Best Leds for Chaeto?

[Rakie]

No problem, do you use leds to light your fuge?

I did, yes, although my fuge was way too efficient for my tank and my SPS started to pale so I have removed it. I was using a Polaroid Par38, 30w, 4100k LED. Which was nowhere near ideal, but my chaeto was doubling in size every 3-4 days.

 

[BigJohnny]

Yeah I misinterpreted it too. I thought you guys were just talking about light from an increased efficiency standpoint, meaning you're talking about lights but with the goal of X, not just talking about spectrum's ideal for chaeto in and of itself -- So I said some of the same stuff @P-Dub is saying.

Sadly I didn't catch that part until after you said it specifically and told me it was detracting from the thread -- Which totally wasn't my goal (oops)

You suck bro ; )

 

[BigJohnny]

I did, yes, although my fuge was way too efficient for my tank and my SPS started to pale so I have removed it. I was using a Polaroid Par38, 30w, 4100k LED. Which was nowhere near ideal, but my chaeto was doubling in size every 3-4 days.

I quoted p-dubs not you, but word lol. Thanks for sharing! Was it housed in a reflector or just a socket?

 

[P-Dub]

No problem, do you use leds to light your fuge?

Currently, I don't have my tank set up. In the process of rebooting a 125 gal reef. When I did have it running, led's were just starting to come on the scene. At that time, I just had a little compact fluorescent fixture above a 25 gallon, 24 inch tall, stand-alone fuge. I had a predominantly sps mixed reef. It took about 8 months of fine tuning but it was magical and pumped out the chaeto and copepods and kept the nutrients in proper balance for the reef. Alas, since I am starting anew, sort of, I'm begrudgingly swapping out my MH's for led's in the display and am purchasing a Rayway 216W Full Spectrum for the fuge. I'm curious to see how it all works out in the long run. I still have the CF fixture that served me so well if all else fails.

 

[Rakie]

I quoted p-dubs not you, but word lol. Thanks for sharing! Was it housed in a reflector or just a socket?

Well I was trying to be helpful in the first place, may as well continue the trend lol! Non reflector, it was just a standard floodlight shaped LED with a diffused optic.

 

[teller]

@Rakie , during that time did you try to reduce the light period, so the nutrients could come up?
Thanks

 

[PNWReefer17]

Not being very savvy on sump lighting, what about this guy?

https://www.amazon.com/ACKE-Spectrum-Seedlings-Hydroponics-Lights/dp/B01LX1EO3W

I kind of think that the spectrum is a little low for do a good job....Red 630nm and 660nm, Blue:460nm and White light 2700K.

It does say ideal for seedling growth. Maybe good for starting a mini-greenhouse in my garage?

 

[BigJohnny]

Not being very savvy on sump lighting, what about this guy?

https://www.amazon.com/ACKE-Spectrum-Seedlings-Hydroponics-Lights/dp/B01LX1EO3W

I kind of think that the spectrum is a little low for do a good job....Red 630nm and 660nm, Blue:460nm and White light 2700K.

It does say ideal for seedling growth. Maybe good for starting a mini-greenhouse in my garage?

Not a great option, very low wattage only 12w. You can get a much nicer fixture for only 39.99 with the roleadro/growstar/rayway ufos. If you want to spend less get the Mars hydro par38 or other similar par38 led grow/horticulture light. I can't comment on the seedlings part considering this is a reef forum : P

 

[BigJohnny]

Quick update on the growstar 150w ufo, this light is killing it. Already seeing a massive improvement in growth and I'm still acclimating the chaeto to the fixture. Was running a 14 hr photoperiod with the Marshydro par38 and I'm only up to 10 hrs on this guy (been adding 30 mins a day basically). The chaeto pretty much stalled for a day or two but is kicking now, and I am expecting it to do even better once it's fully acclimated to the spectrum/par and I have the full photoperiod, although I may only run it at 12hr depending on nutrient levels (already running lower than before)

Side benefit, my pH is a full .1 higher at night making my swing only - .1 from the day. Who said light doesn't matter again? ; )

 

[JonPhillips]

Any light is sufficient for chaeto, what it needs most is nourishment in the form of nutrients.

