Lights for Chaeto? (1 Viewer)

[fire123]

I wonder what kind of lights do you use to keep your chaeto.

I use a shop light from Home Depot and my chaeto does not grow all that well. I have a lump about the size of a volley ball and it has stayed that way for a couple of years. At first I thought I did not have nitrate which caused it not to grow but it's actually about 10.

 

[c_a_otoole]

I use a cheap hd clamp light with a 100w cf light and I grow a ton of it.

 

[fire123]

I use a cheap hd clamp light with a 100w cf light and I grow a ton of it.

Correct me if I am wrong, the lumens output of a 100W CF light is about the equivalent of 300-400 watts of incandescent bulb, correct?
Does HD sell a fixture that takes a 100W CF bulb?

My clamp fixture either takes a 60W incandescent bulb or a 13W CF bulb.

 

[tektite]

I use a cheap hd clamp light with a 100w cf light and I grow a ton of it.

Me too, grow all sorts of macros under it. I use the 100W equivalent daylight cf bulbs, they use 27W. The daylight is a little less yellow than the soft white, just personal preference there though.

 

[fire123]

Me too, grow all sorts of macros under it. I use the 100W equivalent daylight cf bulbs, they use 27W. The daylight is a little less yellow than the soft white, just personal preference there though.

Can you clarify this statement. Who are they?
Did you mean you use the equivalent of 100w of incandescent which is ~27w of CF?

 

[tektite]

Yes, sorry if that was unclear. The bulbs I use are 27W CF daylight bulbs, equivalent to 100W incandescent.

 

[fire123]

Got it.
I use a 15W CF which is equivalent to 65W incandescent. Maybe that is not enough, I have a 20G sump, 28" long but the area I keep the chaeto in is only about 12x12.
Is it better to keep it away from high flow?

 

[tektite]

Chaeto likes flow, it grows faster in higher flow especially if it can freely tumble so the whole ball gets light.

 

[Jasonc]

The bulbs I use are 27W CF daylight bulbs, equivalent to 100W incandescent.

I use the same bulb wattage (5100K I think) in the home depot fixture. I've only had chaeto for two weeks and it has at LEAST doubled in size.

 

[Jaypilot]

I'm going to ask a dumb question but does chaeto normally sink or float. I got some chaeto and it seems to sink, but I thought it floats? I have mine actually in the DT under t5s and I have seen very little growth over the course of a month.

 

[tektite]

It sinks, though if it doesn't have much flow around it it is easy for air bubbles to get trapped causing it to float.

 

[Jaypilot]

It sinks, though if it doesn't have much flow around it it is easy for air bubbles to get trapped causing it to float.

Thank you, that would explain my confusion. When I purchased it I expected it to float and it didn't, thanks

 

[fire123]

I think the chaeto would sink until it traps enough air inside to make it float.
Earilier today, I split the chaeto into 2 lumps and put in 2 separate compartments, 1 high flow, 1 in the middle.
Both sunk to the bottom and now several hours later, they both float to the top.

I also just bought a different light fixture at HD that takes up to a 150w incandescent bulb. I bought a 25w cf and it is indeed twice as bright as my own bulb. Maybe that will help.