Lighting for Refugium

[Sacohen]

I have an approximately 12x12" section of my sump that will be set aside for a fuge.
I plan on just having cheato in there.
I have read that people are using a CFL 6500k bulb in a reflector clamp light from HD or Lowes.

Is there really a difference between that and the specialized Refugium LED's that you see out there like the REEF RADIANCE DM-5e 5 Watt REFUGIUM PAR 30 LED LIGHT?

 

[Webslinger]

Wattage, Spectrum.....both will grow cheato fine

 

[ReeferBean]

I use a JBJ Nano Glo LED and a 3 x 3w red / blue led lamp I got from ebay for super cheap.

 

[alan.lee3]

In my biocube, I used the JBJ Nano glo. Now in my sump, I had two fluval day/plant light LED. Using both and the macro is really loving it. Growing like weed.

 

[d2mini]

For max chaeto growth, high wattage and low spectrum does best.
Treat it like you are growing weed!
I use a 150w HPS grow light over a 22" cube fuge. Spectrum isn't any more than 3,000k.
I've heard those led units with lots of red work well too, but I haven't tried it.

 

[143MPCo]

Like noted above, it's a plant and should be treated as such...

 

[Sacohen]

Thanks everyone.
Does the same apply if I wanted Mangroves? They are a plant as well.

 

[143MPCo]

Does the same apply if I wanted Mangroves? They are a plant as well.

Yes

 

[kstone2274]

I have an approximately 12x12" section of my sump that will be set aside for a fuge.
I plan on just having cheato in there.
I have read that people are using a CFL 6500k bulb in a reflector clamp light from HD or Lowes.

Is there really a difference between that and the specialized Refugium LED's that you see out there like the REEF RADIANCE DM-5e 5 Watt REFUGIUM PAR 30 LED LIGHT?

I bought two of these and they didn't do well. I ended up using Kessil 150's on all 3 tanks

 

[Sacohen]

I bought two of these and they didn't do well. I ended up using Kessil 150's on all 3 tanks

Two if which?
The CFL 6500k or the Reef Radiance DM-5e?

 

[kstone2274]

Reef Radiance. They don't grow nothing

 

[ghbrewer]

Just picked up a Kessil H150 and H350 grow lights to play around with on my QT and DT remote fuges.

Had good results using lower kelvin (6500k) LEDs in the past. Interested to see how well these will work.

 

[svogun]

3 5000k floodlights