What kind of light should I use for my refugium?

by **newbie916** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 8:38 am

My wife is making me take down my 12 gallon Eclipse Salt Water tank to make room for the next baby. I've decided to put the 25 lbs of live rock and 25 lbs of live argonite sand into my 25 gallon sump and turning into a refugium for my 100 gallon.

How much lighting should I put on my refugium because I've ordered some macro algae, a few mangrove plants, and 500 copods?

I was thinking about using the 13 watt 5500k light from my 12 gallon. Do you think that's enough?

Should I just go to the local hardware store and pick up a light? What kind of bulbs should I get?

by **gumbii** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 8:42 am

it might be enough... but i would up it... but then again alot of refugiums come with a 13w PC light... so you might be fine... but again it's only about 1w per gallon...

by **jweb1369** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 8:55 am

I would say up the light. If you are trying to grow more macro algae/bacteria or whatever, (scientifically) it does better in high light/heat environments.

by **Snowboss4492** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 1:34 pm

i was reading on another site about this guy useing 5500K grow lights from Lowe's and his mangroves are like a foot over the top of his fuge - - might be worth looking into - - -

by **fihsboy** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 3:19 pm

I have a 2700k light and a 5500k light. Cost about 30 bucks and its 40 watts. Just get the ballast etc from lowes or homedepot and bam. Whole project took me about an hour. From buying to turning it on over the tank. Certainly worth the extra cash.......PLUS then you can just sell your 12g as you used it. Getting more and coming out ahead.

by **newbie916** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 4:04 pm

Appreciate it guys, I will head to home depot later today to get the ballast. Are there special bulbs that I should be looking into?

by **Snowboss4492** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 4:43 pm

only thing this article said was that they were called "grow-bulbs" sorry i can't be of more help

by **gumbii** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 6:14 pm

grow bulbs are usually very low in the kelvin range... so 6000k degrees and lower are pretty much grow bulbs... like fish boy said 2700k bulb is a really yellow grow bulb...

What kind of light should I use for my refugium?

8 posts