Too much / little lighting for fuge?

[Reefguide]

This is a follow up to another one of my posts where I didnt really get a solid answer. Actually it was someone elses post I kinda took over towards the end... sorry about that... I'm not trying to hound ya guys, the post was actually a caulerpa quetion and many may have overlooked it.

Is there such a thing as too much lighting for a fuge? Am I running to little lighting, causing my caulepa to crash? I'm using a LOA 27w bulb. It's not the fixture that most people use but rather the replacement bulb. See pic below. It's siting about 4" above the waterline in the fuge and about maybe 14" from the fuge bottom (mud). Not enough lighting ya think? I need to swing by Home Depot after work and figured that I might buy the 65w outdoor fixture by LOA if you guys think that would help me. Thanks !

 

[dgin]

Seems kinda of dim to me. Either double up the lights or get the 65watt LOA. Its what I use and my macros grow like a weed! Especially my spaghetti macro.

Your macro(s) could be crashing (turning sexual) because of the type you may be using. I run my lights 24/7 as some folks have suggested that it minimizes the chance for crashing. I believe the spaghetti macro does not crash though.

 

[Reefguide]

Yeah I run 24/7 also. Also started dosing Iron. I'm running out of ideas... I'm sold, Gonna buy the 65w. Thanks for the info.

 

[Chucker]

I have yet to see too much lighting for a refugium. A friend of mine uses an old 175 MH bulb over a 29g, and he gets insane macro growth with it.

 

[Reefguide]

Wow, that is alot ! Thanks..

The Outdoor fixture I actually was talking about is actually a 17w Input and 60w output. So I'd actually be downgrading from what I have. My 27w Input is a 100w output.

So you guys do okay with the outdoor 17w/60w fixture? Or does LOA have another one I'm not aware of?

 

[ChrisIsBored]

I'm another advocate of the more light, the better!

Here's a shot of my refuge from a few weeks ago. The water level is a little bit higher, and the light is about 3"s lower as well. It's a 36" 96W PC bulb. Over a 36"L x 16"W x 8"H tank.

:wink:

 

[dgin]

My LOA uses 65 watts as input... not sure what the equivalent output is supposed to be nor the actual model number. Its an outdoor light though. I just attached a plug with extension cord to the wires and capped them.

 

[Marcosreef]

Here's a shot of my refuge from a few weeks ago. The water level is a little bit higher, and the light is about 3"s lower as well. It's a 36" 96W PC bulb. Over a 36"L x 16"W x 8"H tank.

Chris,

is that flex PVC I see the light hanging from? If so, where can you obtain it?

Well Done!

Marco

 

[danmhippo]

I ditto on what James said. There is no "too much light". I have 4x96W PC lighting my sump 24x7. It gives off so much heat that I don't have heaters in the tank setup anymore.

 

[Reefguide]

Well I just tool a peek into my fuge, and there is red algea growing... Wouldn't that be a sign of adiquate lighting?

 

[danmhippo]

I think some red algae prefers shorter light waves (more yellow). I don't know, just a thought. I believe I read somewhere that longer wavelegnth (more blue) discourages nuiance micro algae growth.

BTW, what do you mean by "red algae"? Cynobacteria? or Gracillaria?

 

[Anonymous]

I use a 400w bulb from home depot over a 70 gallon tank. I'm going to have to start pruning more often now as a look into the fuge last night showed it is now wall to wall macro algae. It's solid right up to the surface. Can't even look down into the tank.

 

[Reefguide]

Cynobacteria !!

 

[SPC]

I run 440 watts of VHO over my refugium. I remove about 2 gallons of algae every 2 weeks.
Steve

 

[danmhippo]

hehehe......if it's the cyno's you got, it will eventually go away several months later as your tank matures and you got lazy and started feeding less.

I think your light is really on the yellow side for the favorable macros to grow.

 

[Reefguide]

What would be a cheap alternantive ??

 

[SPC]

Many people have great success with the LOA 65 watt like dgin metioned above.
Steve

 

[Reefguide]

yeah I saw that one for about $30 at HD. But for a little more I think I can get something better. thanks...

 

[Reefguide]

yeah I saw that one for about $30 at HD. But for a little more I think I can get something better. thanks...

 

[reefland]

I tried to grow various macro's under the LOA 28w light. Limited success.

I upgraded to Dual 65w LOA fixtures and everything grows fantastic in the refugium. Various green macros, halimedia, and sargassum.