Budget refugium light.

[BigJohnny]

Ill just leave this here...taotronics 36w led grow lamp...1500 par 15 inches below the light. 26 bucks on Amazon.

What about 6 and 12 inches to the right or left of that?

 

[Legal Reefer]

What about 6 and 12 inches to the right or left of that?

I was thinking the light you used ( 150 watt UFO) was the best choice in my sump. I made the stand tall and can raise the light for spread. I'm using a 20 gallon long and most of it will be refugium with a very small return pump area.

 

[Legal Reefer]

Fast delivery...lol...just got it.

 

[Tautog]

Lowe’s. For $5.00 you can get a fixture with a reflector dome and clamp. $10.00 for a led grow bulb.
I have the dome low, touching the sump top. I’m growing all kinds of macro algae. I keep the light confined to the refuge as Best as possible to avoid extra growth outside the refuge

 

[MichaelM123]

What about 6 and 12 inches to the right or left of that?

It definately spotlights a 12 x 12 area that close to the water. I dont know (and haven't measured) PAR with the light hanging higher, but I'm sure if you lifted the light up you would get slightly less par and better coverage.

 

[Fudsey]

I'm using this one... been in place for what, 8 months now? Works great, grows macro, no problems.

https://www.amazon.com/6500K-Aquarium-Light-Freshwater-Extendable/dp/B01IFIOYJ6/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1520353707&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=T5+Dual+6500K+Aquarium+Light+Freshwater&th=1

Sorry to hijack post but I gotta ask this.

@Greybeard How is this unit overall? Would it work to use as a regular T5 over a tank if the bulbs were replaced? Price point is great if the quality is there.

 

[BigJohnny]

It definately spotlights a 12 x 12 area that close to the water. I dont know (and haven't measured) PAR with the light hanging higher, but I'm sure if you lifted the light up you would get slightly less par and better coverage.

My experience with the par38 (Mars hydro/taotronics/rapid led) is that while par is astronomical in the very center, it drops off significantly at 6", 9", 12". Can be a great light just depends on the fuge dimensions and mounting height. I switched from the typical red/blue par38 to growstar ufo which has better spectrum, less par in the center but more overall with even spread over a greater area. All good options and waaaaay cheaper than the Kessel big boy with much lower cost/performance ratio (assuming they last a long time, which has yet to be determined for me)

 

[Reef of Fillory]

Ill just leave this here...taotronics 36w led grow lamp...1500 par 15 inches below the light. 26 bucks on Amazon.

+1 for the TaoTronics, grew chaeto like crazy on my tank, while I couldn't get growth with the H380. Sure I could have been doing something wrong with the H380 [too long of photoperiod?] but the TaoTronics just made the chaeto grow like mad

 

[MichaelM123]

+1 for the TaoTronics, grew chaeto like crazy on my tank, while I couldn't get growth with the H380. Sure I could have been doing something wrong with the H380 [too long of photoperiod?] but the TaoTronics just made the chaeto grow like mad

You run the taotronics 24/7?

 

[Reef of Fillory]

You run the taotronics 24/7?

I ran it 24/7 until nutrient levels dropped to where I wanted them and then dropped it to 12/ day

 

[MichaelM123]

Update: 4 days of chaeto growth with the taotronics bulb. Growth is insane.

 

[Marc88]

Fast delivery...lol...just got it.

How has this light been working for you?

 

[ReeferReefer]

Yup! My refugium is covered in coralline and filled with chaeto OP. I strongly recommend the growstar 150w ufo from amazon. Believe it was $41

You use this with the Triton Method as the primary form of nutrient export?

 

[ReeferReefer]

Fast delivery...lol...just got it.

Update?

 

[Cole.mormon]

Know this is an old thread but will a 40 watt light bulb work for chaeto on an 10 by 8 in area its all white light