Cheato lighting question...

sn4265 · 11/18/2010, 07:49 AM

I'm planning on picking up some cheato probably this weekend. I have a fuge setup in the sump, and one of my peppermint shrimp took quite a ride to make it into the sump. My first question is should I catch him and move him back to the display or is he safe in the sump? Will he have a problem with or make a problem for the cheato?

My next question is about the lighting. I have one of those cheapo aluminum reflectors already and I plan to use that for the cheato lighting. From my reading I plan to run that light on a reverse timer for about 12 hours a night. Is this the best option for the cheato lighting as far as time? I intend to get a 6500 K CFL bulb for the light and I'm debating whether to clip it to the underside of the top of the stand or simply rest the reflector bulb down on top of some egg crate on top of the fuge? Which would be the better placement option here?

Anything else I should know about cheato and lighting?

Sugar Magnolia · 11/18/2010, 08:17 AM

The shrimp will be fine in the sump, no problem at all with the chaeto, other than eating the microfauna that lives/breeds in the chaeto (pods).

Sounds like you're right on with the light. Setting it directly on the egg crate may cause a problem - heat being the main issue. I'd clip it onto something.

mgoblue · 11/18/2010, 08:25 AM

I'm a noob also, but I would think the eggcrate is going to be a hassle when you have to get in there to prune. I see a lot of people using 6500K bulbs, but I read on Melevseef.com about 5100K being best for chaeto.

http://www.melevsreef.com/fuge_bulb.html

I went with a 5000K bulb I found at Menards, but, like you, I won't have chaeto in my fuge until this weekend, so I cannot say whether it is working good or not.

Hope that helped some.

Beaun · 11/18/2010, 08:31 AM

I agree with clipping it to something, resting it on the egg crate would be both annoying to get in the sump and also could melt the egg crate if it got too hot.

The reverse photoperiod is also best, it helps mitigate any pH swings.

sn4265 · 11/18/2010, 09:30 AM

I didn't think the egg crate would be a hassle since I could simply clip the light onto something and remove the egg crate when I need to get in there. I also didn't think that the CFL bulbs would generate enough heat to be an issue for the egg crate? Not a big deal either way though.

WhoDat? · 11/18/2010, 09:58 AM

I went to Lowes and got tiny plastic cable clips.... they are used to hold cable or wire neatly down a wall or on a ceiling.... I just tacked it to the underneath of the top of the stand and my light hangs about 2" over the top of the chaeto ...Its easily moved out the way....my chaeto doubles in size every month.... I also removed the big metal reflector.... they don't do anything anyway since the bulbs have a grey backing to them....

jeff@zina.com · 11/18/2010, 01:40 PM

I use a standard T5 florescent light to light the sump and fuge. It's screwed to the bottom of the shelf the tank(s) is(are) on.

Jeff

11/18/2010, 07:49 AM	#1
sn4265 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 570	Cheato lighting question... I'm planning on picking up some cheato probably this weekend. I have a fuge setup in the sump, and one of my peppermint shrimp took quite a ride to make it into the sump. My first question is should I catch him and move him back to the display or is he safe in the sump? Will he have a problem with or make a problem for the cheato? My next question is about the lighting. I have one of those cheapo aluminum reflectors already and I plan to use that for the cheato lighting. From my reading I plan to run that light on a reverse timer for about 12 hours a night. Is this the best option for the cheato lighting as far as time? I intend to get a 6500 K CFL bulb for the light and I'm debating whether to clip it to the underside of the top of the stand or simply rest the reflector bulb down on top of some egg crate on top of the fuge? Which would be the better placement option here? Anything else I should know about cheato and lighting? __________________ First saltwater tank setup 11/6/10: 80 lbs LS and 150 lbs LR, Aquamaxx EM200 skimmer & Phosban Reactor Photon 48 LED pH 8.0, Temp 78, NO3 ~0, Mg 1400, Ca 420, Alk 7.5 Current Tank Info: 120 gal with 40B sump with fuge, pair of black Occellaris Clowns, purple Firefish, Coral Banded Shrimp, Foxface

11/18/2010, 08:17 AM	#2
Sugar Magnolia Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Northern VA Posts: 17,691	The shrimp will be fine in the sump, no problem at all with the chaeto, other than eating the microfauna that lives/breeds in the chaeto (pods). Sounds like you're right on with the light. Setting it directly on the egg crate may cause a problem - heat being the main issue. I'd clip it onto something. __________________ Adrienne The only thing to fear is fear itself....and spiders.

11/18/2010, 08:31 AM	#4
Beaun It's pronounced Bone Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Hampton, NY Posts: 1,967	I agree with clipping it to something, resting it on the egg crate would be both annoying to get in the sump and also could melt the egg crate if it got too hot. The reverse photoperiod is also best, it helps mitigate any pH swings. __________________ -Tyler "The only legitimate use of a computer is to play games." -Eugene Jarvis Current Tank Info: None

11/18/2010, 09:30 AM	#5
sn4265 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 570	I didn't think the egg crate would be a hassle since I could simply clip the light onto something and remove the egg crate when I need to get in there. I also didn't think that the CFL bulbs would generate enough heat to be an issue for the egg crate? Not a big deal either way though. __________________ First saltwater tank setup 11/6/10: 80 lbs LS and 150 lbs LR, Aquamaxx EM200 skimmer & Phosban Reactor Photon 48 LED pH 8.0, Temp 78, NO3 ~0, Mg 1400, Ca 420, Alk 7.5 Current Tank Info: 120 gal with 40B sump with fuge, pair of black Occellaris Clowns, purple Firefish, Coral Banded Shrimp, Foxface

11/18/2010, 09:58 AM	#6
WhoDat? Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Crowley, LA Posts: 295	I went to Lowes and got tiny plastic cable clips.... they are used to hold cable or wire neatly down a wall or on a ceiling.... I just tacked it to the underneath of the top of the stand and my light hangs about 2" over the top of the chaeto ...Its easily moved out the way....my chaeto doubles in size every month.... I also removed the big metal reflector.... they don't do anything anyway since the bulbs have a grey backing to them.... __________________ Hello my name is Grant.... and I have OCD.... (first step is admitting it right?) :) Current Tank Info: 165g Red Sea Reefer, S-200 skimmer.; CW-200 Algae Scrubber. Sea Max 26 LED lights. 2 Nero 5’s

11/18/2010, 08:25 AM	#3
mgoblue Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Grand Junction, MI Posts: 149	I'm a noob also, but I would think the eggcrate is going to be a hassle when you have to get in there to prune. I see a lot of people using 6500K bulbs, but I read on Melevseef.com about 5100K being best for chaeto. http://www.melevsreef.com/fuge_bulb.html I went with a 5000K bulb I found at Menards, but, like you, I won't have chaeto in my fuge until this weekend, so I cannot say whether it is working good or not. Hope that helped some.

11/18/2010, 01:40 PM	#7
jeff@zina.com Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Naples, FL Posts: 3,345	I use a standard T5 florescent light to light the sump and fuge. It's screwed to the bottom of the shelf the tank(s) is(are) on. Jeff

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