Fuge lighting

Hi,

I'm about to go buy some fuge lighting for chaeto. My idea is to buy one of those clamp-on painting lights with reflectors. What kind of specs should I be looking for on the fixture/bulb. I don't want anything that runs too hot if possible. It will be hooked up to a timer.

Is this a good plan? What bulbs? (fuge is pretty small ~ 8-10 gallons)

 

*Update*

Sorry, the refugium is much smaller than that actually, probably more like 3 gallons.

 

I have a small area for a fuge, also. I put mangroves in too and needed a reflector on a 6500k bright white CF bulb that would expand out to let some light to the mangroves. So if it's justs the chaeto, I would think something that can be positioned directly over the chaeto and be about 4-5 inches off the surface and reflect light to cover the area that the chaeto is in. Mine doesn't get very hot, it's a bulb from Home Depot, cost 3.38 and the reflector was about 7 bucks.
The reflector is in the building section at Home Depot and I run mine on a timer, too.
Hope that helps

 

It helps very much, thanks!

 

I bought this light with a clamp-on reflector. I didn't see anything about K-rating, this is a 60 watt bulb. Will this work??? (see pic attached)

 

If you check HD/Lowes and look at the packaging you should be able to find 6500k's pretty easy, I have one running in there $5 clip on socket/reflectors over each of my fuges.

 

Got mine at home depot also clamp on style. Got a energy saver bulb 6400k and my chaeto grows like a champ.

 

So the one I got is no good, eh? I'll need to find a Home Depot or Lowes.

 

Lowes has them there called grow bulbs for plants

 

This will prolly be disputed but I'm going to pass along some of my own experience

I bought one of those clip ons with a reflector and the exact same bulb. I found that the chaeto was growing, but it wasn't as fast as I expected (people always told me chaeto grows very fast). My solution was switching to a different K. It was very difficult to find the K rating, but I finally found them on the backs of the packages written in like 4 sized fonts (at home depot its in the packages with the green writing). The different K did help (2700k, as research showed that was within the range of a plant bulb) but it was sugjested to me to get a CFL flood light, thats just one of the wider bulbs with a built in reflector.

Since that was installed I've noticed a large difference for the good in the growth of my chaeto. I got the 100 watt equiv which I believe is a 23watt bulb and its working great, worth the extra 50 cents over a standard CFL IMHO.