Refugium lighting. Marineland led or Kessil H80/

[ReeferBean]

May, I do believe.

Well it is May!

I fried my first round of chaeto. My fuge is good size, but I didn't want the other sections lit up so I have it closer to the lid level. Started at 12 hours which was a mistake. Since moving to 8 hours its doing much better. In my case, two 160s would provide better spread and being able to dim them would be a plus for me.

 

[karo25]

I used a Kessil H80 on my refugium which is 15" x 15" and it wasn't enough. Switched to a H380 and it's growing Macros well.

 

[Crabs McJones]

I used a Kessil H80 on my refugium which is 15" x 15" and it wasn't enough. Switched to a H380 and it's growing Macros well.

IMO the h80 is better suited for a 8x8 fuge or less

 

[madweazl]

IMO the h80 is better suited for a 8x8 fuge or less

That seems rather arbitrary; my refugium is 13.5 x 14 x 10 (LxWxH) and it has performed quite well. I do plan on grabbing an H160 to test out though.

 

[Crabs McJones]

That seems rather arbitrary; my refugium is 13.5 x 14 x 10 (LxWxH) and it has performed quite well. I do plan on grabbing an H160 to test out though.

It's been my personal experience that anything bigger the h80 doesnt have the coverage with how close you have to mount it to the waters surface to get the power to grow chaeto. You could maybe get away with a 10x10 fuge but I wouldn't go any bigger. Again just my experience and personal opinion.

 

[Peter K]

I’ve been using the H80 for about 7 months on a 10x13x12 refugium and I personally do not think it is anywhere near powerful enough. I put a Chaeto reactor on my tank with $20 strip lights and the chaeto grows exponentially faster than under the H80 in the fuge. I would either go with the H380 or some led grow flood lights from amazon. (Not trying to bash Kessil, I love all their products but the H80 is just not powerful enough)

 

[Mike Reef Addict]

Sounds about like me and my main display tank a true "mixed reef" but I keep a good log and do larger water changes. Just following along for S&G.

Check out Aquarium Note in apps nice free app.

 

[madweazl]

It's been my personal experience that anything bigger the h80 doesnt have the coverage with how close you have to mount it to the waters surface to get the power to grow chaeto. You could maybe get away with a 10x10 fuge but I wouldn't go any bigger. Again just my experience and personal opinion.

I've been using it for almost a year now without issue (got it last June I think). It's possible there were other contributing factors that were limiting your growth but it wasn't light alone. We just moved into our new place and that ball of chaeto filled a five gallon bucket 65-70% full.

I typically remove 2-3 large handfuls every month or so (can usually see a slight increase in phosphate levels when it's time to remove some).

 

[Crabs McJones]

I've been using it for almost a year now without issue (got it last June I think). It's possible there were other contributing factors that were limiting your growth but it wasn't light alone. We just moved into our new place and that ball of chaeto filled a five gallon bucket 65-70% full.

I typically remove 2-3 large handfuls every month or so (can usually see a slight increase in phosphate levels when it's time to remove some).

Good to hear its working out for you. Unfortunately for whatever reason it didn't for me and I moved up to the h380 and have been having good luck with it.

 

[Mike Reef Addict]

Sounds about like me and my main display tank a true "mixed reef" but I keep a good log and do larger water changes. Just following along for S&G.

Check out Aquarium Note in apps nice free app.

Weird this was written on another thread odd it posted here all i did was click follow. .. Wonder why the OP never responded