Cheapo LED Refugium Lights

[Rovert]

Has anyone used something like this? I've been using a full spectrum flood from Home Depot but starting to get undesirable algae growing in the sump. It irks me to spend $140 for the same LEDs just because it says 'Kessil' or 'Neptune' on it.

https://a.co/d/98dUybF

Or this one for jyst a bit more:

https://a.co/d/avxWe2v

Then there's this at another $20 more, but still half of a Kessil:

https://a.co/d/i95kjFh

Anyone have experience with this sort of thing?

 

[blaxsun]

You don't need a full-spectrum light for a refugium, and a lot of the cheap red refugium lights on Amazon will probably work just fine. I'd narrow it down to the ones with the best spread and mounting options for your application.

 

[Tamberav]

Has anyone used something like this? I've been using a full spectrum flood from Home Depot but starting to get undesirable algae growing in the sump. It irks me to spend $140 for the same LEDs just because it says 'Kessil' or 'Neptune' on it.

https://a.co/d/98dUybF

Or this one for jyst a bit more:

https://a.co/d/avxWe2v

Then there's this at another $20 more, but still half of a Kessil:

https://a.co/d/i95kjFh

Anyone have experience with this sort of thing?

just fyi… name brand leds still can grow undesirable algae. I have a kessil fuge light so I know :) They are not magical, just costly.

People use all sorts of lights for algae scrubbers which is undesirable algae just grown in a specific spot for harvest.

 

[Rovert]

just fyi… name brand leds still can grow undesirable algae. I have a kessil fuge light so I know :) They are not magical, just costly.

Yeah, but they look cool. :cool: