LED Phytoplankton Light Settings for 1 quart system

Seabiscuit

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I am soooo stoked that I am starting a phytoplankton culture so that I can have some good food for my artemia and corals. I have a 1 quart bottle with aerator line and 30 led's on a strip. Right now I have it set to pink lighting with the highest brightness on my remote control setting with approximately 8 hours lighting during the day. My question is what color led should I go with? I have a choice of 16 different colors with different brightness levels.

Phyto.jpg remote.jpg
 

Saltyreef

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You should choose a white light if you are limited to 1 color....
I think between 3k and 3.5k is the recommended color.

Those lighting strips are not the best since the spectrum isnt correct from the get go but the white light should suffice and hopefully grow you something...it just may take longer so id bump it up to max intensity.
How many watts is 1 strip?

A red blue white combo would honestly be best if you can do a blend of colors.
I use the ACKE grow light from amazon and it grows phyto like a champ. Im harvesting every 7 days.

20200929_112103.jpg Screenshot_20201010-082739_Amazon Shopping.jpg
 
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You should choose a white light if you are limited to 1 color....
I think between 3k and 3.5k is the recommended color.

Those lighting strips are not the best since the spectrum isnt correct from the get go but the white light should suffice and hopefully grow you something...it just may take longer so id bump it up to max intensity.
How many watts is 1 strip?

A red blue white combo would honestly be best if you can do a blend of colors.
I use the ACKE grow light from amazon and it grows phyto like a champ. Im harvesting every 7 days.

20200929_112103.jpg Screenshot_20201010-082739_Amazon Shopping.jpg
Thank you so much for the recommendations. My light strip is only about 6 watts. I will see what setting resembles the red/blue/white the best. I'll put the ACKE on my Christmas list.
 

Saltyreef

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Thank you so much for the recommendations. My light strip is only about 6 watts. I will see what setting resembles the red/blue/white the best. I'll put the ACKE on my Christmas list.
I would honestly opt for the brightest you can get it on the white setting with it being 6 watts.
16 hours per day for 7 to 10 days and you should be able to harvest half and refill with fertilized salt water for your 2nd batch :)

The ACKE is quite nice for only $20.
I use it to start seeds as well.
I bought a sealed one for my refugium too.
 
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I would honestly opt for the brightest you can get it on the white setting with it being 6 watts.
16 hours per day for 7 to 10 days and you should be able to harvest half and refill with fertilized salt water for your 2nd batch :)

The ACKE is quite nice for only $20.
I use it to start seeds as well.
I bought a sealed one for my refugium too.
Thanks. I like the way you stacked your jars against the length of the light.
 

Saltyreef

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Thanks. I like the way you stacked your jars against the length of the light.
Thanks! I got lucky!
I built the box with the light mounted inside as a hanging fixture for my indoor seed starting station. After i finished it was just sitting around in the garage. And i repurposed it for phyto.
I had to add the shelf in half way for thr 2nd jar, but i happened to just get lucky they both fit with some room left for the rigid airline.

I stir them up daily and rotate the jars 180 degrees so it gets even growth though im not sure it needs it.

My oceanmagik blend likes to grow on the jar instead of staying in suspension like the pure tetra does so i think rotating helps a bit.

20200921_133328.jpg 20200925_195432.jpg 20200921_133322.jpg
ignore the dog butt ;) 20200922_094835.jpg
 

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@Seabiscuit,

A 4:1 ratio of red:blue is generally best. Phytoplankton does not need a rest cycle. Twenty four hour light cycles at the North & South Pole grows intense densities of photo for hungry krill which feed the oceans.

Note the water temperature in your 1qt phyto generator. LED touchig glass will transfer heat into culture. Do not let water temperature hit 90 degrees, 85 is a good upper limit.
 

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