Refugium Light

[BowedFloor]

I have one of those cheap ($15) home depot clip on lights with the aluminum reflector.

Got a ton of salt creep on it from my old splashy sump, not a speck of rust. Ran a rag around it and it was like new.

I run a CFL in it I got from a pot err horticulture store. It claims to output tons of wavelengths that plants require. I've never had an issue with them burning out, but I do keep my ambient house temp pretty cool (18-20c)

My Chaeto seemed pretty happy with that setup.

[mike31154]

Folks are attaching clip on desk lamps to the rim of a vessel filled with salt water? I'd respectfully advise against this since it's unsafe & probably against code, meaning if there's an incident, your insurance company may have a problem paying for the resulting damage. Could involve burning down the house and/or loss of life. The term "desk lamp" should be an obvious indication that it's not a good choice for refugium lighting. If you're experiencing salt spray on your reflector, eventually this moisture/salt may make it's way up into the socket & the result could be nasty. It's possible that you may never have an issue, but on the other hand, it wouldn't take much for a good splash to cause fireworks. Hopefully you have these things plugged into a GFCI.

If you really wish to use a standard screw in bulb type fixture, at least get something that's designed for outdoor use, since it will have a gasket where the bulb screws into the socket providing a basic moisture barrier. Better would be a water proof, sealed fixture complete with a glass shield, which you would need to clean daily if it's close enough to the water to get salt spray.

Another alternative is waterproof SMD5050 or 5630 LED strip lighting which is available in 5 meter lengths on the web at a very reasonable price. These can be cut to size at 3 LED intervals, so you can custom design the pattern of light. They aren't the most powerful lighting out there, but can be placed very close to the water surface. They are low voltage, water proof/resistant, so much safer than a 120 volt exposed socket, clip on fixture. Should be plenty of light for a fuge if you pack the rows close together. They come in various colours & the RGB rolls are often available with an IR remote control allowing different colour combos & dimming. I'm using RGB SMD5050 LED strips as supplementary lighting for my 10watt multi-chip DIY LED main lights. Link to build is below. Posts #54 & 61 on page 2 of the thread feature details on the strips.

[ponokareefer]

Well I picked up a lamp and bulb before I saw your post Mike. Not sure what I'm going to do now.

[hfp75]

I use the $15 clip light with a CF twisty bulb and it seems to work...

No issues and I'm not scared if it.

[gregzz4]

I tried a clip light, but returned it

Although it may not be recommended to use mine close to the water, or in an enclosed area, I have this pigtail socket hanging over my 'fuge with this 13w=65w daylight cfl reflector bulb The packaging doesn't disclose it, but they are stamped 6500k on the base
I used shrink wrap on the wiring with a lamp cord
I keep it 6-7" above the water and it's never been splashed, but it's powered through a GFCI just in case

[mike31154]

Originally Posted by ponokareefer

Well I picked up a lamp and bulb before I saw your post Mike. Not sure what I'm going to do now.

In the end, it's up to each individual as to what they use & their risk tolerance. I simply try to put the safety info out there and it's up to the reader to decide. I'm sure there are plenty of clip on lights being used around water and thankfully you don't hear about too many tragic stories. But armed with some knowledge & common sense, it's to your advantage to err on the side of safety when it comes to electrons & water.

You can still use your clip on somewhere around the house I'm sure. Essentially any light fixture that's around water or in a damp location as a minimum should adhere to the IP65 requirement. If you do a search on that, you'll find plenty more info.