Refugium Lighting

[SkiFletch]

Along with my recent thread I wanted to ask all of you what you use to light your refugiums and do you like it or not? I used to use a compact flourescent flood light from lowes/home depot rated at 5,500K. It "worked" but I wasn't impressed with it's growth rate. My refugium is small, ~12x10x10" so something like halide lighting would be overkill. I have a 2x18watt Coralife nano fixture which I might use, but I'll need to replace it's bulbs as they got broken during the move. Any other novel concepts or ideas?

 

[belgian_waffleman]

How about a par38 LED bulb? Screws into a regular socket.

Nano Tuners has them, I don't know if they are sold locally yet.

Waffleman

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Chaetomorpha doesn't require a lot of light. IME the 5500k CF spiral floodlight is great for growing kaytoe.
Remember thisthread?

 

[SkiFletch]

Heh, I realize that Chaeto is hardy Gary, hell, I had mine survive the october storm a few years ago with no light, heat, or water flow for 3 days. What I want though, is a light that will grow it fast enough to out-compete any algae attempting to grow in the display tank. A light that fits in a small area, puts out lots of "proper" wavelength photons, and uses as little energy as possible. We call this unobtainium at work, but I constantly seek it

Edit: Nico, I've tried one of those PAR38 LEDs and IMO they suck. My chaeto didn't grow an inch with that stuff. And while it was slow, at least it grew with the 5500K home depot lamp

 

[naprestsleep]

I used the standard spiral CF daylight bulb from HD, which are 5000k, worked good for 10 months, but it was getting to much salt creep on it and made me nervous, so I switched to the CF spiral in the glass housing, as they are easier to clean.

With both I have/had good growth, sorry I can suggest something better.

 

[cardiffgiant]

How about a par38 LED bulb? Screws into a regular socket.

Nano Tuners has them, I don't know if they are sold locally yet.

Waffleman

I use one of these for my frag. For me, it's ok for that purpose. I wouldn't use it on my display. I think it would be serious overkill on a fuge.

There is a red spectrum LED bulb that is suposed to be ideal for plants. I've been trying to find out whether or not anyone has tried those for a fuge.

 

[tmz]

I use two(18w/equivalent 65 w)) sprial spots over a 20 gallon and two over a 32 gallon bin. Chaeto does fine with it and a 16 hour photoperiod. I used compact flourescents before and can't say growth was any better. It grows fine but less rapidly than it used to since I keep PO4 and NO3 quite low with vodka/vinegar and gfo. I think the more light you give it the more it will grow subject to nutrient limitations.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

the more light you give it the more it will grow subject to nutrient limitations.

that's the key.

If you want to grow algae in your refugium faster try dosing it with an Iron supplement. Better yet, unhook the protein skimmer.
The 5500k CF floods from HD/Lowes can't be beat IMO/IME.
I run mine 24/7 and they last a really really long time.

 

[SkiFletch]

Hummm, maybe I'm just backwards on my order? I have my skimmer compartment before the fuge. Perhaps my solution is to put my fuge in my "1st" compartment and the skimmer in the 2nd...

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

I realize that some folks suggest placing a skimmer first in the sump.

IMO some of the draining display water should immediately feed sump critters (first).

FWIW the draining aquarium water in my system feeds critters in a cryptic/LR area of my sump before getting processed by my skimmer. The skimmed water is then fed into a lit refugium containing a DSB and macroalgae. (Effluent from my calcium reactor also drips into my lit refugium. PO4 and low pH from effluent help fuel macroalgae growth.)

 

[Conesus_Kid]

(Effluent from my calcium reactor also drips into my lit refugium. PO4 and low pH from effluent help fuel macroalgae growth.)

{sneaks into sump room and moves Ca reactor effluent discharge from sump to refugium...}

 

[naprestsleep]

I have my kalk top off into my refugium, the higher PH doesn't seem to effect the chaeto, see to grow like a weed actually.

 

[tmz]

Mine goes to the chaeto before the skimmer.

 

[Dave VG]

Humm good info I may have to change things around a little as well.