What kind of bulb do you use for your macro?

B

BigStun

[What type of bulb do yall use for macro algae...I have heard of some people using plant lights, and others using normal bulbs. I am using this type of fixture. This pic might look familiar Marc :D

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Edited By BigStun on 1104776056
 
[I'm using the fluorescent spot light that Marc posted some time back, probably the same one you're using. I've been having a problem with cyano in the 'fuge, directly under where the light hits the water, so I'm thinking about going back to my power compact 'fuge light.]
 
[I don't know what I am doing wrong but I cannot get my macro to grow. I can move it to the tank (in a holding container) and it will double every few days. In my fuge with "marc's light" It does not want to grow much at all. Maybe I need a halide on my fuge?]
 
[I use a pair of these. You can get them from HomeDepot.
http://www.cooperlighting.com/search....app=111
65k bulbs. My macro grows quickly and I've never had an algae problem.

They are hard wired, so you have to rig something up for them. I mounted two shallow round gangboxes on a piece of 1x4 and wired them in series with a power cord.

Not a very clear pic, but you can see them. I took the lenses off because I felt like they were attenuating the light some.
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I started getting some cyano on top of my chaeto at about 10 months until I changed out the bulbs. The new ones were very noticably bluer than the old and the cyano growth stopped.

If you had room you could use this from same company. Mr Ly had these over his fuge's at the old store. Same Kelvin but 65 watts.
http://www.cooperlighting.com/search....app=111

I would imagine that a single PC retro in 65k would work very well.]
 
[My PC 'fuge light is a 6500K and never noticed a problem with cyano down there. I need to find a new bulb for it however, one side of the tube has blown out.]
 
[The 5100K bulb is the one you want, imho.

Cyano in the refugium is okay, believe it or not. Any kind of nuisance algae can grow in there, which reduces the chance of it growing in your display.

I have 2 x 2700K over my macros currently, and cyano grows in the surface where the water can't flow easily. During a water change, I simply shake out the macros in the drained water, and put it back into my system, detritus and cyano free (or reduced at least).

Perhaps we should do a group buy for the 5100K bulbs? I'm not necessarily hoping to get them cheaper, but asking Home Depot to get in a case or two is a lot easier than asking for one or two bulbs.]
 
[I saw some 70 watt plant lights that looked like a normal light bulbs with blue spray paint on the bulb...they were like 5 bucks.]
 
[I wanted to revive this because I had a point to make that I'm just now getting around to.
cyano grows in the surface where the water can't flow easily said:
Your right there is practically no flow across the top of the chaeto. All the water is passing underneath.
I had cyano practically covering the top of my chaeto until I replaced my bulbs. I havent seen any since.

Reef Invertebrates Calfo and Fenner p. 75
avoid using old lights that have strayed spectrally or new lamps designed to provide warm colored radiance under 6 said:
The above quote was in reference to controlling nuisance algae in the display, but that combined with my recent observation leads me to believe <6500K is less than ideal.]
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