Liighting for my Refugium

[moneymark]

Hello all, can someone please let me know if I would be able to use a regular house light bulb to place over my refugium. Just need the bulbs to work for some macroalgae. Thanx in advance.

[WhoDat?]

Here's what I did and made my cheato grow like crazy..... I bought one of those cheap metal light sockets with the clamp on them.... The ones you get for like 5 dollars at lowes or Wal mart.... They are used for a clamp on spotlight.... I took it all apart so I only had the socket and wire... (it was very easy, not much to them things) I bought a 6500k fourescent bulb from lowes.... It's a floodlight type that replaces halogen bulbs for a cheaper way to have outdoor light.... I think it's equivalent to 85 watts but only uses 18 watts..... Anyway, screw that bulb into the socket and I screwed some little wire clamps to the bottom of my stand and hung the light over the fuge.... It works great.... And is super bright with almost no heat.....

[Nino Garcia]

here's what i did and made my cheato grow like crazy..... I bought one of those cheap metal light sockets with the clamp on them.... The ones you get for like 5 dollars at lowes or wal mart.... They are used for a clamp on spotlight.... I took it all apart so i only had the socket and wire... (it was very easy, not much to them things) i bought a 6500k fourescent bulb from lowes.... It's a floodlight type that replaces halogen bulbs for a cheaper way to have outdoor light.... I think it's equivalent to 85 watts but only uses 18 watts..... Anyway, screw that bulb into the socket and i screwed some little wire clamps to the bottom of my stand and hung the light over the fuge.... It works great.... And is super bright with almost no heat.....

+1

[tangtang clown]

+1, I will being doing that mod today. I have been using an extra Coralife 24" 50/50 PC fixture, but it is time to change the bulbs and it will be cheaper to do what g-money did than it would be to replace the bulb. Thanks g-money.

Also, g-money, do you run the light 24/7 or 12 alternate>?

[Jason S]

Here's what I did and made my cheato grow like crazy..... I bought one of those cheap metal light sockets with the clamp on them.... The ones you get for like 5 dollars at lowes or Wal mart.... They are used for a clamp on spotlight.... I took it all apart so I only had the socket and wire... (it was very easy, not much to them things) I bought a 6500k fourescent bulb from lowes.... It's a floodlight type that replaces halogen bulbs for a cheaper way to have outdoor light.... I think it's equivalent to 85 watts but only uses 18 watts..... Anyway, screw that bulb into the socket and I screwed some little wire clamps to the bottom of my stand and hung the light over the fuge.... It works great.... And is super bright with almost no heat.....

+3 Exactly what I use. Just make sure it is a 6500K bulb and you will be golden.

[WhoDat?]

+1, I will being doing that mod today. I have been using an extra Coralife 24" 50/50 PC fixture, but it is time to change the bulbs and it will be cheaper to do what g-money did than it would be to replace the bulb. Thanks g-money.

Also, g-money, do you run the light 24/7 or 12 alternate>?

I alternate .... Fuge light on all night, DT during the day... For PH stability... And yes the Kelvin rating matters.... I had to search a little at Lowes to find the 6500K... I also heard there is higher K ratings available online...(like 7500) But I'm not sure if it makes that much difference.... I'm happy with this light.... I used to have a small 18 watt coralife light on it... Wasn't enough at all.... I'd say this 18 watts is twice as bright...

[moneymark]

Thanx guys, I'll be going to Lowes today to check it out.

[KMUNCC]

Ill be going to lowes on the way home have everything but the bulb and I need a cheap sump light or what little fuge I have

[jbanks]

Lights of America PC flood light from Home Depot worked wonders for me. Chaeto growth was amazing...