View Full Version : No chaeto growth refugium
swoopx
04/29/2006, 05:10 PM
I had cheato in my refugium for a few months now, but I've noticed very little growth if any and the nitrate levels in my tank have gotten pretty high. I have a 75w halogen bulb running 24/7 on it. Its been awhile since I've done a water change unfortunately, I'm going to start doing them regularly now. But why no chaeto growth?
I had much the same problem for a couple of months from the time I set up the refugium in my sump. The Chaeto stayed alive but it didn't grow or spread. Then I put a new light over it...this one:
http://www.lightsofamerica.com/floods.htm
...within days the chaeto started to grow...it was pretty much amazing how it noticeably started to spread. I got the light fixture at Home Depot and I think it's great. They probably sell them in Lowes and other places like that, too. I bet it'd make a difference. My nitrates really dropped dramatically when I had been starting to think that this refugium idea was turning out to be a bust.
Randall_James
04/29/2006, 05:24 PM
Go to walmart, there is a CF floodlight that replaces a 100W conventional floodlight and the thing works great. As I recall it is rated between like 17-21W
masterswimmer
04/29/2006, 05:30 PM
Less expensive than the LOA PC fixture. Less expensive to replace the bulb. Great growth and lots of RC members using it to support the efficacy of it.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/bronx_bombers/fugelight.jpg
Randall_James
04/29/2006, 06:19 PM
that looks about like the one, about $8 too
xtrstangx
04/29/2006, 07:53 PM
I spent $9.97 on the bulb pictured above tonighta t Home Depot.
MUCH brighter than my old one.
I don't mean to be critical, but the one that masterswimmer posted is the one that I had been using, that had been highly recommended here in RC, but I got virtually no growth at all from it. It might have been that because of my stand/sump configuration it was just too high and far away from the sump, but the Lights of America flood that I posted blew that one away for me. You can try the one masterswimmer posted first and see if it works for you. It may.
SuperNerd
04/29/2006, 08:35 PM
I also use the LOA. Great growth. Some LFSs in my area also use them. :D
masterswimmer
04/29/2006, 09:13 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7274465#post7274465 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Avi
I don't mean to be critical, but the one that masterswimmer posted is the one that I had been using, that had been highly recommended here in RC, but I got virtually no growth at all from it.
Why don't you mean to be critical? It's all good. What works for you might not work for me. There are soooo many ways to do things right in this hobby, it's great.
I'm glad to hear the LOA you got works for you. It's funny, because I actually had that fixture first. I returned it because it was very inconvenient for my setup the way it mounted.
If only one thing worked there'd be no reason to have choices.
Reef on,
swimmer
This is true, master. I had to first mount an electical "box" under the top of the stand, and then mount the floodlight from Lights of America onto that. I never thought I'd have to do that kind of thing. But, when it comes to reef-keeping I'd go through hoops. Hehe...it's like that, isn't it?
masterswimmer
04/29/2006, 09:38 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7274803#post7274803 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Avi
This is true, master. I had to first mount an electical "box" under the top of the stand, and then mount the floodlight from Lights of America onto that. I never thought I'd have to do that kind of thing. But, when it comes to reef-keeping I'd go through hoops. Hehe...it's like that, isn't it?
Go through hoops, under barbed wire, over tall buildings :rolleyes: ........without a doubt. I could have done the box, I even have two dedicated 20 amp circuits under my tank, so that wasn't an issue so much as the size and its cumbersomeness (<<<< my word, :D ).
Anyway, Avi, are you a member of the Manhattan Reef club? If not you should check us out.
master
jacmyoung
04/29/2006, 09:47 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7274803#post7274803 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Avi
This is true, master. I had to first mount an electical "box" under the top of the stand, and then mount the floodlight from Lights of America onto that. I never thought I'd have to do that kind of thing. But, when it comes to reef-keeping I'd go through hoops. Hehe...it's like that, isn't it?
I have two of those LOA lamps in 27w version, my sump is covered by glass tops so the two fixtures just sit on the glass. I even removed the lense on the fixture. Did not use any electrical box, just added an extension cord used for a regular lamp.
Cheato growth is out of control even though nitrate is measured zero.
I would have much preferred to just sit the fixture on the top of the sump, but with my configuration, I don't want more access to the top of the sump. That's the reason why there sometimes just aren't ready answers to questions about reefing. Eventually, though, we get to the best way to do it.
Randall_James
04/29/2006, 10:37 PM
I got a $3 ceramic fixture from the hardware store that had a mounting hole on the inside center, screwed it to the cross brace under the tank in the cabinet directly above the sump
swoopx
04/30/2006, 08:45 AM
hmm.. not sure I will have room for the LOA fixture, seems kind of big.
Randall_James
04/30/2006, 09:48 AM
The fixture I got from the hardware store is no larger than the screw in base itself so maybe that will work. With the bulb out of the fixture, there is a mounting hole inside the mogul base itself
If the Lights of America fixture is too big, meaning you can't even put it on glass on top of your sump the way jacmyoung describes, or with an electrical box, then doing what Randall suggests and using that bulb may work well for you. If you can mount a receptacle of some kind over your sump so that the bulb itself is no more than 6 or, at most, 7-inches over the chaeto, it should grow, but shorter distance would definitely be preferable. If you're able to fit the Lights of America fixture over the sump, you can have the face of the fixture as much as 11 or 12-inches above the chaeto and it would grow well.
swoopx
04/30/2006, 10:58 AM
Well, I'm went to home depot and got one of masterswimmer's bulbs. Hopefully that will do the trick.
masterswimmer
04/30/2006, 07:17 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7276939#post7276939 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by swoopx
Well, I'm went to home depot and got one of masterswimmer's bulbs. Hopefully that will do the trick.
