Proper PAR for Chaeto

[Ron Reefman]

I've always had a black box aquarium led fixture over my refugiums and the Chaeto seemed to grow OK. But in my new system there is less room and I swapped out a very old black box led that lost the blue channel for a new Kessil H80 refugium led. The PAR is to say the least, pathetic!

So my question is, what is a good range of both PAR and color spectrum to grow chaeto?

I suspect the proper spectrum is in the 500 to 700nm range (yellow thru red).

But I have no idea what a good healthy chaeto mass wants as a PAR range.

Personal data is willingly accepted, but some scientific data would also be great to see.

 

[jda]

I have nothing scientific, but I could grow the stuff out of the tank with a daylight CFL screwed in to a clamp-on reflector. Now, I use a 4 bulb T5 (Chinese Cheap) with 4x 6500k GE bulbs at about 250 PAR... I upped this when I started to grow dragons[breath,flame] in addition to the chaeto which does appear to need more... and I keep some frags in here on an emergency basis.

I know that this is not all that helpful, but I do not think that they need all that much... but can also handle a ton if you have it. It seems that building blocks (N and P) and organic carbon (true nutrient) are more growth limiting than light, but that is just my opinion.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Agreed. The par for chato is amazingly low. 10-5o I’d say based on the cfl output factor.
But like coral , it will take a lot more.

The correct spectrum for it (pur) is full spectrum. It uses blue through red.

I’ll try to rember to throw the seney was into the hob Refugium on my 30 later.
I have a Hybred 32/56 led for movies in there that grow chato like mad.
My 55 I have an led rig and it’s awful.

 

[Subsea]

I can confirm that Chaeto can handle 2000PAR. I grew it outdoors during Texas summer. Under the same lighting and in the same water, Ulva grew twice as fast as Chaetomorphy.

Chaeto will thrive with 50PAR full spectrum cfl lamps at 5000K.

 

[Stanzo13]

This being said... Would a kessil H80 be a great light? If someone just wanted nearly the best without breaking the bank?

 

[madweazl]

I used the H80 for about a year and it worked great (105 PAR right under the water surface if I remember correctly). I have the H160 (approx 205 PAR) now and it does grow a bit quicker and at a deeper depth than the H80 was capable of. Prior to the H80, I was using a 5500-6500k CFL in a cheap clamp on fixture and that worked fine as well. I've never had anything stronger than the H160 over it so I have no clue what the upper limit (if any) would be but like others have stated, it will grow in very low PAR.

Edit: I also have a few different species of caulerpas in there; they also grow well with all three lighting options.

This was under the H80 (think it was 6" above the water)

 

[Sailingeric]

Mine grows like a week with a screw in Phillips LED grow light from Home Depot. Cheap and easy.

 

[mch1984]

Never thought about what par my UFO light is putting out. You have me curious and I see myself putting the par meter in there tonight.

 

[paphater]

I guess the question is, does it grow better under higher intensity?

 

[mch1984]

I know this doesn’t answer the question but thought I’d mention it. After seeing this thread I decided to measure my fuge light. It’s putting out a little shy of 700 par. It’s a $50 ufo light from amazon.

 

[madweazl]

I know this doesn’t answer the question but thought I’d mention it. After seeing this thread I decided to measure my fuge light. It’s putting out a little shy of 700 par. It’s a $50 ufo light from amazon.

Highly unlikely.

 

[mch1984]

Highly unlikely.

What do you mean?

 

[mch1984]

Maybe you are right, I took a quick measurement. I’ll put it in there over night and take a look at the graph. I’m only placing the censor a couple inches below the surface. The cheato is so thick that’s about as deep as it’s getting.

 

[User]

What do you mean?

He’s insinuating you screwed up the measurements.

 

[mch1984]

He’s insinuating you screwed up the measurements.

And maybe I did, again it was a quick measurement. I’ll leave it in there over night. If I was wrong then I apologize for giving false info.

 

[ddrueckh]

Have you guys seen the BRS video on this topic? Seems to be that lower par lights will grow Chaeto. The question is how well will they outcompete algae in the display? Check out the video if you haven’t seen it before.


Dave

 

[User]

And maybe I did, again it was a quick measurement. I’ll leave it in there over night. If I was wrong then I apologize for giving false info.

Those eBay ufo grow lights are crazy bright- it’s probably an accurate reading.

How many watts is yours?

 

[Rcollick]

Here is mine under a cheap Amazon light. I don't know the par but it seems to be growing good. I've only been using it about 3 weeks.

 

[Stanzo13]

Well thanks to that video I now want a H380

 

[mch1984]

I was a little off, it kind of fluctuated all night. I think that’s has to do with being so close to the surface, and who knows may a snail crawled across the seonor. My fist measurement was a little higher but not bad. I’d say it still average around 575-600