Refugium Lighting

[merlin21k]

Anyone know where I can get a cheap 12" flourescent light strip?

[Bug_Power]

Home Depot or Lowes.

[GaryP]

Just use a grow bulb like the sell for house plants. Its a 5.5K bulb.

[gcantu]

You can also purchase a clip on light at Wal-Mart and go to their fish section and purchase a 65K bulb. I paid under $15 for everything there and my chaeto grows like crazy.

[Thunderkat]

I just may have to try that, my chaeto doesn't appear to grow. I have a light that claims to be for growing plants, it is one of those twisty flourescents that go in an incandescent bulb slot (can't remember what it was called).

[auSS/Tin]

It should be growing. Before you go and spend the money on a new light, I would test your water for Iron. Macro algae needs iron, but if your system is depleted of iron then it can't grow. We use Macro to export nutrients, but it is also exporting good stuff too (basic elements). This happened to me so I know first hand. I dosed with Kent's Iron stuff and the Macro took off growing again.

HTH

Bill

[JeremyGlen]

Had the same thing going on with mine till I started dosing the Iron. Take caution when doing it though becasue an overdose can really damage your system. I always knew when I accidentally added too much the mushrooms and anemone would start looking sick or come close to dying.

I have one of the clip on lights with the CF screw in bubl over my fuge and the cheato grows like mad. I have the 75w 6500K. I have only been able to find them at Home Depot because Lowes only carries Sylvania and their lamps are like 3000K or so.