Refugium Light
- Thread starter BAllen
- Start date
Bifferwine
New member
I use a regular 23 watt CFL bulb in a metal clamp-on shop light fixture from Home Depot or Lowe's. The whole thing costs around $10 and I have the fastest growing macroalgae around, hahahaha. I think that would bleed into the display though...
Tanque Verde
New member
Check Melev's site for the sump light he recommends. That works great for me. Also, Sun Lighting on Broadway--near me, incidentally--carries Par 38 LEDs rated 5500K. I'm gonna try one of those next.
sillygoose
New member
Let us know how that goes. It seems like 5500K would be too hot for plants - I thought around 3500 was best.
Tanque Verde
New member
http://www.melevsreef.com/fuge_bulb.html
this is the bulb I am now using. It's 5100k and my chaeto is booming. (Speaking of . . . P/u near swan and speedway). Melev prefered it to a 2700k bulb but there could be factors to it's success other than color temp.
this is the bulb I am now using. It's 5100k and my chaeto is booming. (Speaking of . . . P/u near swan and speedway). Melev prefered it to a 2700k bulb but there could be factors to it's success other than color temp.
Tanque Verde
New member
PS my jbj nano glos, which are designed for fuges and produce tons of chaeto, are 6500k. I cant speak for plants in general, but I don't believe that chaeto requires low color temps.
sillygoose
New member
That's actually really good to know. Maybe chaeto will grow but not nuisance algae. Of course we want nuisance algae on the turf scrubber (and 3500K will do it including grow a ton of chaeto). I also have some chaeto in the display section of my nano for the beasties to live in and I have algae there that I don't want. How's the 5500K with corals? Thanks for the info.
Tanque Verde
New member
Can't say. I don't keep corals under 5500k. Some softies and lps might be fine in the 6000 range but I wouldn't make a practice of it. Also I do see some nuisance algae, mostly film algae, and cyano in my sump if I don't cull it.
HeadAblaze
In Memoriam
Coralife makes crew in florecent (spelling?) buld for like $15...they have 50/50 and all daylight...thats what I use with a Lowes or Home Depot light clamp thing
Bifferwine
New member
I have cheap/ugly palys and zoas growing just find under it in my fuge (a 23 watt CFL bulb). I thought for sure they'd die, but they've been there for about 4 months, growing and spreading.
