refugia lighting....

[Joey1]

Hi,anyone with a very healthy macro growth in a refugium,links to articles,useful info,whatever;What is the proper spectrum,bulbs,wattage,whatever that macroalgae flourish under?I know that they grow great in my main tank

but I want to get it going strong in my refugium(20 gallon long) Anybody? Joey

 

[MIKE NY1]

Joey, alot of people are using the Lights of America 65 watter with good results. I'm currently using a small Jalli 13 watter and I'm getting pretty good growth, but my refugium is smaller than 20 gal.

Mike

 

[Joey1]

So then I would assume PC which I already have a 100 W setup,2x55/one actinic,one 10k.I was hoping that I could keep it relatively similiar in appearance,(lighting color wise)as the display it is around the corner from...since I already have this setup in my possession,I'm hoping it will be suitable.Anyone got any other suggestions? Thanks,Joey

 

[esmithiii]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote

Joey, alot of people are using the Lights of America 65 watter with good results.

I have two over my refugium

E

 

[ShipMate]

I had a similar PC set up for my refugium. The blue was of no benefit to algae growth and replacing it with a lower k bulb (white/yellow) made considerable difference in growth rate.

hope that helps.
Merry Christmas

 

[HARRISON]

This is a good place to ask a similar question.

How long do you keep your lights running over the refugium and when? Teri and I have been discussing this off board (or over-board). Anyway, Teri uses a reverse cycle, 12 hours opposite of main tank. I have been running 24/7. We both do it for different reasons. Teri PH and myself macro growth and the sudden death it can go through...Anybody have any feedback on this? I have been running a 20k bulb over mine, guess I will change it out...

 

[esmithiii]

I run mine reverse cycle also.

Ernie

 

[fishfarmer]

I have the middle section of my 20 gal long sump lighted with the 27 watt quad LOA fixture. I switched to a higher kelvin bulb, 6700 K I think. The middle(about a third of the 20 gal) has a DSB and good Caulerpa prolifera growth and also maintains zooanthids and a small toadstool leather.

It took about half a year for the caulerpa to really take off, but now it is doing great. Mine is on a reverse photoperiod.

I tried the LOA 9 watt fixture first, didn't cut it IMO.

 

[Joey1]

Excuse me,110 watt....

 

[dmentnich]

Wow! Light a sump with MH?!? I have lit mine (a 20 Gal soon to be 53 Gal) with a regular grow-light which plugs into a regular bare 110 socket used for plants with success. I guess it would grow faster under better light, but lit for 24 HRs it is doing good.

 

[LiamD]

I use 60W of PC lighting with colour temp. of 4000K. It's on 14 hours/day (reverse photo-period). It's been running like this for 2years and the caulerpa grows well and has never gone sexual.
Hope you have success,
Liam

 

[Anonymous]

I have seen threads where the addition of iron has prevented the macro's from going sexual. There is an additional benefit, from what I have read that the growth of the macro increases and better out competes tha micro. The system was run on a "normal" lighting schedule. Whether it was reverse daylight or not I don't know. HTH

 

[randy holmes-farley]

On the lighting question, I think you can use anything you darn well want and it will work for many macroalgae.

In one refugium I use 2 50 w floodlamps. In the second I use a 175 w mh lamp. Both grow things quite well. I keep more coral in the mh refugium.

 

[HARRISON]

Might have to consider the reverse lighting thing. Ernie have you had any problems with the calaurpa dying off with this cycle. I know that was the reason I went to 24 hours. People only doing 12 hours said that caulerpa can have a mass death problem. But with 24 hour lighting it was no prob???

 

[Minh Nguyen]

My sump is a 100 g tank. I light it with 2XMH250W 6500K light for 12 hr. My whole system is about 500 g.

 

[esmithiii]

HARRISON,

I have not had that problem. I get a lot of die-off if I go too long between pruning because caulerpa pieces float to the top and block the light to the strands below.

The reverse cycle helps stabilize pH at night.

I dose Kalkwasser 24-7.

Ernie

 

[JerseyReef]

Reverse photo with a 400W 65K Iwasaki...

 

[HARRISON]

Glad to see a lot of responses on this one. I hope Teri is tuned in as well as we are getting to some of our questions. I forgot the term of the algae going "sexual". That is basically what I wanted to avoid. And to be really honest I haven't been keeping track of PH swings. I may check this out just to see the change.

I think I will try doing the reverse cycle for a while and see if there is a change in growth from the 24 hour cycle. The algae I am growing now seems to be spreading pretty fast with the 20k so I think I will stick it out till I have to change out another light or come across a good deal on a used one that will fit my 30 gallon refugium. Then I will try something a little more white.

Ernie, Have you considered using B-ionic in place of the kalk? I have talked to several people that have swithed and most are happy with the results. I have been using it since I set up this 80 gallon and I think it has been doing well, not to mention I am not big on the hassle of mixing kalk. I also am in the process of changing out all the caps in my web page. Got that feed back a couple times.

 

[HARRISON]

Another question that came to mind, With a 24 hour cycle do you think the PH would would stay more consistan, or do you think it is more driven by the main lights? Also, how much does it change in the ocean?

(yeah I called in sick today so I am home "pondering")