best bulb to grow cheato?

[johno4]

I'm not really happy with the rate my chaeto is growing. I have them under a double 24in flourescent fixture with grow bulbs from HD. Should I be using different bulbs?

 

[PCIALF]

I have it under a 96 watt pc and it grows in spurts. If there is not extra nutrients in your water then it grows slow regardless of lighting

 

[SkiFletch]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9332606#post9332606 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PCIALF
If there is not extra nutrients in your water then it grows slow regardless of lighting

Agreed, since I started heavily skimming, adding rowaphos, and vaccuming my sand bed, my growth rate on my Chaeto slowed WAY down. I just use a 13watt compact incandescent replacement grow light (you know, one of those spiral lookin ones). Perhaps you're doing really well in nutrient removal

 

[johno4]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9333547#post9333547 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SkiFletch
Perhaps you're doing really well in nutrient removal

:lol: I wish. All I have for filtration in this tank is around 100lbs of LR and a 20 gallon sump with a small amount of cheato. No Skimmer, no carbon, no phosguard. My levels are pretty good although I havent check in while.

So you think the lighting is ok then?

 

[SkiFletch]

Are the bulbs covered in creep? I know I have to dip mine every week

 

[ElDiabloPollo]

http://www.melevsreef.com/fuge_bulb.html

 

[johno4]

The bulbs are clean. ElDiablo thanks for the link I guess I have to try and find 5100k flourescent bulbs or get a new lighting system.

 

[lakee911]

I just ordered a 5100K bulb for my fuge. I've been using a 6500K bulb for over a year and I've got no growth that I'm proud of. In fact, I've been getting some dinos in my fuge in the last few months. When starts getting on the macro algae, I remove it. If it doesn't start growing, its gonna get smaller and smaller. I wipe them out in the morning and they're back in the evening. I shut off the light for 16 hours or so and they don't go away. Not cool.