Chaeto light

[justinf67]

I am curious, as I have been trying to get my chaeto to grow and through research, I was able to piece together that a 23w 6500k bulb works the best for growing it... I currently have a 15w daylight flood cfl that has a rating of 5000k and it hasnt grown much since I added the bulb. I went out today looking for a 23w 6500k flood, but the biggest 6500k I found was 18w... I also found a 23w 5000k bulb..... For those with experience, which would be the better bulb? the 23w 5000k or the 18w 6500k bulb? Or should I just buy 2 18w 6500k bulbs and mount them both...I am gonna try as many combos as possible of lights, I need the chaeto to start pulling some nitrates... I bought the higher watt bulb, the 23w 5000k bulb, but can bring it back if its definitive that the chaeto will grow better under the 18w 6500k

 

[IDrawFish]

Chaeto will grow under practically any light if the conditions are right. If you are having issues with high nitrates then it should be feeding off that and growing, don't worry before you know it, it'll start growing like wild fire and then you'll be constantly pruning it back and wishing it didn't grow so damn fast

 

[spamreefnew]

2700 k all the way

 

[89Foxbody]

It shouldn't really matter at all, the difference between those two bulbs is pretty much negligible for this application.

 

[Spartanman22]

I use a 150 watt work light and the stuff practically grows out of the water.

 

[jwoyshnar]

I just use a 23 watt cfl with a domed utility light. Whole setup ran $10

 

[justinf67]

well, I added the 23w 5000k bulb since its higher wattage... My issue here is that my chaeto wont grow. Ive had it for prob 5-6 months and its barely any bigger. This coupled with me battling nitrates. If I can get the chaeto to take off, hopefully it will help get my trates in check as well...Ill prob give it a few weeks to see if any changes happen in growth. if not, I will add a second bulb. if still no results, I guess I may try another strain of chaeto