Refugium Light

reefinusa · Oct 13, 2025

I recently purchased a new AI Prime light (AI Prime 16HD Freshwater) for my refugium. I had one that stopped working and liked the mobius interface, so I purchased another. The light was out for a few days and my chaeto wasn't looking so good. When I got the box for the new light, I noticed it was the freshwater version. I wanted to try to save the chaeto I had, so I opened it up and installed it. The chaeto still looks pale. I wanted to make sure that this light would still work for chaeto. It doesn't have the same channels as the saltwater variation. Maybe it's working but the chaeto will just take a bit to coarse correct?

Thanks!

Macropharyngodon · Oct 13, 2025

I think the only thing that might be different is the wavelength of light, so the chaeto should still grow. Just not as optimally. They prefer a more blue/red light, but if that's what you got already it should be fine.

twentyleagues · Oct 13, 2025

reefinusa said:
I recently purchased a new AI Prime light (AI Prime 16HD Freshwater) for my refugium. I had one that stopped working and liked the mobius interface, so I purchased another. The light was out for a few days and my chaeto wasn't looking so good. When I got the box for the new light, I noticed it was the freshwater version. I wanted to try to save the chaeto I had, so I opened it up and installed it. The chaeto still looks pale. I wanted to make sure that this light would still work for chaeto. It doesn't have the same channels as the saltwater variation. Maybe it's working but the chaeto will just take a bit to coarse correct?

Thanks!

Freshwater lights are great for macros as long as the par is good enough and with that light it should be. I run a fluval nano 3.0 planted tank light on my fuge set to about 7500k. Stuff grows great.