Lighting required for Cheato?

[RuGlu6]

Originally Posted by banditpowdercoat

I have to change my CF bulb. I got some new ones, and they are considerably blue'r than the last bulbs. They say 6500K, so my other ones must be 5000k? And, I noticed my CHeato has almost disappeared Started to decline about the time swapped bulbs. Coincidence?

I got 6500k CF Phillips from Home Depot and cheato does not grow at all.
Incandescent "Grow Light" is very hot so i don't want it.

I also tried that super bright one with reflector recommended on mevlevs reef page and cheato or any other algae did not grow ether.

I wonder is there anything else?

[whatcaneyedo]

Its been nearly 3 months since I switched from 23W 6500K CF bulbs to 20W 4100K CF with built on reflectors and I've noticed a positive change in growth of my chaeto ball. Has anyone else tried 4100K vs 6500K and seen an increase in growth?

Another thing I've done differently is to maintain the ball a bit smaller and tear off chunks more frequently. ATM my ball is large/small enough to fill a 1 gal bucket if I remove it from the water.

[mark]

bulb I'm using now is a PAR38 (integral reflector) 23W, 5000K and is over a 20g, lit 24/7.

Flow through the fuge is about 200gph with a PH for an additional 300gph.

Chaeto goes from about a grapefruit to a basketball in ~3 weeks.

[Snaz]

My chaeto compartment is 12" x 4" x 4" brick. It has a single 15w 6700k CFL and in eight days it turns a pinch of chaeto into a brick. See my build thread for my DIY fuge.

[c_scherer123]

I am surprised this thread is still active. But the answers are very informative - Thank You!
It seems the lower wattage (within reason), and more white/yellow spectrum seem to work best (with notable exceptions).
I have read in other threads that the basic fluorescent household bulbs (usually <6500 Kelvin) have had great success.
I picked up a used 10w 5500K aquarium light cheap from another hobbyist. We will see how it goes when I get my tank set up.

[banditpowdercoat]

FYI, 3000K lights grow Cheato like CRAP!!!. I cant find anything higher in my town. Had a 5500K, but it died. Chaeto was growing like mad with that, now, its shrunk over 3/4. Red Turf algae grows pretty good with 3000K though

[RuGlu6]

Other then trying a lover then 6500k bulb i am out of options.
May be it a chemistry of the water or who knows what but in my sump it will not grow under CF Phillips 6500k.
Thank you so much though for replies guys !