Help Me: Refugium Lighting

[CleverBs]

So I have a Simple 2x 24w bulb T5 from Home Depot hanging above my fuge, It has no reflectors and currently has 2 lights in it that are not for plants so I am going to need to spend money on new bulbs for it but am wondering if I should just save it and buy a new fixture. So I want some opinions on what kind of light to use. I will be growing Chaeto and Mangroves so I want something that Wont be to bright for my mangroves. Heres a picture of the system, The left hand tub is just a fuge with moderate flow going through it. A maxi jet 1200 I think is pumping water into the fuge from the sump then it just gravity drains out back into the sump/Filter sock. Its a 3" sand bed with about a 8LB rock in it. The water is probably 6-7" deep.

Here are some options I am seeing (I want to stay Under 100$ and even lower if possible, Because it doesnt need to look pretty lol)

Grow Light from Ebay
Any other thoughts

 

[fort384]

I use one of these:
Shop Bayco 75-Watt Incandescent Portable Work Light at Lowes.com

with a screw in 6700K CFL.

Chaeto grows like mad. I don't think you need to spend much on a fixture for success.

 

[Keithhjs]

I used an 18 watt led from Home Depot. Like $30. I have mangrove, Chaeto & caulepra growing fine with no reflector or anything. Spending $100 on a fuge light IMHO is a complete waste. I grow coraline with mine and its on 24/7 cuz low cost of led and no heat.

 

[Keithhjs]

Here is pic

 

[fort384]

Yup - agreed. My $10 solution does quite well .


I don't cheap out too often on aquarium stuff but this is one place where cheap seems to be just fine.

 

[CleverBs]

I used an 18 watt led from Home Depot. Like $30. I have mangrove, Chaeto & caulepra growing fine with no reflector or anything. Spending $100 on a fuge light IMHO is a complete waste. I grow coraline with mine and its on 24/7 cuz low cost of led and no heat.

well I wouldnt want to spend that much Im thinking more around 40$ but wanted to get some nicer ideas as well.

do you think my current light will work?

Would that one on ebay work?

Well regardless even if my fixture will work i have to get new bulbs. SO thats going to be around 30$ so whats my best solution?

 

[Keithhjs]

I'm sure that one would be fine from eBay. But just as Fort said, a $10 one would be fine too.

 

[Sterling_salt]

Yea I use a $10 led screw in bulb from lowes. Works out cheaper than buying bulbs for any other fixture

 

[CleverBs]

how come iv been reading so much about Chaeto demanding alot of light to work properly?

 

[fort384]

Yeah that ebay one looks like it might do ok, though I would worry about any penetration through water as those look to be a fraction of a watt diode, so penetrating power on them will be minimal. I think you would have better luck with the screw in LED bulb or a CFL bulb, honestly - but tough to tell as they don't give exact specs on the LEDs. Knowing the lumens isn't all that helpful in this case, especially since several of those colored diodes aren't going to do much of anything for photosynthetic organisms.

 

[fort384]

how come iv been reading so much about Chaeto demanding alot of light to work properly?

Not sure - but I can tell you with my $10 option, I have never had detectable nitrates in my system, and my chaeto roughly doubles every 2-3 weeks.

 

[CleverBs]

Well I guess it cant hurt to try. Do you think a 10$ fixture/Bulb will put out more light then my t5?

Its like this but 24" Z Series 2-Light Surface or Suspension Mount White Multi-Volt T5 Fluorescent 46 in. Strip Light-Z 2 28T5 MVOLT GEB10PS atThe Home Depot

I could just get these as replacement bulbs

 

[CleverBs]

Any thoughts on this? I'd rather do this if it will work. And just use my current fixture.

 

[fort384]

I think the replacement bulbs at 6700K would work just fine.

 

[CleverBs]

Well I just am not sure what to do lol. Either get a cfl bulb for 10$ or use my fixture for 26$

 

[fort384]

I think you will see decent results with either one.

 

[Daniel Fishy]

Go with a 6500 or around that and it will grow fine they don't demand intense light more low spectrum. I agree with all post on this cheap is better.

 

[Mr. D]

I use a lizard lamp with a screw in 6700k bulb and grows Cheto, grape caulerpa, and feather caulerpa pretty good... $6-7 for the bulb and not sure what the lamps cost still

 

[danbstrong]

I use a lizard lamp with a screw in 6700k bulb and grows Cheto, grape caulerpa, and feather caulerpa pretty good... $6-7 for the bulb and not sure what the lamps cost still

Yep 2 cfl bulbs from lowes 24 w 6500k with reflecter chaeto grows like crazy not sure about mangroves tho

 

[CleverBs]

Yep 2 cfl bulbs from lowes 24 w 6500k with reflecter chaeto grows like crazy not sure about mangroves tho

I know that mangroves require very little light. with the light ill have on the fuge it wont be an issue at all.