Halogen or high pressure sodium for fuge?

[ScooterGuitar]

Gotta know! Anyone using either halogen or high pressure sodium bulbs for a refugium? I now use the Melev bulbs, but am wondering if I coudl get more macro alage growth form a lot more watts. i ntoiced a few threads on using them for display tank, but this is on a fuge, so looks isn;t a problem! I have two decent size fuges now and am setting up a marco growth tank (sometime) and want my macro to explode! Thoughts?

[Jamesurq]

Those 2 bulbs put out a LOT of heat. If that's not a concern for you at all I don't see why you couldn't use them. If you're looking for a "home depot" type fuge light and want more power, over the halogens and HPS I would pick a Mercury Vapor light.

If you're growing um.... tomatoes... You use Mercury vapor to get the really fast growth rates and switch over to HPS to get the tomatoes to bud. Not sure what the macroalgae equivelent of budding is - if there is one - but I'm pretty sure that the vegitative growth from MV would be better.

[ScooterGuitar]

Thanks for the info! Don't egt me wrong, i get decent growth now, but would like to grow it at a faster rate. I'll check into the MV's.
Sidenote, can I order sand yet :>)?

[Jamesurq]

Not yet - probably late March..

[ScooterGuitar]

Gotcha, just registered!
Any thoughts as to how much more "possible" growth I could get with the MV opposed to 100w Melev type bulb?

[Jamesurq]

too many variables to know for sure. "some" to "lots"

[Phiche Master]

I have used pretty much everything except MV on my fuges, and by far HPS gets the best growth. I run 70w home depot HPS over fuges, they are great.They have great growth (chaeto double about every week), better than pc, vho, no, I didnt look into melevs bulbs. But my favorite part is that they are meant to be security ligting so they mount easily to a wooden surface...like your tank stand.

[ScooterGuitar]

Phiche, do you happen to ahve a pic, or product desription of the ones your using? I wanna try!

[Phiche Master]

I just looked at homedepo.com bu couldnt find the product.... GJ on the breed specific legislation campaign, I didnt notice that b4. Mine is an amstaff(best dog Ive ever had)....but anyways thy are 70w hps brown metal bodies with light sensors(dusk till dawn), a semi clear circular light "diffuser"(open the bottom) which I always remove....They are the typical 80's security light design....the shape of a pot basically. With the handle are the mounting arm and the pot as the fixture. Sorry I tried to take a pick of one but they look so mutitaled afterI get a hold of them that its really no use. They cost like $30 I think.....O and you do have to wire them....so get an extention cord and cut the plugs off.

[ScooterGuitar]

Phiche,
Very cool thanks for the info, I will head there this weekend, I hope! Would a higher wattage yield better growth, or overkill?
Yep, BSL is beech in Ohio, a few overtunes, etc we seem to making a little headway, but not far enough, Actually the msot recent is...A warden has to PROVE your dog has a history of being vicious. Before they coudl just say your dog is a pit = vicious=illegal, now unless they have a history of such, we win, plus can get out of insurance! My male has really helped fight BSL in my immediate area, as he is a Petey look-alike and so well behaved. People will just lov eon him, then when they find out what he is, they act scared, then I fill them in on BSl, etc. Now my newest pup is just clown, they have to love her because she if just goofy. Wow, I kinda got off topic didn't I! I totally agree, bullys are about the smartest dog out there, they almost seem to have a human-like understanding/knowledge. Oh yeah, thanks for the light info :>)
S

[Phiche Master]

Yes more light would definately yield more grow....given an escalating amount of nitrogen and phosphorous (nitrates and phosphates). BUT some depends on the bulb...ie a 1000w HPS prduces the most usable spectrum of light for plants...not b/c it has more watts but simply b/c of the spectrum...having said that, more watts WILL produce more growth. ideal wattage for plants is 30-40w per sqft. Way more than most people would put on their fuge(Im speaking on plants in general)I haev never put that much light on a fuge, I think the most Ive ever done is a 70wer over a 10g fuge. The space uner the tank was about 3 sqft. so that works out to 23w per sqft. Growth was good, but hell, with the hpss its always "good". I cant say I noticed a diference /b/ the 70wer on a 10g in 3sqft vs a 70wer on a 30 in 6sqft.... hope this helps

[ScooterGuitar]

Wow, now I am thinking 1000 watts, hmmm. J/K! Thanks for the info, it doe shelp a greta bit! Wonde rif anyone else will chime in on the high pressure sodium topic?

[trippyl]

This is a great thread. If i ever need to get my tomato plants to bud, I am all set!