Macro algae lighting

[fishguy99]

Setting up a macro algae display and wanted to know if they need lighting as hi output as a coral light or can i use regular t5

 

[JLynn]

It depends on which particular macro you want, but the vast majority of them (or at least the commercially available ones) require as as much light as a soft coral. Some even require as much as SPS. If you ever want to do a sea grass, those require SPS lighting levels at minimum.

 

[BiggsTheGoalie]

I would think regular T5s would be perfectly fine for most species. On my refugium I've been using a plain old 23w CFL flood light. It burned out recently and I swapped it out for an LED flood light and my chaeto seems to love it.