Using a regular coral focussed led for a chaeto refugium

[ErikVR]

Hi all,

I was looking to add a chaeto refugium to my sump.

There are lots of special lights available but I have an unused coral LED laying around.
It's an Aqua Medic Qube 50. Would that work as a refugium light or do I really need to get a specialized light?

 

[Doctorgori]

regular LEDs have zero issue growing algae in the display tank

 

[ErikVR]

regular LEDs have zero issue growing algae in the display tank

Yeah that's what I was also thinking.
But I want an effective refugium. So if it's missing 90% of the wanted spectrum and it's only 10% effective, I'd rather spend the 300 euros and get a specialized light.

 

[Doctorgori]

there will always be some wasted spectrum.
but will a new “ specialized” plant light perform well enough to justify the ROI?

 

[ErikVR]

there will always be some wasted spectrum.
but will a new “ specialized” plant light perform well enough to justify the ROI?

That's why I'm trying to find out by asking the question
Of course I can always start with what I have, and switch later on if needed.

 

[hexcolor reef]

depending if that light has hot spots or not? I’m sure algae will outgrow chaeto. So if it has a dimmer you could make it work or add a filter/defuser to it

 

[Doctorgori]

even with all that blue I’d bet channel W works

 

[ErikVR]

depending if that light has hot spots or not? I’m sure algae will outgrow chaeto. So if it has a dimmer you could make it work or add a filter/defuser to it

It seems to have a nice even spread in a round pattern.
Blue and white both have an analogue dimmer.

 

[Patx]

I got a 15g refugium tank with a full spectrum 160w black box led.
(White/blue). Runing a 10% each chanel.
Consomation and growth are great.
No need for "specialized" lamp... for me this is just marketing...

 

[VintageReefer]

Hey just want to chime in here with my experience of growing both cheato and turf algae for like 20 years

Yea the above posts are correct and you can grow chaeto with a 23w cfl, and it will grow. Black box, coral leds, etc will grow it also and it will grow well

But. If you want ideal, optimal, fastest possible growing using LED you want dominantly red 660nm spectrum with some 450nm mixed in. Like a 5 or 6 : 1 ratio

That spectrum red is ideal for macro algae growth speeds and the 450 helps the algae grow thicker

 

[ErikVR]

Hey just want to chime in here with my experience of growing both cheato and turf algae for like 20 years

Yea the above posts are correct and you can grow chaeto with a 23w cfl, and it will grow. Black box, coral leds, etc will grow it also and it will grow well

But. If you want ideal, optimal, fastest possible growing using LED you want dominantly red 660nm spectrum with some 450nm mixed in. Like a 5 or 6 : 1 ratio

That spectrum red is ideal for macro algae growth speeds and the 450 helps the algae grow thicker

The main goal is nitrate export. So I guess the tests will confirm if it’s enough.

 

[VintageReefer]

If your main goal is nitrate export then you should grow as much chaeto as you can, as fast as you can. Or, grow a more efficient algae than chaeto.

 

[oreo54]

The main goal is nitrate export. So I guess the tests will confirm if it’s enough.

It will probably depend more on the number of photons ( your cube is 45w of them.. )
As to 300 euros for a specialty light.. well you can probably find one a lot cheaper.
There are dozens..

https://www.amazon.nl/Roleadro-Led-plantenlamp-plantenlicht-led-groeilamp-hydrocultuur/dp/B07QLF1YRR/ref=sr_1_38?keywords=horticultural%2Bled&qid=1703434222&sr=8-38&th=1

No this is NOT 600 watts..100 total watts. $74.99

https://www.amazon.nl/dp/B07Q97WC66/ref=sspa_dk_detail_3?pd_rd_i=B07Q97WC66&pd_rd_w=fgUAm&content-id=amzn1.sym.c7754686-6a8e-4389-b12f-5078a0c620b3&pf_rd_p=c7754686-6a8e-4389-b12f-5078a0c620b3&pf_rd_r=21X555B23T8XYV4CQV7M&pd_rd_wg=bPW1D&pd_rd_r=fd390f49-93ce-4501-ab6e-cf0ed697b3c2&s=home-improvement&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWw&th=1

Your light should work but ideally you do want a wee bit more 660nm (or even 630nm) red.
Some white (or green) so you can better judge the quality of the organisms.
A plain blue/red light makes all green things look mostly black.

Sorry don't know the language and atm too lazy to translate but it wouldn't hurt to shop around.
Almost a shame to waste a more coral light on algae.
Depends on how old it is though. I'm still going on your violet/UV's age faster than the other colors.
Best guess is their "UV" diode is 400nm.

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

I used a RGB COB LED, and it grew Slime Algae over my Cheato and some other Macro Algae, killing it. Switched out to a 10000 to 15000K COB LED, and the Cheato Threads and Caulerpa is slowly coming back, rest is permanently gone.

 

[Spare time]

A reef light is perfectly fine and arguable better due to the wider spectrum being able to better grow a wider range of macroalgaes. I use an AI prime on my refugium that I got for cheap

 

[Lavey29]

I would just watch for spread and light spill into other sump sections causing algae issues in areas you don't want algae growing. I use a Neptune gro fuge light.

 

[ErikVR]

many different opinions and experiences. Let’s see what it brings in my tank.

 

[oreo54]

many different opinions and experiences. Let’s see what it brings in my tank.

I'll give you one more...

Best Spectrum for Chaetomorpha

Here is an estimation of the best spectrum for Chaetomorpha (based on an Action Spectrum of the green endolithic alga Ostreobium. An Action Spectrum determines the effect of monochromatic light on a parameter, say, oxygen production. There are some issues with this procedure, as it ignores the...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[oreo54]

For fun..

A Spectrophotometer view of Photosynthetic Organisms in our Tanks

Recently I got my hands on a spectrophotometer. I wanted to take a peek at absorption spectra of organisms that grow in our tanks and see if I could identify pigments other than Chlorophyll A - the accessory pigments - to start to drill down on possible differences between the ways they use...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[ErikVR]

I'll give you one more...

Best Spectrum for Chaetomorpha

Here is an estimation of the best spectrum for Chaetomorpha (based on an Action Spectrum of the green endolithic alga Ostreobium. An Action Spectrum determines the effect of monochromatic light on a parameter, say, oxygen production. There are some issues with this procedure, as it ignores the...

www.reef2reef.com

Yeah no doubt that the red part of the spectrum is more efficient. All these specialist lights are in the red. Question is, is it worth 300 euros over what I already have laying around. We’ll see. I don’t mind spending money on a hobby that has set me back over 10k anyway