Algae scrubber what watt?

Duzzy · Sep 7, 2023

Hi

building an acrylic algae turf scrubber and was wondering if 2 x 600w led grow lights would be enough? They’re 310mm x 210mm in size and 6000k is that enough to grow algae?

Duzzy

KrisReef · Sep 7, 2023

NOt sure how big your grow area is, but I think that much wattage is going to burn the weed (algae) onto the growing material? If you have the light, give it a try, especially if you can dial back the wattage.

I used 60 incandescent bulbs to grow algae before, 600 seems like a lot of power.

theatrus · Sep 7, 2023

Duzzy said:
Hi

building an acrylic algae turf scrubber and was wondering if 2 x 600w led grow lights would be enough? They’re 310mm x 210mm in size and 6000k is that enough to grow algae?

Duzzy

Are those wishful watts or actual watts (cheap lamps will be massively overstated in actual output and input)? Is your algae scrubber about 20ft X 20ft?

Duzzy · Sep 7, 2023

theatrus said:
Are those wishful watts or actual watts (cheap lamps will be massively overstated in actual output and input)? Is your algae scrubber about 20ft X 20ft?

No to be honest I’ve started researching today and typed in full spectrum grow lights that "looked" similar to those used on the professional scrubbers. And grow surface no bigger that 250mm x 300mm

Duzzy · Sep 7, 2023

KrisReef said:
NOt sure how big your grow area is, but I think that much wattage is going to burn the weed (algae) onto the growing material? If you have the light, give it a try, especially if you can dial back the wattage.

I used 60 incandescent bulbs to grow algae before, 600 seems like a lot of power.

Hence why I asked. I googled grow lights and chose similar looki lights to the scrubbers you buy.

Duzzy · Sep 7, 2023

theatrus said:
Are those wishful watts or actual watts (cheap lamps will be massively overstated in actual output and input)? Is your algae scrubber about 20ft X 20ft?

How about something like this https://www.lightinthebox.com/p/1-2...MIytfN892ZgQMVmFN9Ch1dnAuPEAQYDSABEgKIk_D_BwE

theatrus · Sep 8, 2023

Duzzy said:
How about something like this https://www.lightinthebox.com/p/1-2pcs-led-plant-grow-lights-full-spectrum-bulb-phytolamp-for-plants-light-hydroponic-lamp-greenhouse-flower-seed-grow-tent_p9214028.html?currency=AUD&litb_from=paid_adwords_shopping&sku=282_26746|444_38325|1313_675840&country_code=AU&litb_from=paid_adwords_shopping&utm_source=google_shopping&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=17939043348&adword_mt=&adword_ct=&adword_kw=&adword_pos=&adword_pl=&adword_net=x&adword_tar=&adw_src_id=4357584129_17939043348__&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIytfN892ZgQMVmFN9Ch1dnAuPEAQYDSABEgKIk_D_BwE

Absolutely will work, but that’s going to run a pretty large algae growth setup.

As to my original sarcastic comment, 600W of actual LED power is over 2x the power I put into my whole 90g for SPS growth. And I don’t even use lenses so there is loss. That’s a ton of power, which either means you have a giant scrubber in a warehouse, or the numbers are an outright fabrication.