refugium lighting help

when should i have my refugium lights on?
should i have them on at night? or turn them on at the same time as the DT?

 

that is up to you... it has to do with your pH.

If your pH swings low in the night then run your normal lights in the day and the fuge at night to keep your pH up. If your pH is constant then you can do either 24 hours or only during the day... its all up to you!

 

If you get a chance 6500k bulbs would grow your macro much better. I would run your lights opposite if you are growing chaeto. If you are growing calerpa run them 24 hours to keep it from going sexual.

 

im going with chaeto.
so i should have the lights on during the night right?

 

Yes, that will keep photosynthesis going 24 hours a day and therefore your Ph should stay more stable.

 

If you would like to use the T5s for a different application, you can go to your local hardware store and pick up a reflector that comes with a regular fixture and buy a spiral bulb. Get the highest wattage spiral plant bulb. I've seen 40w spirals at walmart for 8 bucks. Not sure if there is a Walmart "under the ocean" though.

 

There's one over by the laurentian abyss.

 

i just bought a clip-on lighting fixture and a spiral energysaver bulb from homedepot. get atleast a 5000k daylight bulb and you are set. from what i hear chaeto grows just fine under that. i have mine opposite of my DT lighting aswell.

 

Should I have it on day and night or jusst at night?