Going to grow some Chaeto again. Will this light work?

[RobTheReefer]

I have a 12"x12" fuge section in my sump. I got some Chaeto delivered today, but I didn't have a fuge light yet (it's been hectic lately). So, since I am in an area that has Amazon free same-day delivery, I went shopping for a fuge light in the 20+ minutes I had left to place my order.

Well, this is what I came up with. Let me know if you think this will grow some gently tumbling Chaetomorpha, or if you think I got suckered. Not a huge problem if it doesn't work I guess. I can send it back for free.

Erligpowht 45W LED Red Blue Indoor Garden Plant Grow Light Hanging Light

 

[slief]

I think that light will end up growing a lot of turf and other nuisance algae that will outcompete the chaeto for nutrients.

 

[Scorpius]

I bought a 100 watt equivalent led bulb from home depot and a cheap reflector. Grows my Cheato just fine.

 

[RobTheReefer]

I think that light will end up growing a lot of turf and other nuisance algae that will outcompete the chaeto for nutrients.

Ugh. It supposedly has leds for Chlorophyll A & B peaks. Does Chaeto use different wavelengths than other plants?

 

[RobTheReefer]

I bought a 100 watt equivalent led bulb from home depot and a cheap reflector. Grows my Cheato just fine.

Yeah, this is what I planned to do originally. But the 100 watt equivalent is only like 15-16 watts though, right?

Well, I guess this will be a good experiment (without a control). I should take some pics and document a week or two. Who knows. lol

 

[Scorpius]

Yeah, this is what I planned to do originally. But the 100 watt equivalent is only like 15-16 watts though, right?

Well, I guess this will be a good experiment (without a control). I should take some pics and document a week or two. Who knows. lol

Mine grows Cheato just fine. I bet a bright flashlight would grow this stuff. :lolon't overthink it. :dance:

 

[RobTheReefer]

Mine grows Cheato just fine. I bet a bright flashlight would grow this stuff. :lolon't overthink it. :dance:

Yeah. Good call. I shouldn't have been shopping for a fuge light with a clock counting down the seconds remaining to place the order. lol :facepalm:

 

[Neurovet]

I bought this exact light for my wives herb garden and was thinking of stealing it for the same purpose...let me know how it does for you!

 

[RobTheReefer]

I bought this exact light for my wives herb garden and was thinking of stealing it for the same purpose...let me know how it does for you!

LOL Will do. Amazon says it should be here by 9pm. I'll take a pic as soon as it's installed and then periodically thereafter (unless I send it back lol).

 

[RobTheReefer]

This thing is definitely made in some Chinese sweatshop with child labor. *sigh* Everything about it screams cheap. I'm trying to find my kill-a-watt. I don't think it's pulling 45 watts. What to do, what to do. I think a 150w HPS would be a bit much for a 12"x12" lol

I wonder if the purple or magenta kessils would work. H150's?

This bulb is the number one best seller on amazon. Maybe I'll give it a try.

 

[Scorpius]

This thing is definitely made in some Chinese sweatshop with child labor. *sigh* Everything about it screams cheap. I'm trying to find my kill-a-watt. I don't think it's pulling 45 watts. What to do, what to do. I think a 150w HPS would be a bit much for a 12"x12" lol

I wonder if the purple or magenta kessils would work. H150's?

This bulb is the number one best seller on amazon. Maybe I'll give it a try.

Home depot shop light with LED bulb. Under $40 and you're good to go.

 

[outy]

This bulb is the number one best seller on amazon. Maybe I'll give it a try.

I would try something with more lums.

It wasn't listed so I would stay clear.

AND the housing was not waterproof.


The 10w-30w led outdoor 6500k have been great bulbs and waterproof fixtures.

The 30w I ordered puts out 3000 Lum's


And was under 20 bucks, if it doesn't work outside it goes.

 

[outy]

They will all grow algea, its how fast do you want your algea to grow is the question.

More lighting HP, faster growth

 

[DamonG]

Lol, I tried that light myself.. It didn't do all that great growing cheato(especially compared to a sodium) .. It's a nice looking little color, but not much growth power..

I held out hope for a little bit, but no go.. Amazon has some stronger ones for around 80 to 90 but I haven't tried one to replace the good old sodium..

 

[RobTheReefer]

Lol, I tried that light myself.. It didn't do all that great growing cheato(especially compared to a sodium) .. It's a nice looking little color, but not much growth power..

I held out hope for a little bit, but no go.. Amazon has some stronger ones for around 80 to 90 but I haven't tried one to replace the good old sodium..

Yeah, it sucks. I can't put a HPS under my tank or I would. It's too much heat for the stand and room. The tank is in the laundry room on the other side of the dining room wall. I just bought a purple 150. We'll see how that goes. I can hardly wait to put this chinese crap back in the box. :lolspin:

 

[DamonG]

Yeah, it sucks. I can't put a HPS under my tank or I would. It's too much heat for the stand and room. The tank is in the laundry room on the other side of the dining room wall. I just bought a purple 150. We'll see how that goes. I can hardly wait to put this chinese crap back in the box. [emoji38]spin:

Oh really? How large is your tank again? Because i had my 150 hps on my 50, and it never raised the temp at all.. The small 150 doesn't give off heat to be honest, and the payoff is massive.. A lot of people think "sodium" and they immediately think "heat".. But the small size is honestly less hot in my experience than the mogul based compact florescent or the floods that i had tried and i was using..

I turned my buddy on to one, and he tests all of his equipment before putting it on his tank.. His first comment was" damn, this little thing is bright".. Then, he wanted to see if i was accurate about the temp and he let his sit for 10 hours as a test.. Lol, he said "I can't believe this thing isn't hot and i can just grab it".. But that's how they are.. Lots of light, with no heat..

But they are cheap and literally cheato accelerators!

 

[RobTheReefer]

Oh really? How large is your tank again? Because i had my 150 hps on my 50, and it never raised the temp at all.. The small 150 doesn't give off heat to be honest, and the payoff is massive.. A lot of people think "sodium" and they immediately think "heat".. But the small size is honestly less hot in my experience than the mogul based compact florescent or the floods that i had tried and i was using..

I turned my buddy on to one, and he tests all of his equipment before putting it on his tank.. His first comment was" damn, this little thing is bright".. Then, he wanted to see if i was accurate about the temp and he let his sit for 10 hours as a test.. Lol, he said "I can't believe this thing isn't hot and i can just grab it".. But that's how they are.. Lots of light, with no heat..

But they are cheap and literally cheato accelerators!

Amazing. I can't get over the results people are getting with HPS. I mean, look at the spectrum. It's horrible. Most of the energy isn't in a chlorophyll "peak". I couldn't even grow "herbs" with HPS. Great for flowering, but had to use metal halide for vegetation. It's absolutely bizarre that Chaeto thrives under one.

Here's the best image I could find to show just how bad the HPS spectrum is.

 

[DamonG]

Amazing. I can't get over the results people are getting with HPS. I mean, look at the spectrum. It's horrible. Most of the energy isn't in a chlorophyll "peak". I couldn't even grow "herbs" with HPS. Great for flowering, but had to use metal halide for vegetation. It's absolutely bizarre that Chaeto thrives under one.

Here's the best image I could find to show just how bad the HPS spectrum is.

That's the thing though.. Spectral analysis isn't everything.. The plant is always my guide as far as growing.. And I used to grow with sodium fairly exclusively, but i had to use the daylight(i think it was the hortilux bulb) and at least a 400. Even at that, I ran very short growth phases and the majority in flowering/fruiting.. All plants still grew(especially determinate species) heavily while flowering and fruitiing.. I did that for a very long time..

And with cheato, they seem to really love the red spectrum.. And sodium is so heavy in intense red(of course, this is dependent on bulb also), that it's just pouring in what it loves..

It's not too surprising, it just is the small fixtures only came on the market a few years back (I think it was some 2010), and not a ton of people have documented our shared their experiments with them..

For say mangroves, there is nothing I have experienced like led for growth.. But for cheato, by far sodium is the best i have ever used..

 

[RobTheReefer]

That's the thing though.. Spectral analysis isn't everything.. The plant is always my guide as far as growing.. And I used to grow with sodium fairly exclusively, but i had to use the daylight(i think it was the hortilux bulb) and at least a 400. Even at that, I ran very short growth phases and the majority in flowering/fruiting.. All plants still grew(especially determinate species) heavily while flowering and fruitiing.. I did that for a very long time..

And with cheato, they seem to really love the red spectrum.. And sodium is so heavy in intense red(of course, this is dependent on bulb also), that it's just pouring in what it loves..

It's not too surprising, it just is the small fixtures only came on the market a few years back (I think it was some 2010), and not a ton of people have documented our shared their experiments with them..

For say mangroves, there is nothing I have experienced like led for growth.. But for cheato, by far sodium is the best i have ever used..

I guess that's the takeaway...don't argue with the plant.

Dang it. You guys convinced me, and I went to cancel the other light before it shipped, but I was too late. I have a tracking number. *sigh*

My Chaeto saga continues for a while longer. lol

 

[BfishLpond78]

I'm using a Nova S2 LED for my Fuge and I grow about 5 gallons a month of chaeto. The red heavy with blue and white LED's is definitely working very well for me. I'll get some pictures