What light for both red and green macro algae growth.

[JMaccaz]

Hello everyone I am looking for a little bit of advice on what light i should purchase for my refugium.

I am trying to grow both red and green macro algae (Caulerpa, Cheato and Dragons Breath) in it right now and am currently using the Illumagic Pixel Refugium light but feel like I am not really getting much growth(maybe to do with the spectrum).

I have been considering the Kessil a160we Tuna sun or the Pixel Aquascaper due to the spectrum being a bit different but was wondering if anyone had any suggestions.

My refugium section is a 15 liter PP container in my sump and is about 300mm long and 210mm wide and has the Pixel Refugium embeded in the lid to reduce light spill into my sump.

 

[Subsea]

Most macroalgae grows closer to the surface. With respect to light spectrum, that would be white. Bortacladia is collected in 30’ -130’ of water, when I get it from the divers it is a dark burgundy. Under higher light intensity, it turns fire engine red.

 

[jonelder68]

Honestly most any light will work. Macro algae doesn’t care.

Remote fuge with a blackbox viperspectra at 50/50 blue/white mixture.

Pom pom with a vivosun full spectrum light.

Both grow macro algae just fine.

 

[penfold2]

I think intensity is far more important than spectrum. I'm growing red Gracilaria parvispora in the little 150x100x75mm compartments of my AIO. I have some cheap 12w Acke grow lights with mostly red, some blue, and a few white leds. The lights are mounted against the back glass, so all of the light is concentrated in that tiny area, and I grow fistfuls of macro every couple weeks.

I think the Kessil would be an improvement due to the increased power, but you could also get a much cheaper grow light with more power and probably have similar results.

 

[Subsea]

I am not big on solid red spectrum. It does grow algae. However, I can’t identify subtle changes in growth.

In the LED world; white is composed of red, green and blue.

 

[penfold2]

I am not big on solid red spectrum. It does grow algae. However, I can’t identify subtle changes in growth.

In the LED world; white is composed of red, green and blue.

Yes, I would have preferred white just for viewing purposes, but these were the right size/shape, cheap, and grow lots of algae.

 

[JMaccaz]

So would something like this work?

https://www.stedi.com.au/25w-polar-led-flood-light.html

6000k spectrum, ip68 and pump out 2250 lumens allegedly.

 

[Subsea]

So would something like this work?

https://www.stedi.com.au/25w-polar-led-flood-light.html

6000k spectrum, ip68 and pump out 2250 lumens allegedly.

The link did not work for me. However, that spectrum and intensity should work.

 

[troublemaker]

I think intensity is far more important than spectrum. I'm growing red Gracilaria parvispora in the little 150x100x75mm compartments of my AIO. I have some cheap 12w Acke grow lights with mostly red, some blue, and a few white leds. The lights are mounted against the back glass, so all of the light is concentrated in that tiny area, and I grow fistfuls of macro every couple weeks.

I think the Kessil would be an improvement due to the increased power, but you could also get a much cheaper grow light with more power and probably have similar results.

I have nothing to add, but definitely has a Stranger Things vibe.