I'm going to be converting a 40 gallon breeder (36''x18'') aquarium into a refugium. It is being added to a 300 gallon fowlr aquarium which is heavily stocked and heavily fed. I'm hoping that this will be big enough to help make a difference as far as algae growth in the main display goes, but am not sure on which light I could safely use above it. I know that I could easily get a T5 fixture but thought I saw somewhere people using good ole shop lights with incandescent bulbs as refugium lights. The biggest thing to me is actually growing algae quickly and having to thin it out often. I've got an orca 250 skimmer on the system, ozone, run carbon and even carbon dosing which actually got the nitrates down and via titration methods cannot get any PO4 readings and usually no readings of nitrate. Any help as to lighting and which algae may be better to use than another is greatly appreciated.
Refugium Lighting (copied from another forum)
- Thread starter Arthur1
- Start date
saltwater sam
New member
phobos2deimos
New member
Shop lights won't be enough, heat and electricity are wasted too. +1 for that thread, although my vote is four PAR38 LEDs.
Would 4 of these be the correct bulbs?
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Philips-...immable-LED-Flood-Light-Bulb-435016/205213868
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Philips-...immable-LED-Flood-Light-Bulb-435016/205213868
phobos2deimos
New member
Yep, although these are what I run. I don't know what angle the Phillips puts out, but check it to make sure it's wide enough. The one I linked is 47 degrees, but another common size (too narrow, IMO) is 30 degrees.
I have a 20 gallon long that I made into a stand alone refugium that is tied into my system. I bought a solderless led kit from Rapid Led and built me a light for my refugium. I used 14 leds- 660nm Red, 410nm UV, 460nm Royal Blue, Cool White and Warm White. Grows Cheato supper fast. just added some Green & Red Gracilaria. So far everything is doing good. Could build yourself something like this for a 40 Breeder just need more leds.
