Refugium lighting period.

Palting · 09/21/2010, 09:31 AM

I have a 20 gal refugium with macros and a 3" aragonite DSB. Lighting period is 12 hours more or less counter the DT lighting period. I look at the refugium as a "sewage" treatment for the DT, not really as a refuge for critters.

With that purpose in mind, how long can I leave the refugium lights on? Can I leave it on as much as 24/7?

Thanks!

gts1218 · 09/21/2010, 09:35 AM

Alot of people keep it on 24/7 I do opposite of the DT Light cycle.

Palting · 09/21/2010, 09:42 AM

Aside from electricity cost, any downside to leaving it on 24/7?

scubasteve06 · 09/21/2010, 09:57 AM

I tried 24/7 at first and noticed some growth but more burnt tips on my calurpa, not with the chaeto. What I do now is I turn it off for 4 hours a day from 7 to 11 since thats when my tank lights transition from main daylight to sunset. Then the fuge light comes back on right before the sunset/dusk light goes off. Best way to keep your pH stable also. You wouldn't beleive the bio-diversity in a clump of calurpa or chaeto. I didn't until I got some. I think they appreciate the dark period because since changing the lighting to 4 hours off 20 hours on the calurpa is a lush lush deep green color and grows so thick its hard for me to try and pull it apart to allow the rest of the ball to get light. The chaeto I noticed it also got much darker and lusher but no real difference in growth. Both macro algaes were growing pretty good. They seem a lot healthier now though. I also take a cpl drops of phytoplankton (Kent Chromaplex) and Kent Zooplex and drop it into the fuge section so my pods and bristle stars and star fish have lots of food to eat. Once I started to do that the macro algae got even brighter green and the pods population just exploded. My Red Scooter Dragonet is loving life right now. He has a fat tail and and nice plump belly. From time to time I'll get my turkey baster and suck some of the pods up I can get and squirt him some down to the bottom for a little treat. I know everyones system is different, but this worked for mine. I noticed a decrease in Nitrate from 30ppm to 10ppm in a two week time period w/o doing my bi-weekly w/c just to see what it could do on its own. I guess I'll have to get more of it to reduce them down even more and do some more testing.

Saltyllama · 09/21/2010, 11:54 AM

I run mine 24/7

I get a little chaeto burn on the part that's on the surface, but that's the first thing I prune.

Never had a problem with it at all.

SpencerG · 09/21/2010, 07:47 PM

I run mine 24/7. I get the chaeto burn too, but for me it may be more from exposure to air than excessive light. The fuge is all gunky, but the display tank is nice and pristine.

I've read on here elsewhere that macro can take light 24/7 - it doesn't have the cycle of higher plants that need light and dark. Not sure that's true, but the chaeto and caluerpa in the fuge haven't died rather thrived.

That being said, I have considered running the fuge light opposite the display lights.

scubasteve06 · 09/21/2010, 09:33 PM

Try it and see if your growth gets any better. It really can't hurt to try.

09/21/2010, 09:31 AM	#1
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	Refugium lighting period. I have a 20 gal refugium with macros and a 3" aragonite DSB. Lighting period is 12 hours more or less counter the DT lighting period. I look at the refugium as a "sewage" treatment for the DT, not really as a refuge for critters. With that purpose in mind, how long can I leave the refugium lights on? Can I leave it on as much as 24/7? Thanks! __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

09/21/2010, 09:42 AM	#3
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	Aside from electricity cost, any downside to leaving it on 24/7? __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

09/21/2010, 11:54 AM	#5
Saltyllama Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 283	I run mine 24/7 I get a little chaeto burn on the part that's on the surface, but that's the first thing I prune. Never had a problem with it at all. __________________ 90 gallon RR w/ megaflow, mixed reef softie/LPS/SPS, 22 gallon split sump/fuge, BM NAC7 cone skimmer, GFO reactor, 4 bulb icecap 660 T5 retro Current Tank Info: 90 gallon w/ 22 gallon (actual volume) sump/fuge

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09/21/2010, 09:35 AM	#2
gts1218 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Nassau, Long Island Posts: 207	Alot of people keep it on 24/7 I do opposite of the DT Light cycle.

09/21/2010, 09:57 AM	#4
scubasteve06 Jeeper Reefer Join Date: May 2010 Location: Clemson, SC Posts: 1,171	I tried 24/7 at first and noticed some growth but more burnt tips on my calurpa, not with the chaeto. What I do now is I turn it off for 4 hours a day from 7 to 11 since thats when my tank lights transition from main daylight to sunset. Then the fuge light comes back on right before the sunset/dusk light goes off. Best way to keep your pH stable also. You wouldn't beleive the bio-diversity in a clump of calurpa or chaeto. I didn't until I got some. I think they appreciate the dark period because since changing the lighting to 4 hours off 20 hours on the calurpa is a lush lush deep green color and grows so thick its hard for me to try and pull it apart to allow the rest of the ball to get light. The chaeto I noticed it also got much darker and lusher but no real difference in growth. Both macro algaes were growing pretty good. They seem a lot healthier now though. I also take a cpl drops of phytoplankton (Kent Chromaplex) and Kent Zooplex and drop it into the fuge section so my pods and bristle stars and star fish have lots of food to eat. Once I started to do that the macro algae got even brighter green and the pods population just exploded. My Red Scooter Dragonet is loving life right now. He has a fat tail and and nice plump belly. From time to time I'll get my turkey baster and suck some of the pods up I can get and squirt him some down to the bottom for a little treat. I know everyones system is different, but this worked for mine. I noticed a decrease in Nitrate from 30ppm to 10ppm in a two week time period w/o doing my bi-weekly w/c just to see what it could do on its own. I guess I'll have to get more of it to reduce them down even more and do some more testing.

09/21/2010, 07:47 PM	#6
SpencerG Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: New Orleans Posts: 356	I run mine 24/7. I get the chaeto burn too, but for me it may be more from exposure to air than excessive light. The fuge is all gunky, but the display tank is nice and pristine. I've read on here elsewhere that macro can take light 24/7 - it doesn't have the cycle of higher plants that need light and dark. Not sure that's true, but the chaeto and caluerpa in the fuge haven't died rather thrived. That being said, I have considered running the fuge light opposite the display lights.

09/21/2010, 09:33 PM	#7
scubasteve06 Jeeper Reefer Join Date: May 2010 Location: Clemson, SC Posts: 1,171	Try it and see if your growth gets any better. It really can't hurt to try.