Lighting a Fuge for Triton Method. Need advice!

[Greybeard]

I had the same debate... ended up purchasing a 2x24" T5 unit from Amazon, like $35, came with 'daylight' bulbs. With my fairly large fuge (24" long, 12" wide, 20" tall), I was afraid I'd need TWO of those expensive lights.

I don't have anything to compare it to, but I'm growing macro, that much is certain!

 

[CodyRVA]

While I understand the sentiment I am going the other direction. I sure would like more information than just a video provided by BRS, however I feel that making decisions based off their results are sure better than just guessing or speculation by strangers on the internet whom might not even be running what they suggest. The BRS experiments are in their infancy, when they start adding more bioload via various amounts of food and seeing what point, if any, chateo growth can no longer keep up it will be even more valuable information.

Of course BRS is a company and selling their products, but I don't see anyone else doing that work with macro and nutrient reduction.

Isn't investing money in fuge lights investing in filtration?

I also would argue that a fuge light could make or break a system, especially if they rely only on macro for export. A large tank (with large bioload) with compact fluorescent simply may not be able to grow enough macro or grow it fast enough. I hope future BRS videos examine it.

In that case I would imagine you've seen BRS's other videos on refugium's. IE: the ratio, in size, from display to refugium. A refugium must be massive before it can be considered a key role in your nutrient exporting process.

And no a fuge light will not make or break a system. As stated, many many many systems out there simply don't have a refugium at all. It is a nice to have addition to a reef, but by no means is it detrimental to the success of maintaining a healthy reef.

 

[hart24601]

In that case I would imagine you've seen BRS's other videos on refugium's. IE: the ratio, in size, from display to refugium. A refugium must be massive before it can be considered a key role in your nutrient exporting process.

And no a fuge light will not make or break a system. As stated, many many many systems out there simply don't have a refugium at all. It is a nice to have addition to a reef, but by no means is it detrimental to the success of maintaining a healthy reef.

Well fuge lights sure make or break you if relying only on macro algae for export, and there are tanks that only rely on macro algae!!

Don't confuse good lights with expensive lights.

I would say if anything it appears that a fuge does not need to be massive to provide export based off BRS videos as the hang on back one even looked to provide results.

 

[bif24701]

There's a 300 watt viparspectra led I use on my fuge. I think it's about $90 on Amazon.

It's not actually 300 watts. About 130, works well though. I have the same light.

 

[jaws789832]

The kessil, hands down is the best fuge light I have ever used. I tried the cheapy home depot bulbs, par 38 led and t5 made for a fuge and it wasnt until I bought the kessil that my fuge really took off. I use the triton method as well and I have to pull out about a basket ball size of chaeto every 2 weeks because it gets so dense. Yes it did grow with the other bulbs but the kessil made it thrive. Healthy all the way through with no dead spots. Plus I went through 2 par 38 bulbs in a year so in the end I think the kessils will be cheaper. For the triton method, you are adding nutrients that causes algae to grow so without a good quality light on the fuge the display will take over and start growing the algae, so to go against what Cody said, this is one time you want to invest in the fuge, otherwise you will have problems in the display

 

[Biglurr54]

I would live to see brs do a comparison of the viparspectra vs the h380 vs 4 bulb t5. That would be much more comparable than a compact florescent bulb vs the h380.

We wouldn't accept a comparison of a 6500 led light bulb from hd vs 360we. But I bet we all would love to see scientific experiment putting a reef breeder against a 360we.

 

[CodyRVA]

"That's like strapping an outboard motor to a big cruise ship and saying we're not getting very far and I wonder why?"

 

[teller]

"That's like strapping an outboard motor to a big cruise ship and saying we're not getting very far and I wonder why?"

Using appropriate refugium light enhanced in spectrum via 450nm and many 660nm led, instead of simple cfl 6500k, may put your macro in turbo mode, and so maybe you do not need such big refugium size.
Mark in the video uses simple cfl bulbs for home, not specific grow light! And this can make a huge difference.

 

[hart24601]

I don't think you need a huge fuge size for chaeto based on my personal experience. I had for several years a biocube 14 that eventually was 100% sps (with mods of course but no sump ). On the back I had a "in tank" media basket and a submersible 10w incandescent light. For a time I had an tiny little t5 unit on the outside of the glass but it kept breaking - anyway with either the external light or submersible chaeto was the main form of export - no skimmer and I would do 1g week w/c. The chaeto would grow so dense it would be like a brick. Seriously - I had a hard time breaking it up every couple weeks for harvest. The small fuge size didn't matter one bit, the chaeto had no problem growing, if you were to pull it apart to make it "fluffy" it would take up many more times the space - it was pretty amazing. Most times people have issues with a small macro area is, IME, they use weak lights and can't grow it very dense because the light can't penetrate.

According to another site on growing other plants.... the PAR of the kessil is 1500 directly under it from a height of 12" and is still 400 at the edges in a 12" square at that same height. Some serious power.

There have been reports of years about how well really strong lights work on macro - I remember people that had room and cooling talking about how well MH grow lights grew macro like crazy quite a long time ago. Now will LEDs we can have that power in a smaller space. Big difference between 14w compact fluorescent power and 90W LED tuned to the exact spectrum.

"That's like strapping an outboard motor to a big cruise ship and saying we're not getting very far and I wonder why?"

Totally agree with the above, however I consider the light as the engine and not the fuge size. Outboard (10W incandescent bulb) on an aircraft carrier (200g tank) = not going far. Nuclear reactor (90w of LED in specific spectrum or more) on an aircraft carrier and now you move.

Of course if your system runs out of iron or any other nutrient that macro needs to grow then you will have issues with any light, the higher power light perhaps even more problems because the growth will be so fast and then it will die off.

 

[CodyRVA]

 

[hart24601]

Oh you so silly!!!!

 

[Catchemall]

Get you a mars hydro 300w it's insane how well it does. I'm sure it's like the other one stated victraspar or whatever it was. But I gaurantee it will compete or outcompete the high dollar kessil and the mars only costed me $80.

 

[teller]

If it is to be funny.....just forget!
I love when people just say : it won't work! And nothing more. At least say why you do not agree!

 

[Biglurr54]

I have a sneaking suspicion that catchemall is right on the money. Brs should contract with mars and then run the test. They will sell a ton of lights. Way more than h380s!

 

[hart24601]

It should be about the same as the h380 with the larger form factor being of benefit in larger spaces but probably not having the penetrating power if that is really needed. The Chinese one is 130w so a very strong light.

Now you get into arguments about efficiency, longevity blah blah blah of chinese vs kessil but they are both a lot of light for macro. I went with kessil because I can't fit a larger box.

 

[Biglurr54]

I have a sneaking suspicion that catchemall is right on the money. Brs should contract with mars and then run the test. They will sell a ton of lights. Way more than h380s!

 

[hart24601]

I actually picked up a h380 today. I installed it at 3:30pm - took a fistful of chaeto out of the algae reactor (just a small amount) and put in the sump chamber. 0 other changes. And remember that this is a system that already was running chaeto in the reactor running 24/7.

3:30pm pH of 8.33
4:25pm pH of 8.40
6:30pm pH of 8.44
Now at 8:50pm pH of 8.47

With the frags in the tank I don't normally get a pH swing during the day with 100x plus turnover and just frags still in the 60 cube.

I am shocked to see that change. Didn't expect that from just a little ball the size of my fist.