Refugium lighting

[RLG2182]

Hey guys!

I'm trying to decide on what light fixture to put on my new (almost finished) refugium. Most of the diagrams I see online have regular bell lamps with grow bulbs in them (like the kind of stuff that's for reptiles), but that doesn't seem right to me for some reason. What do you all have to light your fuge's? If I could get away from huge ballasts, I would be thrilled. Thanks!

 

[RLG2182]

Nobody has a refugium? Come on guys... no thinking required!

TIA!

 

[revhtree]

What size fuge?

I am using an 18w cf on a little fuge I have. I also have one of those bell lights with a flood light over my chaeto and it grows like mad.

 

[kukki]

i dont have mine set up yet.. but im thinking just the clip on bell or whatever lights they are.. that they have at like homedepot.... the only thing im wondering is if it would be safe to clip it on to the side of the tank or not ... being that its metal and if water would splash on it occasionally, i doubt it would have a reason to really splash at all but

maybe screw in a little handle for it to grip onto on the inside of the stand

 

[RLG2182]

Hmmm... by my best guess, my fuge is 6 gal. Compartment in my new 40 gal sump 12H x 15L x 8W

Rev... do you use both the bell lamp and the CF at the same time? My fuge seems kinda small for that much light :?

 

[revhtree]

No I was using the bell light until I changed my fuge. No I am using the compact. I have moved my bell light over a corner in my prop tank right over my chaeto..

How bout this. It's $19.00!
http://aquatraders.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=4

 

[RLG2182]

8O 8O

SWEET. Kudos

 

[tmcpeek]

I have a 35 gallon fuge on my 225 and I use a coralife powercompact. Can't remember the wattage but it is 36" and has a white and a blue bulb. Seems to work great for me. My chaeto grows like crazy and I put frags in there and they do well too. I have my fuge lights on opposite my main tank lights and do not have any ph swings now.

 

[steve r]

i use one of those office lights on an arm. it uses a 13watt PC. it was on sale really cheap at menards. i bought a 7100K bulb for 8 dollars. my fuge area is about
10 x 10 x 10. revhtree's option looks perfect

steve r

 

[saltwatersmac]

I will be using a Mini Fluorescent Aquarium Bulb from Lights of America. I got it in the pet area of Wal-Mart. It's a 10 watt CF bulb that is self-ballasted to work in an incandescent hood. I have an old 10 gal hood laying around that will fit my future 15 gal fuge. There about $5 each so I get 20 watts for $10. Also its 6500K. The model is 2110AQ.

HTH
Stephen

 

[IndyReefMan]

My sump is an old 45 gallon aquarium and I dropped a 5 gallon fuge in it. I just use the original NO fixture that it came with and I put a 10,000K bulb in it. I'm trimming macro like mad so I guess it works well.

 

[oyf709]

depending on wat you will have in refugium, if only macro algea like most people does, just go for NO or something cheap, since you don't need to warry about your algea doesn't have enough light.
My refugium was using a mini fresh water light ing, its alrdy enough for a normal refugium.

 

[RLG2182]

Thanks for the extra advice!

I was only planning to grow macro algae and the sorts (chaeto, etc). I already dumped a cup of LS/LR Rubble from an established tank... nice dark looking mud mixed in with LR Rubble that was practically sand. Going to throw in some fuge-safe snails (no hermits) and such. Pretty much just want it for nitrate control & pod growth.

All of the fuges I've seen online with macro algae only had bell lamps for lighting with some kind of grow bulb on them... that's why I was tempted to do the same. Some kind of 60W incandescent bulb or other. I liked Rev's suggestion... would be nice to have PC on the fuge. Just wasn't sure if it was needed.

 

[RLG2182]

Also... just spent another while reading... couldn't find an answer. Which K temp is best for these macro algaes? Culp/Chaeto/Red Gracilaria ... 6500K or 10000K or 50/50?

Again, thanks!

 

[kukki]

tell us what you end up getting .. i might have to do the same lol.. tho right now im still looking at the clip on bell lamp or whatever they are called

 

[asnatlas]

Marc's site...

Check out the link below


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


Hope this helps
Shawn

 

[RLG2182]

Thanks Shawn!!!

Kudos.

 

[ellisz]

I use a 19 watt screw in CF from HD. It is 6500k. I have used grow bulbs and Lights of America bulbs from Wally World(6500K).

Its all good. You could do <6500k but I would stay with that or 10k. My fuge is a low flow area.