I ran a cheap 20 watt no name, LED which was in no way shape or form optimized for plant growth, and had explosive growth due to nutrients alone. If you want your macro to flourish, give it nutrients more than light. The lights optimize it's use of nutrients, not just photosynthesis. So give it more food first and see what happens.

That said. Removing chaeto was the wisest decision I've ever made.

Why?

 

[75galOCD]

Hello
I was thinking about getting one of the kessils the smaller one but can you tune it to where its white and does the red affect the life in the refugium? I view the refugium checking out the life forms.
Thanks

 

[Rakie]

Why?

Why was removing it good for me?

Because it was waaay too efficient. It stripped my water bare and I was having trouble keeping any nutrients, be it no3 or po4 in the tank. Corals were suffering (all SPS). Removing them allowed my tank to flourish.

I've noticed a lot of people run starved tanks, and dump in bottles of Amino acids while marveling at pale colorless SPS -- That is not what success looks like.

 

[Pete1968]

Quick update on the growstar 150w ufo, this light is killing it. Already seeing a massive improvement in growth and I'm still acclimating the chaeto to the fixture. Was running a 14 hr photoperiod with the Marshydro par38 and I'm only up to 10 hrs on this guy (been adding 30 mins a day basically). The chaeto pretty much stalled for a day or two but is kicking now, and I am expecting it to do even better once it's fully acclimated to the spectrum/par and I have the full photoperiod, although I may only run it at 12hr depending on nutrient levels (already running lower than before)

Side benefit, my pH is a full .1 higher at night making my swing only - .1 from the day. Who said light doesn't matter again? ; )

That’s great news, I definitely made the right decision going with the same light, thanks for the updates

 

[BigJohnny]

That’s great news, I definitely made the right decision going with the same light, thanks for the updates

Hope it works well for you!

 

[SlvrZ]

followiong

 

[75galOCD]

Hello
I was thinking about getting one of the kessils the smaller one but can you tune it to where its white and does the red affect the life in the refugium? I view the refugium checking out the life forms.
Thanks

 

[BigJohnny]

Hello
I was thinking about getting one of the kessils the smaller one but can you tune it to where its white and does the red affect the life in the refugium? I view the refugium checking out the life forms.
Thanks

I believe the horticulture lights (h380/h80) that most people use for refugiums only have a "growth" and "bloom" setting, both of which are pretty red. I dont think it would effect any refugium creatures unless you mean higher life forms like shrimp or fish, i wouldnt do that. You could use something like the Kessil a160 tuna sun (or smaller a80 tuna sun), which is definitely more white and tunable to your liking, while still good for plant growth. It is designed for freshwater planted tanks I believe.

 

[BigJohnny]

I was able to find some pond liner at my local lowes to use. works perfectly and really cuts down on the light spread. I cut it up and used zipties to attach to the side of the fixture.

Chris from WWC just got back to me and said it was black PVC roll from home depot, so basically the same thing.

 

[mdd1986]

it has been working well. My chaeto has doubled in size in like 2 days. amazing.

 

[lbacha]

I'm running a h80 now I actually downgraded from cheaper grow panel

This thing put out a good amount of light 150 par in 6" of water and since it's a 10" x 10" panel it covers that whole area with that par. I didn't like it because I was concerned about condensation building on it and I really couldn't mount it in a way I could hold it above the sump.

The H80 has been plenty of light for my tank (the display is only 8g). The cheato ball is doubling every couple days and nitrates are around 2ppm. Light intensity/nutrients/CO2 have a close relationship. If all of these are in the correct ratio you will have explosive plant growth. I double the length of stem plants in my FW tank every day or two under a Kessil tuna sun with dosed nitrates and phosphates plus injected CO2. If any of the three are removed the growth will stop and algae will take over.

I a reef tank There are so many variables tht could limit growth and light is just one. If you have a ton of fish (nutrient producers) and CO2 is high then you can go with a huge light and produce a ton of Cheato. If you have few fish and don't feed your corals and you run a CO2 scrubber then it doesn't matter how much light you DD your heating will grow slow.

Just my 2 cents

Len