Refugium Lighting and schedule

[carey]

So I have a refugium in my sump. I bought the macro grow light for it at the time it's a 25w CP bulb. I've been running the light on it when my main lights go off up top.

I also have added a PAR38 36w LED fixture that I couldn't use on my Pico build.

Should I run both lights only at night or during the day as well? The macro algae I have hasn't grown or anything in over a few weeks. I only have calupeura and chaeto right now in there. I'm open to suggestions for more /different macros.

I was growing mangroves but they had a hard time since they were so short so I moved the mangroves into my biocube.

So in short

When do I run the refugium lights?
Can/should I add more macro algae?
Are two lights overkill?
If two light fixtures are bad which one do I remove?

And any suggestions or comments are welcome as usual!!

Thanks for the help guys, Mucho appreciated!!

 

[dskidmore]

Are you using the refugium for nutrient removal or to grow food for fish?

What nutrients do you test for that you're trying to reduce, and what are the test values?

Growth can be limited by light or a shortage of any one nutrient. If you already have a low nutrient system, the macro algae won't grow fast.

 

[carey]

I'm using it for both nutrient export and hopefully pod raising.

 

[huma-huma]

I'm interested to know why a lot of people run opposite photoperiods when it comes to sumps, refugiums....is there a beneficial reason?

 

[carey]

It's supposed to balance out the ph. From what I've read anyways.

 

[huma-huma]

Ahh ok guess imma switch to it lol. Thanks

 

[carey]

Hey, I could be wrong, it's just what I read and why i do it. It also makes sense too. lol

 

[melosu58]

I have calerpa in my refuge and I run my lighting 24/7. Have been for 6 yrs now. You either have to do it opposite your main lighting or 24/7.

 

[David S]

I run mine 24/7,if theirs not much food source for the macro it wont grow,it also needs moderate flow,tumbling and trimming(cheato)

 

[carey]

I think I'm gonna run it 24/7 from now on. Should I use both light fixtures? or the CF or the LED? CL is 25w and the LED is a 14k 36w

 

[huma-huma]

Yep its settled for me...gonna run my dual-bulb setup 24/7

 

[JVS__RAMBO]

I use a regular flourescent and run it opposite the main tanks lighting schedule and my macro grows fine. Theres tons of copepods running threw mine as well.

 

[Gti_Leo]

i've heard alot of people runnign their lights 24/7 to keep so macro algaes from changing from A sexual to B sexual and releasing its stored nutients. chaeto doesn't do this but there are alot of others that can do it and totally nuke your system

 

[mr_X]

i like to run the lighting opposite the display because i feel that any living creatures in the refugium might benefit from a night time. perhaps for breeding, and some creatures only come out at night to graze. these won't be able to survive long term with no night time.