DIY Refugium Light, Needed or No?

[Hugh Mann]

So, I decided to set up a HoB refugium on my 55 gallon predator tank to help export nutrients. Why HoB, because space and budget reasons.

Anyways, I am repurposing an aquaclear filter for this and using Dragon's Breath macroalgae, even though it's not quite as good as chaeto, I hear it still works great and can be fed back to the fish. My question is I'm thinking my aquarium lights will be sufficient for the macro, does anyone think I should I get a small separate light for the refugium? If so, what light?

I'm currently running two 165w Mars Aqua lights, if it matters.

 

[Albertan22]

Macro algae typically likes redder and whiter spectrum light than our corals do which is why people tend to not put aquarium lights over their refugiums. In your case I’d just try it out and see what happens. It might not be the ideal spectrum but it will be more powerful lighting than most use in their fuge. Be prepared with a clip on lamp and spiral bulb if it’s looking like it’s gonna die off then figure out where you want to go from there. The one downside would be that you can’t reverse the lighting period to take advantage of the night time pH boost.

 

[Hugh Mann]

Macro algae typically likes redder and whiter spectrum light than our corals do which is why people tend to not put aquarium lights over their refugiums. In your case I’d just try it out and see what happens. It might not be the ideal spectrum but it will be more powerful lighting than most use in their fuge. Be prepared with a clip on lamp and spiral bulb if it’s looking like it’s gonna die off then figure out where you want to go from there. The one downside would be that you can’t reverse the lighting period to take advantage of the night time pH boost.

That's what I read, but I'm hoping to avoid plugging it yet another device, though I will if necessary.

To reverse the lights I could maybe completely black out the refugium except for the spot for the light, but my Ph is pretty good. I've looked everywhere for a clip on light and I can only find the clip ons with a big long goose neck, is that what everyone is talking about when they mean clip on light?

 

[StatelineReefer]

I used a clip-on work light with a led cob grow light for my 'fuge. It's nice if you can get one with barn doors to cut the amount of light spill, but you can easily have one 3d printed for you.

 

[Hugh Mann]

I used a clip-on work light with a led cob grow light for my 'fuge. It's nice if you can get one with barn doors to cut the amount of light spill, but you can easily have one 3d printed for you.

Are you talking something kind of like this? https://m.banggood.com/50W-Waterpro...MI3K2plsqA6AIVlh6tBh1NoAG5EAkYDSABEgJ6DvD_BwE

(cheaper on Amazon, but my phone directs Amazon web pages to the app)

 

[StatelineReefer]

No, in fact, those are terrible for our uses

Shop Light with Clip Mount

And for the bulb this

LED Grow Light

LED color being the key in this instance. The deep reds and violets will grow an abundance of algae.

 

[Strawberry]

I use a regular lamp that I got from work for free because it had a bad switch. Repaired it, now I have a lamp with aluminum heat sync. All I use is a 75 watt white led and it grows my chaeto pretty well.

 

[Ratherbeflyen]

The goals of a refugium will dictate the lighting requirements. If you're just trying to add water volume and surface agitation, then you don't need any light. If you're only looking to grow pods, then the tank lights are probably just fine. If you're trying to using it as a primary, or only source of nitrate and phosphate control, almost zero chance you can accomplish that without adding specific fuge lighting.

My system uses algae as the primary waste export, but it uses high power red plant grow led's for a lot longer duration that the display lights. If you want to help export nutrients, the amount of nutrients exported will be directly related to the lighting you use. If your algae is only getting a little bit of light from the display lights, I wouldn't expect too much. Though I'm sold on a refugium and something is better than nothing.

 

[Hugh Mann]

The goals of a refugium will dictate the lighting requirements. If you're just trying to add water volume and surface agitation, then you don't need any light. If you're only looking to grow pods, then the tank lights are probably just fine. If you're trying to using it as a primary, or only source of nitrate and phosphate control, almost zero chance you can accomplish that without adding specific fuge lighting.

My system uses algae as the primary waste export, but it uses high power red plant grow led's for a lot longer duration that the display lights. If you want to help export nutrients, the amount of nutrients exported will be directly related to the lighting you use. If your algae is only getting a little bit of light from the display lights, I wouldn't expect too much. Though I'm sold on a refugium and something is better than nothing.

Nutrient and phosphate control, looks like I'll be picking up a small grow light. My 'fuge isn't huge so it shouldn't take much I hope.

 

[Hugh Mann]

No, in fact, those are terrible for our uses

Shop Light with Clip Mount

And for the bulb this

LED Grow Light

LED color being the key in this instance. The deep reds and violets will grow an abundance of algae.

Thanks. I ordered a different light with an identical spectrum to that one, because that light is $78 on the Canadian Amazon. Same with the lamp.

What distance do you have your light from the 'fuge?

 

[StatelineReefer]

Thanks. I ordered a different light with an identical spectrum to that one, because that light is $78 on the Canadian Amazon. Same with the lamp.

Spectrum's the important part... cost is basically irrelevant when it comes down to it... although too low a cost and you could run into reliability issues

What distance do you have your light from the 'fuge?

6 inches from the top, shrouded by a 3d printed lightbox. Spillage into the display tank makes for nasty algae control problems, and that's why we want a fuge, isn't it? To keep the ugly green out of the display tank?

 

[Hugh Mann]

Spectrum's the important part... cost is basically irrelevant when it comes down to it... although too low a cost and you could run into reliability issues

6 inches from the top, shrouded by a 3d printed lightbox. Spillage into the display tank makes for nasty algae control problems, and that's why we want a fuge, isn't it? To keep the ugly green out of the display tank?

Exactly right. I'll have to slap together a light box once I have everything together. Hoping it will grow well enough at least to do its job. Based on the algae bloom in progress under my regular tank lights, it's needed.