So I have a red sea reefer 425 xl, it's a 90 gallon tank with sump. I'm going to add cheato into a refugium for the purpose of growing copepods for a dragonet down the road. As far as lighting my LFS is recommending a ai prime refugium light. I'm not one to skimp on money for equipment but I feel like a 200 dollar light is going to cause algae all over my sump and be serious overkill. I trust my LFS and I just feel some times they recommend overkill which makes sense from a business perspective. I've seen people have success with amazon grow lights that are super cheap and what not. I'm just looking for some recommendations for light on my pod cheato farm.
Refugium Light
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Crabs McJones
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The prime fuge light works well, I personally love the Kessil H380, used it for years and it grew chaeto like a champ.
They do make a smaller version.
The grow lights on amazon have been used with great success also. If the chaeto is growing like its suppose to, there should be minimal pest algae growth in the sump.
They do make a smaller version.
The grow lights on amazon have been used with great success also. If the chaeto is growing like its suppose to, there should be minimal pest algae growth in the sump.
NS Mike D
In the arena.
algae all over you sump is not bad. Algae in the sump is algae not in the DT. Fwiw, I know the BRS tests and I know the science, but I have had 4 different cheap sump lights (I run two sumps) and grow cheato like mad and have to trim at least biweekly.
Right now I have a cheap ($19.95) chinese aquarium plant lights over my CPR HOB fuge and I have chinese 5"x5" ($16.98) plant grow lights in my sump
In my sump with the 5"x5" plant LED, I have my cheato with rubble rock in an egg crate cube I made with zip ties. I then put a piece of egg crate over over the sump for the lights so that the lights stay mainly in that area and minimal spillage.
This pic was taken after trimming the cheato way back. In about two weeks it grew back so hard it was lifting out of the water
notice little to no algae other than the cheato.
I know BRS proved the Kessils were the best choice for fuges, but over 5 years, I have proof that cheap led plant grow lights work.
IMO, get cheap plant led lights on amazon and buy a few coral paks.
Right now I have a cheap ($19.95) chinese aquarium plant lights over my CPR HOB fuge and I have chinese 5"x5" ($16.98) plant grow lights in my sump
In my sump with the 5"x5" plant LED, I have my cheato with rubble rock in an egg crate cube I made with zip ties. I then put a piece of egg crate over over the sump for the lights so that the lights stay mainly in that area and minimal spillage.
This pic was taken after trimming the cheato way back. In about two weeks it grew back so hard it was lifting out of the water
notice little to no algae other than the cheato.
I know BRS proved the Kessils were the best choice for fuges, but over 5 years, I have proof that cheap led plant grow lights work.
IMO, get cheap plant led lights on amazon and buy a few coral paks.
This is what I use and it works great
Definitely want algae in the sump instead of your display. It's easier to manage there. As far as what light to go with I don't think brand really matters I'd look for spectrum and intensity because you want something powerful enough to compete with your display lights.
NS Mike D
In the arena.
This is what I use and it works great
Great to see an other reefer being succesful without falling for the high end light for cheato story.
BTW, my lights are the ones at the top of your pic!
algae all over you sump is not bad. Algae in the sump is algae not in the DT. Fwiw, I know the BRS tests and I know the science, but I have had 4 different cheap sump lights (I run two sumps) and grow cheato like mad and have to trim at least biweekly.
Right now I have a cheap ($19.95) chinese aquarium plant lights over my CPR HOB fuge and I have chinese 5"x5" ($16.98) plant grow lights in my sump
In my sump with the 5"x5" plant LED, I have my cheato with rubble rock in an egg crate cube I made with zip ties. I then put a piece of egg crate over over the sump for the lights so that the lights stay mainly in that area and minimal spillage.
This pic was taken after trimming the cheato way back. In about two weeks it grew back so hard it was lifting out of the water
notice little to no algae other than the cheato.
I know BRS proved the Kessils were the best choice for fuges, but over 5 years, I have proof that cheap led plant grow lights work.
IMO, get cheap plant led lights on amazon and buy a few coral paks.
Thank you! this is the kind of advice I was looking for!
Maybe compete is the wrong word - but you want something comparable in wattage so the algae rather grow in the sump instead of the display. Hopefully that makes sense? its early LOL
I run 3 G4 pros on my 75 gallon - my fuge has a kessil H160 and it works great.
NS Mike D
In the arena.
cheato are not corals. This is why I think lights that are for indoor plant growers (and we know that they are using them to grow cash crops. lol ) are best.
IMO, better to focus on the CUC (which includes phyto and zoo plankton, bacteria, pods, worms etc ) to compete with algae in the DT and use a plant grow light in the sump. Your DT light will be heavily blue and light on red to skew to corals and not algae. Plant grow lights will be skewed to red and green, ideal for plants.
NS Mike D
In the arena.
correct, but it's not wattage
it's spectrum. you had it right the first time. Your Kessils have a ton more red spectrum than their DT lights. But they are 10x more expensive than everyday LED plant lights. Hobbyist can decide if the incremental growth with the kessils is worth it. That's a personal choice.
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NS Mike D
In the arena.
I'm pretty sure I got mine online. It's been a while, but yeah. I keep finding uses for it. I got it for cube I made for the rubble rock/cheato in the fuge.
With the left over:
I used a piece for the sump lights.
In my sump, they hold my ATO float switches in place
The rock on the left is stable due to the egg crate under it,
And two frag racks. The one on the wall has suction cups zipped tied and the sand bed one has pvc legs siliconed on.
I love the stuff
Home Depot or Lowe’s in lighting as well
I can grow enough chaeto to nearly fill a 5g bucket every few weeks with a screw-in daylight CFL in a clip on reflector. If your system will grow chaeto well (not all will), then the light is the least of the issues and literally any light will work. 6500k T5s work great too in larger fuges.
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