What light colour effects algae??

madmatt

madmatt

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Hi guys.
Hope this doesn't come across stupid.
Am I correct in saying that different colours of light affect algae.
If so how does that have an affect on cheato (macro algae).
Is the red colour the best option.
My thinking is to add a Red led in my sump over a open section I got in my sump next to my basket with Live rubble rock.where I'll have cheato.
Would this work to improve growth and help my tanks filtration.
What colours would do what.
 
I have the same question. After searching the web the best I could find was this video


Also since I think cheato would grow a lot like normal plant in a sense I looked the following.
picture.php


I ordered a 12w bulb with 4 Red 4 Blue 4 White (1w x12) to experiment with, should be arriving soon..
 
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Iv always struggled to keep cheato under a white light being it cool or warm.
Hence my thinking to improve the growth and chance of cheato by using a red light source.
Interested to hear your results.
And any feedback back info from the big fish on masa
 
That's some hectic tumbling.
How important is that.
I've seen load of guys tanks that have insane growth but have no tumble what so ever.
Just there general current flow through there sumps.
 
why not mix up the spectrum a bit? this imo would keep most of the unwanted algae, whichever spectrum of light they prefer to grow under, under control in your fuge or algae scrubber?
 
I'm tempted to run a blue and red Led.
Seeing Peppers colour spectrum growth.
 
I turn the ball over once a week. For me it does seems to help.
 
madmatt said:
different colours of light affect algae.
Click to expand...
I had a friend in Margate who was a very experienced reefer who was adamant that whenever he put blue actinic lights on his tank then he would experience hair algae growth. I guess it makes sense looking at that pic that @Pepper posted.

I found full spectrum lighting to be the best, a 150w MH was the bomb, I had great growth. I would imagine T5's would be perfect too, but in these days of LED's, I don't know? Maybe something like this red and blue led would be optimum for growing chaeto? E27 3W 3 LED Plant Grow Hydroponics Light Bulb Indoor Lighting Lamp Red Blue | eBay

Bear in mind, chaeto also needs Nitrate in order to grow, if you're running an ulns tank then you'll struggle to get any growth from chaeto.
 
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My basket with rubble live rock is right next to where I want to put the cheato.
Will the light have a negative effect on the rocks.
 
i use a 30w 6500k led day light over my refugium and growth is very good!! Refugium size is 800 x 500 x 500, macroalgae grows at all levels.
 
well, for the indoor plant growers, growing plants in basements and hidden cupboards.
white light from metal halide bulbs are perfect for vegetative growth. Then you switch to high pressure sodiums for flowering. Red light units.
 
If it was not for the propagation of those plants, we would not have had LED units above our tanks.

Seriously.
 
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