WHAT KIND OF LIGHT FOR REFUGIUM?

[bjftanker]

i FINALLY GOT MY REFUGIUM SETUP TOGEATHER NOW ALL I NEED IS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT KIND OF LIGHT WOULD BE BEST FOR MY REFUGIUM? IT IS A SUMP STYLE ONE IT IS PRETTY BIG. I HAVE A 50WATT METAL HALIDE IS THAT TOO MUCH OR WOULD THAT BE GOOD? AND ALSO DO I JUST PUT THE MACRO ALGEA IN JUST LIKE PLANTING A FLOWER? IM NOT REALLY SURE. ANY HELP WOULD BE GREAT.

 

[impur]

The MH will work fine. I wonder about heat though. If decide against the MH look for this bulb at home depot or lowes:

As for the macro, depends on what kind you are using. Usually you can just toss it in there and it will grow. Be sure to have some sort of strainer on your return so none of it get sent back to the display.

 

[ostrow]

MH will be pricey and hot. You want the lights on 24/7. There are some good small PC systems out there that are pretty affordable, esp used. I'd go that route.

 

[Great Lakes]

Yeah, I have a PC over mine.

GL

 

[leon]

ive got twin T5's over mine 24hrs, and after acclimatising the algea, just threw it in, took a month or two to start taking off, but now, im taking a handfull out every week, which seems a waste to throw it away, as the shops ive seen it sell it for £5+ for a buch, which is less than i throw away!

 

[bjftanker]

Thanks for the imput guys i allready have a 5o watt metal halide system that i put togeather for next to nothing. But im thinking it might cost alittle bit much to run. I dont know i might change it out for something else after seeing my energy bill lol. But i just got some collupra macroalgea. I heard that is the best to use? I have no idea. So i just planted it in the refugium today. What are you guys putting in yours? I just want to make my tank good and stable so there is less that i have to do to the tank like water changes ect.

 

[Navarre]

A common lightbulb is good enough for a sump or refugium... it just needs to give light (any light) for the macro algae to grow.

Caulerpa is regarded as the best algae for nutrient export as it grows tremndously fast. However, it does have a tendancy to crash and release these stored nutrients back in the tank If you keep caulerpa then make sure its pruned regualr and that the lights are kept on 24/7 (good idea with any macro really)

I dont use caulerpa for the reasons posted above. I use Cheatomorpha. Haliptilon, Halymenia, Halimeda. All of these are good at nutrient export and far more stable.