Lighting your refugium

[Tom_mccl]

I am setting up a refugium with chaetomorpha. It will be hold about 25 gallons of water - bringing the total system water volume up to about 120 gallons (they system includes a 90 gallon tank and a 25 gal sump).

So what type of lighting do you reccomend, how many watts or lumens, and where is it available?

A 5100 K TCP compact fluorescent reflector was reccomended on RC but I have not been able to find it locally and have had trouble locating it online.

I have also heard that 6500 K is good but have not found any locally.

Thanks

Tom

 

[lawdog]

The best refugium light that I have found (which I heard about on RC) is a fluorescent flood light I believe they are 16w or 20w bulbs that you can buy at HD or Lowes in a simple work light clip on fixture hanging directly above the refugium. I read about them on here and bought the bulb about $9 bucks and the work light like $4-5 bucks and hooked it up. I have Chaeto growing light crazy with this setup it is set about 6 inches above the surface of the water.

Simple, cheap and very effective... You can probably do a search and find out more on the same setup. Hope that helps.

 

[EYESEEU]

In my experience Ive used a standard flood light in a reflector (fond at a hardware store), power compacts, Vhos and N.O. bulbs

 

[bond007069]

most any light will be enough

you could try a "growlight" i forget the manuf. from the HD or Lowes lightbulb section and use a contractors light fixture/reflector

or

a commercially made small hood from coralife with some PC bulbs

 

[topjimmy]

If your looking to light a fuge under the tank , the bulb that was mentioned above is a LOA(lights of America) looks like a par35 lamp but is a curlyque CF bulb.

Lowes or HD should have them

Later
JimC

 

[StanD]

I have successfully lit my refugium for the last 3+ years using four - 4 foot normal output fluorescent tubes (2- two tube shop lights for about $5 each). I like the GE Ultrasun bulbs from Home Depot since they are less than $6 each and the chaeto grows like a weed.

Stan

 

[Tom_mccl]

Thanks for all the info. I'll go see what the local HD has to offer.

Tom