refugium lighting

[Jaws]

What lighting would you reccommend for a 15" wide by 24" long by 24" deep refugium?

I'm thinking either this one:

http://www.jlaquatics.com/phpstore/store_pages/details/l-pc.php?product_ID=pc-alf24065

or this one:

http://www.jlaquatics.com/phpstore/store_pages/details/l-pc.php?product_ID=pc-alf24130

I'm not affraid to spend the extra money for the double strip but the question is "do I really need it" considering the tank is only 15" wide?

Does anybody have either of these lights used by any chance?

[danny zubot]

If the fuge will be strictly for macros then the first will do. Although, 24" is pretty deep for a single PC. If you want to grow out frags, say on a shelf up high, then the dual will be better. I'd say the dual is the better pick.

[Jaws]

My tank is mostly sps so I don't think 65 watts is enough light to grow sps frags but I could be mistaken. The original plan was to grow just macro algaes, but like you say, the tank is 24" deep.

[Funky_Fish14]

I'd say the first is fine. My fuge is 18x18x12" deep and I have a 20W 50/50 PC over it and i have corals in the bottom........I know its not that deep but I think that single light on yours will cut it.

Chris

[Nemo]

I went to the electrical wholesaler and picked up a 5500k flouresent bulb, (the ones that are replacing regular bulbs these days) I went with 35 watt, in a 35 gal refugium.

socket cost $4.00
bulb cost $22.00
and some wire and a plug I had around the house

[Jaws]

Anyone else with an opinion?

[BT05]

Buy a clamp lamp from home depot (comes with a cone reflector) and buy a compact fluorescent bulb from a hydropnics store. Pick the wattage depending on the water level in your refugium/sump, just make sure its an R30 base. These types of bulb are typically 6500K but there are 25000K ones too if you want to set up 2 lamps to get more blue in the spectrum. If your refugium is not viewable and you are only interested in growing things, then the cooler bulb will do.

[reeferaddict]

Jason...

I have a 175W 20,000 K ..... I'm toying with chucking THAT on mine.... that way I can accelerate the macro growth AND grow out any frags I want....

Jim.

[Jaws]

If you don't, I'll take it off your hands.