lighting for a refugium?

[fatboyt123]

how much light is needed for a refugium

i have a 55 gallon sump/refugium
refugium probably holds about 30 gallons of water so how many watts do i need over it ?

 

[danno14]

What is/will be in it?

 

[fatboyt123]

What is/will be in it?

the disply tank or the refug

just live rock and some cheato algea should there be somthing else in there?

 

[danno14]

Nope.... but different people like differing things

There is an inexpensive way to do it, using as powerful a compact flourescent spot light as you can find. I got mine at McLendons for $5.69. Put it into a cheap clamp on style worklight, and you're done. Plenty of light in a spectrum that's good for growing plants. D

 

[ErikAnderson]

i salvaged a crummy little 35w pendent light from Ikea and threw it on top of my fuge.
I throw out piles of alge every two months or so.

alge, live rock, and pods are what i keep in the fuge.

 

[Myteemouse]

the light I got is the "DAYLIGHT" CF 6500k from lowes it's like 8-9$ with a little lamp holder made for reptiles with a clamp!

 

[mfinn]

http://www.melevsreef.com/fuge_bulb.html

 

[busdriver]

I've seen 41W replacement CLF bulbs that replace a 150W in soft white @ loads of stores. I'm trying to find one in daylight tho...
any daylight bulb works.
I have some 12V 6500K bulbs that I found online. they take up less space, but I am have'n trouble finding a cheap transformer for it and the fixture that holds it...

 

[Bainic]

To answer part of your question, the light only needs to be over the part of the refugium that is housing your "algae", such as calerpa sp?, you don't have to have lighting over your other compartments.

 

[fatboyt123]

To answer part of your question, the light only needs to be over the part of the refugium that is housing your "algae", such as calerpa sp?, you don't have to have lighting over your other compartments.

thanks i have a 10 gallon hood that fit perfectly that i put over the top of it and have 2 100 watt 6500k's in eat everything is groing very nicley