What kind of Cheap light good for Refuge?

[wolf]

I would like to get a good light setup on the Refugium, its a converted 6
gallon wetdry with not much room for top light, thinking about side light.
Or shoudl i remove the lid which prevents more evaporation and just let the
light shine on it. I have a huge evaporation problem here in the dry
desert. I am pumping gallons into the system daily or every other day. Its
55 gal tank. I need to get this tank down to maintenance free as it will be
transferred to a famil member who doesnt want to take all the extra work
associated with a reef. I will try to get a new light. I currently have a
flourescent screw in bulb type that is only about 26 watts. Its good enough
to keep algae alive, but growth isnt tremendous. I was thinking of getting
a 1, 2 or 3 light. 1 for the top, and 1 for each side. There is about 6
inches of water for caluerpa to reside and propogate in, but afraid light
will grow algae on the walls and lose total effectiveness. I have a feeling
the same thing will happen on the top. The reason i dont know if because
ive been running it with the lid cocked half off for evaporation ventilation
so more light could shine through. Should i just get one light, and let it
shine thru, without any refuge lid?

Thinking of some kind of normal super bright flourescent that comes compact,
like a PC. Any suggestions? have a week to figure this out before the tank
transfer.

Thanks,
Wolf

[Marc Levenson]

http://www.melevsreef.com/fuge_bulb.html

Marc


wolf wrote:

> I would like to get a good light setup on the Refugium, its a converted 6
> gallon wetdry with not much room for top light, thinking about side light.
> Or shoudl i remove the lid which prevents more evaporation and just let the
> light shine on it. I have a huge evaporation problem here in the dry
> desert. I am pumping gallons into the system daily or every other day. Its
> 55 gal tank. I need to get this tank down to maintenance free as it will be
> transferred to a famil member who doesnt want to take all the extra work
> associated with a reef. I will try to get a new light. I currently have a
> flourescent screw in bulb type that is only about 26 watts. Its good enough
> to keep algae alive, but growth isnt tremendous. I was thinking of getting
> a 1, 2 or 3 light. 1 for the top, and 1 for each side. There is about 6
> inches of water for caluerpa to reside and propogate in, but afraid light
> will grow algae on the walls and lose total effectiveness. I have a feeling
> the same thing will happen on the top. The reason i dont know if because
> ive been running it with the lid cocked half off for evaporation ventilation
> so more light could shine through. Should i just get one light, and let it
> shine thru, without any refuge lid?
>
> Thinking of some kind of normal super bright flourescent that comes compact,
> like a PC. Any suggestions? have a week to figure this out before the tank
> transfer.
>
> Thanks,
> Wolf

--
Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com

[skozzy]

A problem with lighting from the sides or having a glass cover is aglae
build up. Maybe for a refuge it might be what your after for the creatures
in there. So keep that in mind.


"wolf" > wrote in message
ink.net...
> I would like to get a good light setup on the Refugium, its a converted 6
> gallon wetdry with not much room for top light, thinking about side light.
> Or shoudl i remove the lid which prevents more evaporation and just let
the
> light shine on it. I have a huge evaporation problem here in the dry
> desert. I am pumping gallons into the system daily or every other day.
Its
> 55 gal tank. I need to get this tank down to maintenance free as it will
be
> transferred to a famil member who doesnt want to take all the extra work
> associated with a reef. I will try to get a new light. I currently have
a
> flourescent screw in bulb type that is only about 26 watts. Its good
enough
> to keep algae alive, but growth isnt tremendous. I was thinking of
getting
> a 1, 2 or 3 light. 1 for the top, and 1 for each side. There is about 6
> inches of water for caluerpa to reside and propogate in, but afraid light
> will grow algae on the walls and lose total effectiveness. I have a
feeling
> the same thing will happen on the top. The reason i dont know if because
> ive been running it with the lid cocked half off for evaporation
ventilation
> so more light could shine through. Should i just get one light, and let
it
> shine thru, without any refuge lid?
>
> Thinking of some kind of normal super bright flourescent that comes
compact,
> like a PC. Any suggestions? have a week to figure this out before the
tank
> transfer.
>
> Thanks,
> Wolf
>
>

[Richard Reynolds]

> I would like to get a good light setup on the Refugium,
> I have a huge evaporation problem here in the dry desert.
> Thinking of some kind of normal super bright

the outside SUN!!! cheapest best bulb you will find its normally there :D and super bright
:D

> I need to get this tank down to maintenance free as it will be
> transferred to a famil member who doesnt want to take all the extra work
> associated with a reef.

nelson reactor and auto top off.



--
Richard Reynolds

[MartinOsirus]

one of those reptile clip on lights might work - or maybe jalli 13
lights(petsolutions.com) or premiumaquatics.com

[fishgills]

Hi, i'll tell you what i did, i have a ecosystem in theory there the
same, mine came with a 18 watt bulb i went to home depot and bought for
30 bucks a fixture made by lights of america its 65 watts of pure white
light my calurpa has gone nuts growing like crazy the replacement bulb
is only 9 bucks, hope this helps.---------'My Lagoon'
(community.webtv.net/swt1968/MyLittleOceanReef)


--
fishgills

http://community.webtv.net/swt1968/MyLittleOceanReef
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View this thread: http://www.reef-chat.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=8490

[CapFusion]

If you not leaving that soon, you may try and teach your family member for
awhile until you leave your tank behind. Check if they can handle the
maintanance or whatever you do to keep your tank healthy. Let them
experience the hand-on and see if they can cope with the tank need.
Otherwise, you will probably sending your tank to "Never Never Land".

There no really a such thing a maintaince free reef, even a well mature and
have self eco-system establish. Your familly member will need to check
regulary until they know truely what they are doing and what they are
checking for and the reason to it.

I am not sure about putting the light on the each side of the refugium you
mention but normally put on top. And as for lamp, you can put any old lamp
in the refugium to promote algae growth. I normally use the lamp from the
main tank that spectrium have shifted and use it on the refugium or any
place I need to grow algae.

CapFusion,...



"wolf" > wrote in message
ink.net...
> I would like to get a good light setup on the Refugium, its a converted 6
> gallon wetdry with not much room for top light, thinking about side light.
> Or shoudl i remove the lid which prevents more evaporation and just let
the
> light shine on it. I have a huge evaporation problem here in the dry
> desert. I am pumping gallons into the system daily or every other day.
Its
> 55 gal tank. I need to get this tank down to maintenance free as it will
be
> transferred to a famil member who doesnt want to take all the extra work
> associated with a reef. I will try to get a new light. I currently have
a
> flourescent screw in bulb type that is only about 26 watts. Its good
enough
> to keep algae alive, but growth isnt tremendous. I was thinking of
getting
> a 1, 2 or 3 light. 1 for the top, and 1 for each side. There is about 6
> inches of water for caluerpa to reside and propogate in, but afraid light
> will grow algae on the walls and lose total effectiveness. I have a
feeling
> the same thing will happen on the top. The reason i dont know if because
> ive been running it with the lid cocked half off for evaporation
ventilation
> so more light could shine through. Should i just get one light, and let
it
> shine thru, without any refuge lid?
>
> Thinking of some kind of normal super bright flourescent that comes
compact,
> like a PC. Any suggestions? have a week to figure this out before the
tank
> transfer.
>
> Thanks,
> Wolf
>
>