need help lighting my refugium

[aznboigottipsy]

hey guys im new to this forum and the salt water hobby i have a question about my refugium...

so i just built a 10 gallon refugium for my 72 gallon bow front, ik it may not be the best size but its all i had room for. i figured a small refugium is better than none. but i was wondering what kind of light should i put on it, all i'm wanting to do is put some peppermint shrimp 4 inch sand bed and some live rock and algae that i can get at my fish store i go to. i have an extra 250 watt 12k metal halide, and i have a 15w 8k t8 fixture. i was wondering if the metal halide would be wayyy too much light for a 10 gallon refugium. but would that t8 fixture work that i had on my freshwater tank before (it was my 10 gallon that had a few cichlids in) well please help me out guys/gals on this forum. much appreciated. im a college student on college funds, so i dont wanna really have to go buy a t5 light for my refugium or anything if i dont have to. thnx.

[Darbex]

Go to HD and get the clip on light. Its a large round metal fixture that uses scissor clamps. Get the highest K rate CF bulb you can find usually around 5700K+ and this will grow cheato no problems.

[aznboigottipsy]

about how much will that run? like i said im a college student on a budget lol. i put my metal halide on there for now to c what it does. but idk if there's a such thing as TOO MUCH LIGHT. is there?

[cichlid1409]

not that the MH would too much light but will cost alot for electricity just for a fuge and its a little overkill. i say that your t5 will work fine. but if you wanted to go with what darbex suggested probably only cost about $20 or so.

[aznboigottipsy]

its a t8 fixture, 15 watt 8k daylight bulb. but its for freshwater, like not corals or anything im not sure if it wouldn't grow the algae or what?

[cichlid1409]

8k is good for plants/macroalgae even coral. but the color is not appealing on your display imo, so in your fuge just fine

[aznboigottipsy]

ok kool, thanks. on my main tank i have a 48 inch power compact coralife. it has dual bulbs? (looks like 2 long 24 inch bulbs connected to each other) not sure what they're called. well i have 2 on each side, 10k and actinics in the back. i think this is ok for soft corals. i heard not to get hard corals with these lights. i picked up this light from my friend for 50 bucks, n he had a nice tank so im guessing its a good light. lol like i said im a newb at this stuff....

[soymilk]

Why not run the 250w mh as the main tank light?

Swap the bulb for something blue-er if you want better pop from the corals. Mh > Pc. As for the fugue light. I would get that homedepot bulb darbex was talking about. It'll prob cost you 25-30 bucks but youll get more cheato to grow. I ran a desktop lamp with one of those homedepot lamps for a while too. Worked fine.

[aznboigottipsy]

it was, but i only have 1 it wont light up the whole tank...
im planning on putting my metal halide in the middle, but i need to build a stand or something of some sort to be able to do that.

[soymilk]

you don't have a canopy? either way mh > pc. I would rig something up to use the 250w MH.

[rage]

I keep some chaeto and rock rubbles in my sump and I only a shop light with a 60w bulb. I used to have a 20" 17 watt Power Compact. Not a lot of difference. My chaeto is growing a little but not as much as other people's who claim they have to throw it out every month or so. The mangroves I had didn't do too well, they survive but didn't grow much. I got rid of them because I heard that you need lot and lot of it to help absorbing nitrate.

Between my chaeto and live rocks, I have 0 nitrate so I am happy with what I have.

I suggest just use what you have and watch your macros. If they do as well as you want, stay with it. If not, you can change then.

[soymilk]

it would have to depend on nutrient levels and bioload as well. For me its easier to start strong and have more than enough fuge light in cause of elevated nutrients levels. Its easier than trying to play catch up trying to lower nutrients later on.

the main reason for me to swap to a home depot, is cost of bulb and ease of replacement. But 17" watt pc >>>> 15w t8

[aznboigottipsy]

thanks guys i actually went to hd today n bought a plant grow bulb and a clip on light holder thing. the guy that worked there said it would help grow plants indoors/aquariums. its a 120w bulb

[Darbex]

Check the K rating on that some of them are low and won't grow macros.

[aznboigottipsy]

i can't find the k rating on it. the guy just said it will work. lol my grandmother was with me, and i told her i needed something that was like 6.5k but the guy assured her that this will grow it. and she was my money source atm so she got it. so i figured since im not paying for it, won't hurt to test it out for a month or so right? lol