Refugiums (light needed to make marine plants grow)

[mannaize]

What wad up guys. Let’s talk Refugiums and how much light is actually needed for marine plants to grow and thrive in a refugium. The place I’m purchasing my refugium offers a 18w power compact light or two 18w compact. This just does not seem like a lot of light. I could buy the smallest Coralife compact aqua light and throw that on there, but those are pricy and have a lot of watts that I mite not need. I have seen people picture that look like they run regular household light bulb over a sump. I thought about one of those blue bulbs that help plants grow, but they are extremely hot. I don’t have a lot of room to play with something like that.

So would 18 or 36 watts be enough to grow marine plants in a refugium?

I’ve heard of people having algae grow in their pipes from the refugiums. Why is this, too much light and not enough flow?

While we are on this subject I tried a DIY refugium once in my stand, but I keep it completely enclosed and mold started to grow. You live and learn. I know now that I need air movement too stop this from happening. But now I’m worried to try it again. My plans are to buy a real refugium cut out a section in the back of my personal built fish stand and put a vent on the back. I plan on putting a fan inside the stand. I could also attach a fan to the back and suck the air out as well, don’t know if this would work. I would like to enclose my refugium with a top, but I think that would be hard since I will have to many pipe and things going in and out of my sump.

Has anyone had a problem with this? Once I put a vent and a fan on my stand should I have any problems with mold?

thanks

 

[AlexfromSATX]

Growing Macro you also want to look at Kelvin or Color temperature. Here is a link to a bulb that is great for a fuge and pretty low cost.

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

Not sure about the ventilation issue as all of my tanks that I have run with a fuge have had open backs, but since you are adding the ventilation I can only assume you will be fine.

 

[mannaize]

Fantastic… This is why I’m going to like talking to everyone on this site… I’ve been reading a lot on lights for the refugium…

I’ve bought a bulb like this before and I was worried that it would get to hot and cause a fire so I really never used it.

The bulbs that are so post to come with my refugium are only 13watts and no fans I could get two 13watt, or just not include them at all.

There are so many little different lights that people have said work and don’t work…

This guy on your link proved it with research and I think that is awesome.

The fact that the bulb only uses 19 watts and never gets hot is great…

I have read and watched videos that people like to use yellow light because it resembles the sunlight more…

If I had any more questions about this subject regarding buying a light bulb from home depot is that there are blue plant bulbs would this be better or not than a yellow, but I guess it would matter because that new 5100k or what ever bulb he used worked a lot better than the yellow.


On a side note regarding air flow in my stand and inclosing my refugium I started to look at other peoples sumps/refugium, and they were inclosing theirs with bulk heads thought the sides and tops. I taught that was a great idea. Also sites like marine depot have dual fans they are quite I can throw down in my stand. I first wanted keep my stand closed up because of noise and light, but I plan on running my refugium light opposite of my tank lights. For noise I think I mite play with using foam pads along the interior walls. Do you guys think foam pads would absorb too much water and nastyness that would make them smell?

Thanks again

 

[AlexfromSATX]

Foam pads would be fine, but you will have to make sure to clean them out every so often so that detritus and things don't build up and cause water chemistry problems. Not sure about the blue light question for plants as I have never heard of anyone saying they have tried it. You may be able to start an experiment for us, and let us know :mrgreen: