Refugium light

T-unit · #1 09/09/2006, 10:42 AM

What is the the best type of light that is also economical for a refugium. I am in the process of designing a refugium and am looking for ideas and insight on lighting. I may have to put this project on hold if I need a new aquarium light. ( see other post)

tamphuong · #2 09/09/2006, 11:04 AM

I bought 3x23w package from Costco. Could complain them.

kdblove_99 · #3 09/09/2006, 11:57 AM

This right here in my opinion is the best. There is a big thread somewhere on here with all getting great results. Bulb cost me $10 a Home depot and light clamp $6. so very cheap

http://www.melevsreef.com/fuge_bulb.html

T-unit · #4 09/09/2006, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kdblove_99
This right here in my opinion is the best. There is a big thread somewhere on here with all getting great results. Bulb cost me $10 a Home depot and light clamp $6. so very cheap

http://www.melevsreef.com/fuge_bulb.html

Thanks...I've been to melevs 50x and have never seen that. Now another question....Will the additinal lighting raise my temps alot? That is maybe where the fans come in for the filters?

kdblove_99 · #5 09/09/2006, 01:11 PM

This light does not get hot. You can grab a hold of it after it has been on all day. So, i would say no.

Fishie Nut · #6 09/09/2006, 01:19 PM

I've got a Light of America #9266. It's a 6500 K PC and gives off almost no heat. I leave it on 24/7 in my sump. Got it at Home Depot (maybe Lowes). It was $40.

Great sump light. It's an outdoor rated light, so the fixture is basically water resistent.

xclan · #7 09/10/2006, 08:33 AM

I been selling those 6500k lights on ebay, and I agree they are great lights and possibly the best...but they do generate heat.

T-unit · #8 09/10/2006, 09:15 AM

Thanks for the great info!

SuperNerd · #9 09/29/2006, 02:43 AM

I also use the LOA flood. Cost me around $20, if I remember correctly, at Costco.

mg426 · #10 09/29/2006, 02:49 AM

I use the Melev light and I like it a lot.

saveafish · #11 09/29/2006, 02:51 AM

just cheap 6500K 24/7 with the now and then 14hrs on and at night

SA057 · #12 09/29/2006, 10:33 AM

I've got a Light of America #9266

this is the same one I use and I love it. About $40.00 bulb fixture and all from Lowes.

Snakebyt · #13 09/29/2006, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by SA057
I've got a Light of America #9266

this is the same one I use and I love it. About $40.00 bulb fixture and all from Lowes.

Same here, great bulb, once you have the fixture the replacement bulbs are only $9, Not sure if they need replaced like other bulbs, but for $9, it dosent hurt

SuperNerd · #14 09/29/2006, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Snakebyt
Same here, great bulb, once you have the fixture the replacement bulbs are only $9, Not sure if they need replaced like other bulbs, but for $9, it dosent hurt

Indeedy. I also heard that some places sell the whole fixture for about $11.

pjf · #15 10/02/2006, 08:46 AM

Jalli makes small PC fixtures that simply rests on top of a transparent refugium cover. You can find them in the Custom Aquatics website under '15" & under power compact fixtures.' They come in different wattages: 1x13w, 2x13w and 13w+9w.

bureau13 · #16 10/02/2006, 10:01 AM

I second the Melev light. My Home Depot doesn't carry it (they carry stuff that looks just like it, but it doesn't say what the color temp is, so I mail-ordered the exact 10K light on the melevsreef site) and my chaeto seems to like it.

jds

fmuakkassa · #17 10/02/2006, 03:21 PM

Melev site recommends a 5100K light bulb (which I got). Where did you see the 10K recommendation?

bureau13 · #18 10/02/2006, 09:53 PM

My bad, the 5100K bulb is the one I use. I knew he had a lower Kelvin bulb at first, I was just off by about 4900K on the updated bulb

jds

PatMayo · #19 10/02/2006, 10:45 PM

The 5100 rating bulb is the correct bulb. If your paying $40.00 even with the socket, you are paying too much.

I got the spring socket at Home Depot for like $8.00. The bulbs are $12.00 or so. Here are some links.

http://www.melevsreef.com/fuge_bulb.html

http://www.lightbulbsdirect.com/page...ctors/1P381651

There is also an 85 watt bulb you can get that uses 19 watts. It is the same 5100 kv rating and par. It is a couple dollars more.

Regards,

Pat

neotekz · #20 10/03/2006, 01:56 AM

5100k is still a little low for plants, yes it;s much better than the 2700k bulb that melev was testing it against but 6500k is the ideal color u want for your refuge.

yetti · #21 10/03/2006, 07:12 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by kdblove_99
This right here in my opinion is the best. There is a big thread somewhere on here with all getting great results. Bulb cost me $10 a Home depot and light clamp $6. so very cheap

http://www.melevsreef.com/fuge_bulb.html

This is what I use on all 3 of my tanks. Works like a charm.

fmuakkassa · #22 10/03/2006, 07:19 AM

About 2 weeks ago I went with Melev's 5100K bulbs over the refugium (2 of them each is 19w) and I got a lot of cyano growing over my chaeto to an extent that it could be choking it. I had good groth before with a regular flourecent bulbs (one was 50/50 and one was actinic).

Maybe I need to try the the Lights of Ameriva 6700K (it is 500w equvilant!)

donald altman · #23 10/16/2006, 06:58 AM

I use an LOA fixture from somehardware store..it was less then 30 dollars( I think only 20ish) It is a white outdoor fixture with the 60 watt 6500k bulb.. it has a cheesy white reflector but it works great as a frag grow out and refugium bulb. I run the 6500k for grow out then a week or two with some blue light to bring the color back out... the 6500k really does well with growth.

You all will like the set up.. I drilled some holes in it to dissapate the ehat but it really doesn't get that hot.. Looking back I don't think I should have drilled it... but it doens't hurt anything.
I just set mine right ontop of a glass refugium over.

SuperNerd · #24 10/16/2006, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by donald altman
I use an LOA fixture from somehardware store..it was less then 30 dollars( I think only 20ish) It is a white outdoor fixture with the 60 watt 6500k bulb.. it has a cheesy white reflector but it works great as a frag grow out and refugium bulb. I run the 6500k for grow out then a week or two with some blue light to bring the color back out... the 6500k really does well with growth.

You all will like the set up.. I drilled some holes in it to dissapate the ehat but it really doesn't get that hot.. Looking back I don't think I should have drilled it... but it doens't hurt anything.
I just set mine right ontop of a glass refugium over.

That's kinda what I do...but the only thing that really takes off is the algae in the fuge. How deep is your growout tank and how far from the surface of the water is the LOA placed?

SuperNerd · #25 10/16/2006, 11:41 AM

fmuakkassa:

How do you prevent "mud storms" while using those extra powerheads in the fuge with miracle mud?