iron deficiency the chaeto just starts to turn yellow.

 

[scuzy]

One week update definitely almost double in volume.


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[deputydog95]

One week update definitely almost double in volume.


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What light Kelvin did you go with?

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[scuzy]

I used this one. ALight House LED Plant Grow Strip Light 9.8ft Full Spectrum SMD 5050 Red Blue 4:1 Rope Light with Power Adapter for Greenhouse Hydroponic Plant (3M) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KLUTB26/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_Zo12TbKx9Nlho


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[deputydog95]

I used this one. ALight House LED Plant Grow Strip Light 9.8ft Full Spectrum SMD 5050 Red Blue 4:1 Rope Light with Power Adapter for Greenhouse Hydroponic Plant (3M) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KLUTB26/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_Zo12TbKx9Nlho


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I wonder why they call it full spectrum? Doesn't that imply whites, yellows, etc?

From the ad on amazon:

Red:Blue=4:1 ,Emitting Color: Red+Blue ,Wavelength: Red 625-660nm; Blue: 450-465nm

I just bought a lamp style bulb to go over my sump which has a similar red and blue spectrum.

 

[deputydog95]

I just got this setup today. Reef dreams fuge sump divider for red sea sumps. Amazon gooseneck, Amazon led grow light. All in $150 including shipping. I need some macro algae now.

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[scuzy]

I think there purpose of the reactor is that it gets light all around. The chaeto will get even growth.


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[scuzy]

Looked at it again today looks like it grew a bit more. Maybe it's just in my head.


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