Good luck swoop. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
swimmer
Yeah...definitely post about the progress you have.
poppin_fresh
04/30/2006, 08:02 PM
This thread is interesting...
I'm having the same problem (no Chaeto or Halimeda growth) but I'm using an Eclipse 3 hood over my 20 long 'fuge. I think the Eclipse uses 2 x 17watt flourescent tubes which are doing nothing.
I have one of those LOA Flourex fixtures I bought for an indoor greenhouse. The only concern I had was that it got really hot, so I mounted two computer fans to the ouside. I then drilled the lens and housing for airflow. Mabey, I'll ditch the Eclipse and try the LOA instead.
Randall_James
04/30/2006, 08:24 PM
I had issues growing under MH, CF and even genuine grow lights. After I got one of these CF Floodlights, my chaeto took off like a bandit. I now harvest a gallon or more every 2 weeks
guitarfish
04/30/2006, 08:28 PM
75 watt Phillips PAR 30 Halogen spot.
Randall_James
05/02/2006, 08:23 PM
Bulb I use:
GE26W/FLE26/2/par38/XL
I thought I posted this bulb info but guess not
swoopx
05/03/2006, 04:34 PM
I've seen some browning of the chaeto at the very top, but the rest of it looks very green. Whats the browning from?
guitarfish
05/03/2006, 04:54 PM
Mine gets pretty warm up top, and the water gets a little stagnant there, so I swish the chaeto around once a day to prevent that.
poppin_fresh
05/03/2006, 07:18 PM
Do you guys find your LOA fixtures to get too hot to touch like mine?
Randall_James
05/03/2006, 07:26 PM
I just run a ceramic mogul and no, not very hot at all running CF bulbs
My LOA fixture doesn't get hot at all, so I wonder why yours does, poppin. I do have a fan going all the time on the sump which blows directly on the fixture so that might be the reason why it doesn't get hot. If you have a fan on your sump then there might be something wrong that needs to be explored further.
rickh
05/16/2006, 02:49 PM
Get a 75 watt spiral fluorescent light from Lowe's or HD. Just make sure it is a Daylight not warm white bulb. Keep the light on 12 hours, my algae grows like crazy.
swoopx
05/16/2006, 03:10 PM
well I ended up getting this light http://www.lightbulbsdirect.com/page/001/PROD/EnergyStar/1P381951
5100k much whiter color then my first bulb.
masterswimmer
05/16/2006, 03:22 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7378698#post7378698 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by swoopx
well I ended up getting this light http://www.lightbulbsdirect.com/page/001/PROD/EnergyStar/1P381951
5100k much whiter color then my first bulb.
Looks great. You should get some nice growth with that. Good luck and post some before and after pix.
swimmer
I used that kind of bulb but got much better results with the LOA fixture. In fact, I couldn't get Chaeto to grow at all under one but when I changed to the LOA it started to grow just about immediately. I think the distance from the Chaeto might have been part of the problem, so I'd suggest that if you get a bulb like that have it fairly close to the Chaeto.
reefnewbie54321
05/16/2006, 08:07 PM
I didnt have time to read the whole thread so sorry if this was already posted.
I never had no growth but my growth was slow ... alot of people suggested more light and more flow. I kept the same wattage but cahnged the kelvin from 6500k to 4500k, the growth doubled atleast. About a month later I started getting nuisance algae becuase of slow flow but to keep my overflows quit instead of upping the GPH I installed a Borneman Surge. There is salt creep but I think it is overrated and really isnt a big problem.
xclan
05/17/2006, 11:56 AM
I have the 65 watt LOA lights....I bought them by the pallets and been selling them.....everyone That I know that uses them has great luck...including myself
fantastic4
05/17/2006, 12:04 PM
Has anyone had success growing Chaeto under power compacts 10k and actinic combined?
Specifcally Current USA Sattelite 20" 80 Watt (40 sun, 40 actinic)
And for flow, does it make difference if fast or slow?
Thanks
Randall_James
05/18/2006, 05:36 AM
I have, it was terrible... (was a spare light I had)
the best thing I have found is that CF Floodlight to date
Calfo suggested 3-5X as I recall
Her Johnny
05/18/2006, 06:22 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7384257#post7384257 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fantastic4
And for flow, does it make difference if fast or slow?
I'd like to know this as well. Any info?
Thanks
RichConley
05/18/2006, 10:30 AM
Home depot also sells 70w MH (and MV) outdoor security lights, which are about $60.
ToTaLCHaoS13
05/18/2006, 01:15 PM
I have had the same slow/no growth problem and am using the recomended light from Home Depot. My question is, since I am new to the hobby, what does chaeto look like when it dies? Does it feel different? For that matter what should healthy chaeto feel like (semi-brittle, soft, squishy, etc...)?
Randall_James
05/20/2006, 01:02 PM
The idea is to have "Thriving" macro, Chaeto is a relatively firm stringy macro that when it is thriving is dark green and feels sort of like a look brillo ball. As it dies it becomes rather soft, lightens in color (to white even).
If you allow the macro to achieve what I would call critical mass. It will continue to grow but you also have equal die off.(Not good).
I remove 20 to 50% of mine monthly (nutrient export). Every tank is a bit different but you will see when the top layer starts to wilt a bit, jump in, trim it back and wait for it to grow out again (nutrient uptake).
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