Refugium lighting

[DIGH]

So, my tank is currently cycling. I have live rock with a baseball sized amount of chaeto and a small amount of caleurpa that attached to the chaeto in the refugium. How long should I be leaving the light on? What would be optimum? I have a 4 led light fixture that lays on top and shines down. I see a bit of cyano growing, like little specks. thanks.

 

[thegrun]

While I know some who run their lights 24/7, I keep mine on for 16 hours opposite the display tank lights.

 

[hotelbravo]

i run two lights over my refugium i use leds 24/7 and then a regular clamp on metal lamp like the kind you get from home depot and it runs on a timer for 5 hours a day.

 

[DrewHaus]

You can leave it on 24/7. That will give you the best growth. I run mine on a reverse photoperiod (so it comes on when the display tank goes out). This ends up being 15.5 hours a day. Having tried both lighting schemes, the chaeto definitely grew faster 24/7.

 

[DIGH]

Thanks guys, since it is rather new and my chaeto is small I will run the 24/7 method now. The light is a jbj Nano 4 led.

 

[mvallee_ma]

I run mine approximately 16 hours off cycle from my main tank. simple CFL bulb and one of those ebay black box LED's over the other section, they both grow cheato and caulerpa just fine.