Biocube 32 rear refugium light?

[Donny Dutch]

Is the following lights strong enough to sustain chaeto in the back of a biocube?  If not, please provide some that will....preferably that can stick on the outside of the tank....

 

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0719DQBJ9/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3DBE5O3R4V3CP&psc=1 

OR

https://www.amazon.ca/Mingdak-LED-Aquarium-Light-Submersible/dp/B07K693ZBV/ref=sr_1_3?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1546111850&sr=1-3&keywords=submersible%2Blight%2Bwith%2Btimer&th=1 

[Clown79]

This one is a popular refugium light

 

https://www.amazon.ca/Flood-Light-Cable-Plant-remote/dp/B07G5NBQK8/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1546209198&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=led+flood+grow+lights&dpPl=1&dpID=41%2BB38%2BgAJL&ref=plSrch

[FISHnChix]

14 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

This one is a popular refugium light

 

https://www.amazon.ca/Flood-Light-Cable-Plant-remote/dp/B07G5NBQK8/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1546209198&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=led+flood+grow+lights&dpPl=1&dpID=41%2BB38%2BgAJL&ref=plSrch

Ha I got that one for my biocube. With a biocube you kinda mount it on the glass. This thing is super intense I had put painters tape over most of it bc it would turn my cheato white 

[Clown79]

33 minutes ago, Weikel said:

Ha I got that one for my biocube. With a biocube you kinda mount it on the glass. This thing is super intense I had put painters tape over most of it bc it would turn my cheato white 

I expect that you would need to do that.

 

I found lighting a refugium hit and miss in such a small area. Far easier in a sump.

[Donny Dutch]

So I guess that light in my link is not viable (I meant the "white" one, not the "blue") as no one directly commented on it....

[Christopher Marks]

57 minutes ago, Donny Dutch said:

So I guess that light in my link is not viable (I meant the "white" one, not the "blue") as no one directly commented on it....

Those are really interesting lights @Donny Dutch, I've never seen anything like them before. It's like an LED light in a glass heater tube, it seems like it could work out perfect for this application! The spectrum might not be optimized perfectly for growing macro algae, but I suspect the white LED version would still provide enough spectrum. You'd definitely want white light over blue when it comes to growing plants. 

 

For the price I think you should give it a try, it could really be a helpful solution for reef hobbyists!

[Joevember]

That's the light I use on my refugium! It works out great! Just the right amount of light to grow chaeto. Spectrum could be better, but it's only $10.

Just so you know, the refugium gets dirty if you don't clean it every 2 weeks. Algae will also build up on the glass tube around the light.

[Christopher Marks]

Well there you have it! That's so cool! How did I miss this light? How did you happen to come across it @Joevember?

[Joevember]

8 minutes ago, Christopher Marks said:

Well there you have it! That's so cool! How did I miss this light? How did you happen to come across it @Joevember?

I wasn't actually the person to come up with this. The person who I bought my setup from used this light for his fuge. I have it set up like he did. Still a pretty cool idea to have an internal fuge light. 😁

[Christopher Marks]

I found the same light on Amazon US as well: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C3KP268/

 

There is a version where you can set the color of the LEDs via remote control, I wonder if it would be better suited for a refugium because you could set the light to red or pink for better algae growth? https://www.amazon.com/Smiful-Aquarium-Submersible-Underwater-Wireless/dp/B074W5DRDN/

 

[12scanlon]

I have a biocube 16 and use a ACKE led grow light. My chaeto triples in size every week and a half to two weeks. I have been very impressed with this light. totally recommend it. 

[Donny Dutch]

Alright, these tube led lights should be fine then, my plan was to suction the light on the back of the biocube.

 

If I decide to get the intank basket, I was going to stick the light inside the tank on the empty side since I was not planning on the refuge basket also.

 

I am just having plenty of trouble with cyano and a new brown algae (4 months old tank) and I have chaeto currently floating in a fishnet suspended near the biocube filter pump exit.

[Lula_Mae]

I used the short version of the white Mingdak light in my AC70 fuge. It seemed to work alright. 

[mcarroll]

On 12/31/2018 at 11:35 AM, Donny Dutch said:

I am just having plenty of trouble with cyano and a new brown algae (4 months old tank) and I have chaeto currently

This does not sound like a problem that growing some algae can address:  Cyano grows where green algae cannot...so macro algae will not grow (well) either.

 

The "new" brown algae is concerning.

 

If the system is out of balance (proof: cyano) then one of the most likely "brown" algae to appear AFTER cyano is dinoflagellates.

 

Can you post a pic of the brown algae?   A full tank shot as well?

 

And what are your nitrate and phosphate test kits showing in the water currently?

 

 

 

 

[Donny Dutch]

I am starting to think the light from the window is screwing me, even with the blinds.

 

The brown algae and gray cyano on the substrate are now growing slowly but the glass just grows fast, the phot is 4 days worth of glass algae.

 

The sun shines only in the morning but is blocked by the blinds, I’ll put a blank over the tank after I clean the glass to see what happens.

[Donny Dutch]

My test kit always shows 0 for nitrates, nitrites, and ammonia.

[mcarroll]

0 for nitrates is not a great thing....your tank should test positive for nitrates as well as phosphates at this stage.  Double check phosphates and see if they appear to be zero as well.  If you'r already running any filtration or doing water changes, stop.

 

Post your phosphate test results when you get em!  :)

 

That algae is normal for the phase of the tank. 

 

Run a test for dino's if you're worried - they are the only thing I'd really be concerned about. 

 

To test, take a sample of the algae with some tank water, shake the sample vigorously to homogenize it/break up any chunks, then place the sample under a light for a while to see if any of the algae "group up" or regroup.  Only dino's will do this.   No clump - no worries.

 

Anything else will be taken care of by passage of time or the CUC.

 

[Donny Dutch]

On 1/30/2019 at 10:12 PM, mcarroll said:

0 for nitrates is not a great thing....your tank should test positive for nitrates as well as phosphates at this stage.  Double check phosphates and see if they appear to be zero as well.  If you'r already running any filtration or doing water changes, stop.

 

Post your phosphate test results when you get em!  🙂

 

That algae is normal for the phase of the tank. 

 

Run a test for dino's if you're worried - they are the only thing I'd really be concerned about. 

 

To test, take a sample of the algae with some tank water, shake the sample vigorously to homogenize it/break up any chunks, then place the sample under a light for a while to see if any of the algae "group up" or regroup.  Only dino's will do this.   No clump - no worries.

 

Anything else will be taken care of by passage of time or the CUC.

 

I have a phospate test kit being shipped as of Thursday, just read this now though.  I will grab some algae and see what happens. I am posting two photos of what the tank looks after a few days, I’m assuming this is cyano. The same goo does not appear to be on the live rock though.

 

I also bought chemiclean as a last ditch effort.

[Donny Dutch]

The phospate test looks like it is around 1.0, image attached.