Best LED light for a refugium

[Hentz]

It's $200, but I had one laying around. I used an AquaUFO I used to run. I had it over my sump for macro algae and WOW did everything explode. My macro was so healthy and happy.

 

[Akrite]

I decided to try the 5k LED PAR 30 bulb from lowes but I went up a size to the 20watt with 1000 lumen. This is the brightest bulb I've seen so far. Still not ideal for what I wanted to do because I'm hanging it from the ceiling of my sump. I wanted something low profile that I could lay over my refugium. My search will continue but for now this lowes build will do. Please keep the recommendations coming.

 

[fermentedhiker]

Buildmyled has a couple macro algae dedicated color layouts for fuge's. Definitely more money than a par38 bulb though.

 

[dangros]

is that really correct b/c it's assuming 90 gallons when in reality a fuge is WAY less than the actual tank size

That would be very close to equivalent of using Cree 6,500K LED's by themselves. The secret though is getting the right wattage total for the cycle you need and the size of your refugium. I have found that 21 watts total works great on 90 gallon refugium running them 24 hours per day. This comes out to 5.6 Watts per gallon per hour. So if you run for the lights for about 11 hours per day you only need about 1/2 watt per gallon.

 

[bqq100]

I love my diy fuge light. 2 Cree LEDs (1 warm white 1 cool white) and a mean well driver. About 60 bucks, 26 watts, 2400 lumens. Grows cheoto like mad in my little fuge. If I had a bigger tank I would do the same thing scaled up.

The LEDs I used:
http://www.mouser.com/Search/m_Prod...0000-000N00K427H/&qs=WCOoa0sxaty6bAkE1SlXGw==

 

[brob22]

this is wut im followin along

iv beem also lookin for the ideal fuge light. im not araid to spend 200 on it.

so far BML has peaked my interest

 

[Scubasteve13]

I bought a total of 12 solder less LEDs in a kit from rapidled then a heat sink from heatsink USA (they sell custom heatsinks). 6 red 3 blue and 3 cool white just epoxy the LEDs on connect the driver I run that over a large CPR fuge. I run the light 24/7 and have grape culapera and I have to trim back evey 3 weeks because the fuge is packed tight. Total kit cost about 200. If you don't mind doing some DIY it will be your best bet.

 

[rockdrummer1226]

I decided to try the 5k LED PAR 30 bulb from lowes but I went up a size to the 20watt with 1000 lumen. This is the brightest bulb I've seen so far. Still not ideal for what I wanted to do because I'm hanging it from the ceiling of my sump. I wanted something low profile that I could lay over my refugium. My search will continue but for now this lowes build will do. Please keep the recommendations coming.

How is this bulb working out OP? Looking for a refugium bulb right now and was interested in your experience. Thanks!

 

[dangros]

This one is another choice:
http://m.homedepot.com/p/Philips-12...mmable-LED-Flood-Light-Bulb-425280/203553286/

 

[Isayso]

I want to put my 2 cents in...
The bulb from Lowe's, I found it here at Walmart... 2 weeks in and I see the growth of the cheato
From a golf ball to a tennis ball, and growing

 

[hipower]

I have a Petsmart National Geo Led light Item: 36-5230262 with an extra plant led pod. Hope to gave things setup in a few weeks.

 

[naecO.rM]

Hi, try Kessil for an refudgium, white channel 100%, blue channel 10-40%.
Chaeto grow as mad.

 

[sixpackgarage]

I'm using a Kessil Amazon Sun. macro is growing quite well, plus the price was right. I have a thread in the macro forum about it.

 

[nuxx]

Used a BML fuge LED, didn't do too much.

Bought a cheap Chinese 165 watt full spectrum LED and have the whites all the way up and blues down low and the Chaeto is growing well now