refugium light time and type

Dave & Monica · #1 12/30/2007, 02:40 PM

All, I've read a lot and it seems many light their refugium 24/7, and others only at night stating the ph balancing benefits.

How long do you leave your fuge light on for?
What do you use to light it?

I was planning only at night, around 11 hrs.

-Dave

oscar89 · #2 12/30/2007, 04:21 PM

I leave mine on for 12 hours when the main lights in the tank are off. I picked up two lights from home depot (the ones with a metal clip and silver relector) and put grow lights in them. The fug is full of algae, cheto mushrooms and who knows what else.

Zooid · #3 12/30/2007, 06:46 PM

I leave mine on 24 hours unless I remember to turn it off (not on a timer). I've got a 250W quartz fixture over mine because I've got a LOT of flow through it and any less light wasn't allowing my chaeto to grow.
I've heard that lighting it 12 on 12 off helps the growth because algae's growth period is in darkness. That's just hearsay though and I don't hold much stock in it because my chaeto grows very fast even with 24 hour lighting.

artful-dodger · #4 12/30/2007, 09:26 PM

You can also read one of the most popular RC posts on the topic here (see you in a few weeks...)

Dave & Monica · #5 12/30/2007, 10:54 PM

Thanks -- I only read through the first page of the link provided -- good info. I just today bought another light, a mini aqualight (compact florescent I think) and it has a 10K bulb and an Actinic one. It only totals 18Ws in addition to the other 15W HD plant/aquarium bulb florescent. I'm sure after reading the 6+ page link, I'll wish I'd done something different... we'll see

artful-dodger · #6 12/30/2007, 11:26 PM

the six pages is just tip of the iceberg...That particular thread is now at 53 pages (split just once "for performance reasons"...the really popular ones like the T-5 Q&A thread have been split several times and cover hundreds of pages.)

(Of course, most of the later posts are just asking the same things that were already asked/answered but not read because the thing is too long.)

roguemonk · #7 12/31/2007, 03:39 PM

I wouldn't bother with actinic light on a 'fuge. It really confers no benefit biologically AFAIK (just looks nice!). A grow-light that provides more yellow and red would probably do better for encouraging algae growth. Something like 6500 K or even lower should do fine. My algae grows like crazy under an old 6500 K 175 watt MH bulb (it's a 29 gallon 'fuge) and it's on 24/7/365.

HTH,

Brad