Fuge Light Recommendations

[yagerboy]

I'm looking to buy a new refugium light and was considering the Kessil Tuna Flora or the ChaetoMax.

 

Does anyo ne have experience good/bad with either, or have other suggestions that are working well for you?

[Yachaq]

Depends of what size of tank/refuge, the speed at which you want to remove phosphates and how much you want to spend.

I have been researching this and considered multiple options. One of my major concerns was light spill and the "need" to have a clean sump. I initially setup the refugium in the reefer 350 sump with a tunze 8821. It can be place under water which avoided the light spill issue considerably. The light performed well, but I felt that I needed at least two given the speed of chaeto growth. A few weeks later I noticed several things that made me change the refugium: 1) there was a considerably ammount of detritus and algae growing in the glass and in the external surface of the socks, and  2) as the chaeto grew, the areas in contact with the light were unhappy. Last weekend I started looking for different alternatives for the system and ended up with tunze MAC 3181, as any other reactor would have to either be plumbed outside the sump in an already very thigh cabinet or was to big to fit in the sump. Also considered scrubbers but placement considerations and the lack of a safe habitat for pods made me go against them. The reactor is working well so far but time will tell. Later on I can add the tunze light to it as it has the space for it.

Sorry for the long answer. Hope it helps to share my experience.

[rioreef]

My chaeto refugium is 6x12x17 deep with part of my return feeding it and a small powerhead in the fuge to circulate the water even more bottom to top.  I have a Kessil H80 Tuna Flora over it and I am pulling about half the volume of the fuge out every 2-3 weeks.  It is connected to my Apex controller and the light channel is adjusted running between 50 and 55% for most of the time it is on with a one hour period at 75% (more red light).  For reference the light spectrum values equate to roughly blue (0%), Grow (40%), Bloom (70%), and Red (100%).  The light is on for 14 hours a day.  The chaeto at the bottom with minimal direct light stays a very dark green while the upper portions that get harvested are a bit lighter in color.  Very happy with the light.

 

I used to get unwanted algae on the surface and throught the chaeto, but since switching to this light and the programming, only chaeto grows.  Light spill into the return portion of the sump is controlled by a black acrylic inside the fuge.

Edited July 7, 2020 by rioreef

[DFR]

I’ve used the Kessil H360 for some time.  It kept Nitrate (5ppm or less)and Phosphates (0.00ppm) pretty low.  I’ve also been able to keep Chaeto and Caulerpa effortlessly as a result.  I actually just took it offline because of all the funk that accumulated in the fuge (no fault of the light).  Hope this is a decision I don’t regret.

Edited July 8, 2020 by DFR
Typo

[Stephen]

Stay away from the chaetomax unless you have a very small-small refugium. They are more suitable to use stuck to a chamber on the back of a all in one tank versus use over a open refugium. 

[arking_mark]

I'm looking at the Kessil A380x Refugium Grow for my build. Research indicated that I need to out compete the display...