Snookster
New member
Thought I'd share an observation I've made using a red LED grow light to grow macro algae.
I've been fighting high nutrients as of late, my skimmer has not been very efficient lately (and probably over feeding a bit too), so I've has some chaeto in my sump on a reverse light schedule lit with a 100w equivalent ~2700k CFL to try to consume some of the nasty stuff. I started getting tired of the light trespass from the sump in the middle of the night - I'm one of those who need DARK rooms. I got to thinking about switching to a red grow light. I've read where people who run ATS' seem to get better results with red LEDs, so I found one on Amazon and ordered it.
After 2 weeks, I'm pretty sure the growth rate has doubled. I went to prune some this morning and removed somewhere between a softball and volleyball sized clump. I've grown chaeto on and off over the years and have never seen it grow like this. Before, I would remove about a softball size chunk - once a month, maybe.
Is it this light making the nutrient uptake more efficient? Lighting alone won't make the stuff grow, the plant does require nutrients to grow. But it appears to certainly grow much faster with this light. I've also noticed some of the bubble algae I have in the tank turning from green to translucent (getting out competed?).
I've been fighting high nutrients as of late, my skimmer has not been very efficient lately (and probably over feeding a bit too), so I've has some chaeto in my sump on a reverse light schedule lit with a 100w equivalent ~2700k CFL to try to consume some of the nasty stuff. I started getting tired of the light trespass from the sump in the middle of the night - I'm one of those who need DARK rooms. I got to thinking about switching to a red grow light. I've read where people who run ATS' seem to get better results with red LEDs, so I found one on Amazon and ordered it.
After 2 weeks, I'm pretty sure the growth rate has doubled. I went to prune some this morning and removed somewhere between a softball and volleyball sized clump. I've grown chaeto on and off over the years and have never seen it grow like this. Before, I would remove about a softball size chunk - once a month, maybe.
Is it this light making the nutrient uptake more efficient? Lighting alone won't make the stuff grow, the plant does require nutrients to grow. But it appears to certainly grow much faster with this light. I've also noticed some of the bubble algae I have in the tank turning from green to translucent (getting out competed?).
And Thanks to you and BrayanS4 . I thought maybe someone was sporting something more than the ole clamp reflector from HD. Guess I'll grab that one I stashed somewhere in the garage.
