Refugium Lighting

[Cutiewitbooty]

How many watts do you guys think i will need in my refugium for chaeto? The refugium part is probally about 7 gal, but its wide and shallow. I'm sure i can get some type of home depot or lowes clip on lamp i'm just cerious wht bulb should it be, just a regular compact or a 50/50 and how many watts?

 

[Bojan]

I have 8g refugium and I am using one 36 W PC (Daylight).

 

[llamart]

You can get an external 65 watt PC light and bulb at Home Deeps for $30. You just have to rewire it so it plugs into an outlet...

 

[jacmyoung]

From the shape of the fuge, you should have a few cheap options, the least expensive is to buy a $5 aluminum clamp-on lamp kit and a 27w spiral daylight bulb at HD. the lamp kit metal reflector should be grounded since it comes without ground wire.

Another one is the 27w daylight florescent flood light kit including bulb for $35 at HD, much cheaper if you order online. I think the name is Lights of America. The kit is weather proof plastic with bulb sealed inside so no need to ground it. It has a photo sensor you need to cover with electric tape.

I have used both and cheato grows well under both. Lights of America has a 65w flood light if you want more light, but I don't know if the dimension will fit on top of your fuge.

 

[RichConley]

The lower color temp you have, the better. Anything over 4000K and you're wasting energy. The LOAs are 6500, and theyre fine, but 10K is wasting your time and energy.

 

[jacmyoung]

There was a thread one member compared growth under 4000K and 6500K in identical chambers, cheato growth was much more robust under 6500K but I agree anything more than your average "daylight" temperature would be a waste.

 

[aquaman67]

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=313318&perpage=25&pagenumber=1