What light for Chaeto?

[tonym10]

I just ordered a hang on back refugium for my sump. it is 14" long 12" deep and 4 1/2" wide, this is all I can fit behind my sump. I have done a search here on lighting and get confused by the answers. Can some one tell me what lighting to use on this macro? Should I get a coral life cf, i see some 2 bulb 9 watt each total 18watt? Or is there a better solution? and how many hours/day should they be lit?
Thank you

 

[sjvl51]

Here is the bulbs I use - http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=313318 I use 2 for my 25 gallon refuge. With light, the more the better the macro algae grows. Some people use their old MH bulbs for the refuge and get excellent growth! It is up to you what you use but I do not recommend NO bulbs. NO bulbs do not have enough intensity for this application. IMO

Many people run their refuge lights opposite their display tank lights to help stablize their pH. Some people run the refuge lights 24/7 others just when the display lights are on. Again the choice is yours. I don't recommend 24/7 because plants are known to need darkness for some of the processes. Others say there is no problem with 24/7.

Vickie

 

[kevster]

I use a 70w 3400k MH over a 14"x16" sump and the chaeto doubles every 7 to 10 days, but I don't suppose an MH is really going to be practical over a 4 1/2 wide refuge. I expect if you fit as much t5's or cf above the 'fuge as you can then you should get decent growth. It's worth playing with the light temperatures to find what works best. I used 6500k cf's to start with and it hardly grew at all. I think they prefer lower K's of around 3000 to 5000k.

I have tried lighting mine both 24 hours and 16 light 8 dark and not seen any differenced in how it grows. It doesn't seem to slow down when given a dark period so you might as well save the leccy.

Kev

 

[Frick-n-Frags]

Maybe you can find a small PC setup(or two if they are short) like at home depot with a bulb footprint that fits well over your HOB fuge. You can then mount them closer to the surface to concentrate the light.

It is probably a quantity vs quality of light question. The sun grows it the best and that is rated 5000K but it is also VERY bright

Chlorophyll works with red light and 430nm blue light so any light that provides lots of those two bands should do well for you. Algae is pretty straightforward on its magic recipe:
light+nutrients=algae growth.

here's a link to a neighboring thread with a pic of my Chaeto wad, which I actively sell and it grows like mad under 6500k light (but 145w of it) I also run mine 14hrs on/8 hrs off

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=400901

 

[kevster]

That bunch you have in your hand there is about what I chuck out of my 14"x16" sump each week. As you say, get the light right and it grows like mad
Kev

 

[Paradoxed]

I use this in my fuge, my sump is a 20g for my 30g tank, fuge part is about 5g

65 watt compact fluorescent lamp, 4550 lumens 6500k

I bought it at home depot for under $20, a very nice reefer here that gave me my chaeto, was using it, my growth doubles about every week or so, in fact, getting ready to give 1/2 of it away, the lights width is exactly the width of the 20g

 

[Frick-n-Frags]

Yep, those are the beasts I use too

 

[salmon alley]

Paradoxed-

Is that the Lights of America Model 9265? (Daylight 6500K)

I just picked up one of these and am hoping I got the right one for growing Chaetamorpha. I'm currently using old VHOs and the macro doesn't grow worth squat.

SA

 

[Paradoxed]

yup that's it, mine says 9266 whish they say is bronze, 9265 is white, both look the same to me and mine has no bronze anywhere, oh well, output is same