Best Leds for Chaeto?

Crabs McJones · Dec 14, 2017

BigJohnny said:
Yes the h380 is dope but 300 for a refuge light for me right now just isn't cutting it. I have too many other things I want to buy lol. The sbreef is good but I've seen threads where people switched to the ufos and they outperformed or matched, for 1/3rd the price. I'm also the type of guy that will spend $30 or $300, so the sbreef is ruled out for me.

I got lucky, my h380 was a c hristmas present from my parents. My mom loves my tank more than my wife ;Hilarious

jsker · Dec 14, 2017

BigJohnny said:
Oh I have no doubt it works, I just think there are better options more suited towards chaeto.

Good point, I have read were members have just used a full spectrum bulb from the big box improvement store with great success.

Mark Gray · Dec 14, 2017

BigJohnny said:
Yes the h380 is dope but 300 for a refuge light for me right now just isn't cutting it. I have too many other things I want to buy lol. The sbreef is good but I've seen threads where people switched to the ufos and they outperformed or matched, for 1/3rd the price. I'm also the type of guy that will spend $30 or $300, so the sbreef is ruled out for me.

I looked at them I think they are cheaper than 300 but not sure, I had a bad GHA problem till I went with the H30 and it is slowly solving the problem so I thought that too first I bought the H80 but my display lights out preformed it

BigJohnny · Dec 14, 2017

crabs_mcjones said:
I got lucky, my h380 was a c hristmas present from my parents. My mom loves my tank more than my wife ;Hilarious

You dogggggg

BigJohnny · Dec 14, 2017

jsker said:
Good point, I have read were members have just used a full spectrum bulb from the big box improvement store with great success.

For sure. 6500k will pretty much grow anything ime.

KIRBLIT · Dec 14, 2017

crabs_mcjones said:
Do you supplement iron at all or just the light itself?

Just light, I do however have pretty rediculous nutrient levels and no other algae in the tank.

BigJohnny · Dec 14, 2017

Mark Gray said:
I looked at them I think they are cheaper than 300 but not sure, I had a bad GHA problem till I went with the H30 and it is slowly solving the problem so I thought that too first I bought the H80 but my display lights out preformed it

I meant the h380 is 300. The sbreef is like 115 I think if your talking about the sprite fuge or whatever instead of their par38.

I get where you are coming from on the h80, many people have said it didn't cut it. These led ufos are more powerful than the h80 though. If they don't work my next play will be the h380 for sure

BigJohnny · Dec 15, 2017

Thanks for the comments everyone. I went with the Growstar 150w UFO, the one with a similar spectral graph to the Kessil h380 that utilizes a 3000k Cree COB in the middle.

I will take some PAR readings vs my PAR 38 and let you guys know (I assume someone is curious how this light performs) and also come back and update in a month or two on growth.

Crabs McJones · Dec 15, 2017

BigJohnny said:
Thanks for the comments everyone. I went with the Growstar 150w UFO, the one with a similar spectral graph to the Kessil h380 that utilizes a 3000k Cree COB in the middle.

I will take some PAR readings vs my PAR 38 and let you guys know (I assume someone is curious how this light performs) and also come back and update in a month or two on growth.

I am interested to see how it does

Just keep in mind, mount that light as far away from the water as you can. The Kessil H380 is 90 watts and recommended at 1 to 2 feet away, at 150 watts you'll want it more like 2 to 3 feet away lol

BigJohnny · Dec 15, 2017

crabs_mcjones said:
I am interested to see how it does Just keep in mind, mount that light as far away from the water as you can. The Kessil H380 is 90 watts and recommended at 1 to 2 feet away, at 150 watts you'll want it more like 2 to 3 feet away lol

Thanks, i will try, but at the same time I also need to worry about light spillage........I tried a Mars hydro 300 originally and it basically lit up my whole sump at 12" lol.

This is a much smaller fixture so hopefully not as much of an issue. Also, even though it says 150w, I doubt it's effectively as powerful as the Kessil h380. It's probably under driven significantly, has a wider spread of leds, and lacks the quality lenses. Can you tune the intensity on the h380? I wish you could on these ufos.

Crabs McJones · Dec 15, 2017

BigJohnny said:
Thanks, i will try, but at the same time I also need to worry about light spillage........I tried a Mars hydro 300 originally and it basically lit up my whole sump at 12" lol.

This is a much smaller fixture so hopefully not as much of an issue. Also, even though it says 150w, I doubt it's effectively as powerful as the Kessil h380. It's probably under driven significantly, has a wider spread of leds, and lacks the quality lenses. Can you tune the intensity on the h380? I wish you could on these ufos.

The H380 is not able to have the intensity adjusted. Just Off, Grow, and Bloom mode.

Dana Riddle · Dec 15, 2017

Chart requires very little light. I used a CFL lamp in a inexpensive aluminum reflector. It grew from a size that would fill a teacup to that that would fill a 5 gallon bucket. No need to get fancy but the PAR lamps you're looking at would generate more PUR.

Dana Riddle · Dec 15, 2017

Hate auto correct. Should have read Chaeto.

BigJohnny · Dec 15, 2017

Dana Riddle said:
Chart requires very little light. I used a CFL lamp in a inexpensive aluminum reflector. It grew from a size that would fill a teacup to that that would fill a 5 gallon bucket. No need to get fancy but the PAR lamps you're looking at would generate more PUR.

Sure, I've used a cfl before as well, and it grew chaeto, but I need to grow more of it faster. In order to outcompete algae in the display and serve as a primary method of nutrient reduction you really need to blast the chaeto, especially with a refugium of only 10% display volume. BRS showed that these high powered led lights with that purple/magenta spectrum like the kessil h380 (hopefully the one I just purchased as well) dramatically improve growth and therefore nutrient uptake.

My par 38 was sufficient until I added a few more fish, now I need to up the chaeto growth to compensate.

I'm glad to hear that mine will have some better pur

I'm certainly not an expert.

Thanks dana.

BigJohnny · Dec 15, 2017

BigJohnny said:
Sure, I've used a cfl before as well, and it grew chaeto, but I need to grow more of it faster. In order to outcompete algae in the display and serve as a primary method of nutrient reduction you really need to blast the chaeto, especially with a refugium of only 10% display volume. BRS showed that these high powered led lights with that purple/magenta spectrum like the kessil h380 (hopefully the one I just purchased as well) dramatically improve growth and therefore nutrient uptake.

My par 38 was sufficient until I added a few more fish, now I need to up the chaeto growth to compensate.

I'm glad to hear that mine will have some better pur I'm certainly not an expert.

Thanks dana.

@dana riddle

Having said that, it got me thinking about the photo inhibition point of chaeto. I know that it is definitely higher than our average coral because I've seen people blasting close to 1000 par with rapid growth, which would nuke my tank. Have you ever done any testing on photosynthesis in chaeto or other macro algaes? Might be a cool thing to do in your lab. I know a lot of reefers would appreciate it, or at least find it interesting

Themako1 · Dec 15, 2017

I have the h380, but I think it’s a little over powered for my sump, I purchased the taotronics led, that comes today so I’ll see how I like that. If anything I’ll sell off the 380 to someone

BigJohnny · Dec 15, 2017

Themako1 said:
I have the h380, but I think it’s a little over powered for my sump, I purchased the taotronics led, that comes today so I’ll see how I like that. If anything I’ll sell off the 380 to someone

High is the h380 over your refugium, what size is your system, and what are your nutrient levels normally?

TomLi · Dec 15, 2017

I'm using the mars hydro 300 and I am getting a nice ph rise throughout the night also seeing major growth compared to the rapid led from bulk reef and a reg led par 38 from lowes I ran both of thoese at the same time there has been no comparison. I just ordered the Roleadro ufo for my brother because he has a much smaller sump I will let you know how it does incase the grow start isn't doing good.

Themako1 · Dec 15, 2017

BigJohnny said:
High is the h380 over your refugium, what size is your system, and what are your nutrient levels normally?

It’s about 9 inches on an angle, I’m using half of the sump in the reefer 425. My leaves are no3 .06 and .08 phosphate. But it seems like it might be burning the chaeto. Idk I only had it for about a week so I can’t tell yet.

MaiReef · Dec 15, 2017

I use a regular Par 38 on 24/7 and add a 10W pink flood light on my tank light off cycle and I have to prune my cheato every 5 days. If I wait a week it goes everywhere. It also keeps the Cheato green to the bottom of the fuge where it looks dark. First time I had anywhere near this growth. I would have loved to go to the H380, but I could only put it 8" off the water in the fuge and an inch off the tank. Not a whole bunch of room in my cabinet.