Refugium lighting

Crazyfingerz · 03/05/2012, 07:17 AM

Would a 50W or 2 be good enough to light a refugium. and do i really need to keep the light on 24/7?

bdroptjj · 03/05/2012, 07:35 AM

A 50w bulb would be more than enough for most refugiums. You might even consider a 6500K CFL bulb which would be more energy efficient, running at around 14w or so. You don't NEED to keep the fuge light on 24/7. Some will run their fuge light on a reverse cycle from their DT lights, with the intention of stabilizing Ph.

BigCountry74 · 03/05/2012, 07:45 AM

I run my fuge lights 9-10 hours a day. And any bulb will work, depending on what your growing. If Chaeto, it grows with just about any light.

thegrun · 03/05/2012, 08:13 AM

+1 on the 6500K 14or 16 watt compact fluorescent flood lights. They have the correct color for maximum growth and produce less heat and run more efficiently than standard bulbs.

Zoomadness · 03/05/2012, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigCountry74

I run my fuge lights 9-10 hours a day. And any bulb will work, depending on what your growing. If Chaeto, it grows with just about any light.

I had 2 24 watt T-8 "grow bulbs" on my fuge and my chaeto was dying out. I switched to a CFL at 5100K, I think it was 24 watts chaeto grew like mad. I recently replaced that CFL with a 6500K L.E.D bulb and have seen an increase in growth with the chaeto and it onlu uses 12 watts of power. I run it revers of my DT. I have to save electricity when I can since my DT uses 700 watts just for the light!

BigCountry74 · 03/05/2012, 08:27 AM

Nice!

Hey how do you cultivate your chaeto? I have a feeling here in a few weeks I am going to need to trim it down...lol

psykobowler · 03/05/2012, 08:34 AM

I switched from using 3 18watt power compacts to a 150 watt metal halide. I had limited growth with the daylight bulbs and the power compact so i switched to mh. Chaeto grows so fast i have to trim the refugium every two weeks now. Having halide at night helps warm the water also. I turn off the heater downstairs at night where my tank resides so it is always cold during the morning. I agree we need to find ways to save money in this hobby but it is hard for me to imagine how a refugium lit by a single flourescent bulb could outcompete a display tank that has 4 250watt radiums and 8 T5s. My lfs is also happy now with all the free chaeto that I give them.

Crazyfingerz · 03/05/2012, 04:07 PM

Thanks for all the advice. Im looking to go more with a natural approach.

Sonny408 · 03/05/2012, 11:55 PM

I am running marineland led on my sump that growing cheato 24/7..

03/05/2012, 07:17 AM	#1
Crazyfingerz Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 303	Refugium lighting Would a 50W or 2 be good enough to light a refugium. and do i really need to keep the light on 24/7? __________________ Always looking to move foward, yup yup Current Tank Info: 120gal DT, 30gal sump.

03/05/2012, 07:35 AM	#2
bdroptjj Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 131	A 50w bulb would be more than enough for most refugiums. You might even consider a 6500K CFL bulb which would be more energy efficient, running at around 14w or so. You don't NEED to keep the fuge light on 24/7. Some will run their fuge light on a reverse cycle from their DT lights, with the intention of stabilizing Ph. __________________ "I am serious, and don't call me Shirley" Current Tank Info: Reef Savvy rimless 60x24x18 ~ ATB Elegance 200 Pro ~ Apex ~ MP40wES x2 ~ Radion XR30 x3 ~ Nextreef MR1 reactors ~ ATB Flowstar 1500 ~ Bubble Magus doser ~ Trigger Systems Ruby 36 sump

03/05/2012, 07:45 AM	#3
BigCountry74 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 1,761	I run my fuge lights 9-10 hours a day. And any bulb will work, depending on what your growing. If Chaeto, it grows with just about any light. __________________ 135g mixed reef (retired) http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2132815 Current 40g reef http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2483250 Current Tank Info: 40g bare bottom reef

03/05/2012, 08:27 AM	#6
BigCountry74 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 1,761	Nice! Hey how do you cultivate your chaeto? I have a feeling here in a few weeks I am going to need to trim it down...lol __________________ 135g mixed reef (retired) http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2132815 Current 40g reef http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2483250 Current Tank Info: 40g bare bottom reef

03/05/2012, 08:34 AM	#7
psykobowler Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Roseville, CA Posts: 2,137	I switched from using 3 18watt power compacts to a 150 watt metal halide. I had limited growth with the daylight bulbs and the power compact so i switched to mh. Chaeto grows so fast i have to trim the refugium every two weeks now. Having halide at night helps warm the water also. I turn off the heater downstairs at night where my tank resides so it is always cold during the morning. I agree we need to find ways to save money in this hobby but it is hard for me to imagine how a refugium lit by a single flourescent bulb could outcompete a display tank that has 4 250watt radiums and 8 T5s. My lfs is also happy now with all the free chaeto that I give them. __________________ Guitar playing reefer Current Tank Info: 300g & 90g display, 90g fragtank, 34g fuge, 120g sump1 w/ RO Xp-5000, 20g sump2 , 5 (2x54wattT5 retrofits) 3 radion xr15pros, 5mp60s, 4tunze6255s, Apex, WXM, KnopCaRx, Avast KalkRx

03/05/2012, 08:13 AM	#4
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	+1 on the 6500K 14or 16 watt compact fluorescent flood lights. They have the correct color for maximum growth and produce less heat and run more efficiently than standard bulbs.

03/05/2012, 04:07 PM	#8
Crazyfingerz Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 303	Thanks for all the advice. Im looking to go more with a natural approach. __________________ Always looking to move foward, yup yup Current Tank Info: 120gal DT, 30gal sump.

03/05/2012, 11:55 PM	#9
Sonny408 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 103	I am running marineland led on my sump that growing cheato 24/7..