An alternative view of T5 vs Metal Halide with great before and after photos.

[70galloncube]

Hey all, found a really interesting alternative typw article that discusses the benifits of T5 over Halide.

And just FYI - take it for what is is, as I personally have used both types of lighting with success and do not really have a preference.

I just thougt it was a neat article so enjoy.

http://www.rapidpower.net/userfiles/file/T5vsMH.pdf

 

[tertansin2]

I've been looking for a new 48" light fixture and can't decide between metal halide or t5's. I leaning more to the t5's because of lower electric bill and less heat. I've had quite a few light fixtures in last couple of years. The only thing that I really like about metal halide's is the shimmer effect. So I think I found a solution but I'm not sure how it looks. So I'm wondering if anyone has had any experience with this light fixture. It is the Finnex 48 with 4 X t5's, fans, 21 led for the shimmer and moon lights. I think with that many leds i should get the shimmer effect I'm looking for in a metal halide. Let me know what you think or if anyone has used this light.

http://www.aquacave.com/finnex-48-ledt5-combo-br-aluminum-light-fixturebr-4-x-t5--21-x-led-2552.html

 

[70galloncube]

I've been looking for a new 48" light fixture and can't decide between metal halide or t5's. I leaning more to the t5's because of lower electric bill and less heat. I've had quite a few light fixtures in last couple of years. The only thing that I really like about metal halide's is the shimmer effect. So I think I found a solution but I'm not sure how it looks. So I'm wondering if anyone has had any experience with this light fixture. It is the Finnex 48 with 4 X t5's, fans, 21 led for the shimmer and moon lights. I think with that many leds i should get the shimmer effect I'm looking for in a metal halide. Let me know what you think or if anyone has used this light.

http://www.aquacave.com/finnex-48-ledt5-combo-br-aluminum-light-fixturebr-4-x-t5--21-x-led-2552.html

If you are willing to spend that much money and want a great fixture, there is a guy on here by the name of "jaygalindo" selling a TEK 48 inch 8 bulb fixture that is pretty new and would be a much better light for you. I promise you that T5's will still give you a shimmer effect if you are able palce them at least 10 inches off the water.

 

[returnofsid]

I'll have to disagree about the Shimmer effect with T5s. I've had the 6 bulb Tek 5 fixture for 3 years and have never seen any shimmer. Although, maybe if I had it 10" off the water, I would. However, placing the fixture 10" above the water, would really decrease the penetration. There's some aftermarket spots that can be used, to create a great shimmer effect too.

 

[70galloncube]

I'll have to disagree about the Shimmer effect with T5s. I've had the 6 bulb Tek 5 fixture for 3 years and have never seen any shimmer. Although, maybe if I had it 10" off the water, I would. However, placing the fixture 10" above the water, would really decrease the penetration. There's some aftermarket spots that can be used, to create a great shimmer effect too.

That's too funny You disagree, but then say "maybe if I had it 10" off the water" (like I said it would have to be) then you would see the shimmer effect.

The only reason people see shimmer with Metal halides as much as they do is because they are too bloody hot to run right on the water surface like you can with T5s and PC's (because as you said, at a height metal halides still penatrate well vs T5's).

The shimmer effect is only present because light is bouncing up off the water's surface (it causes a reflection where light doesn't get a chance to penatrate) when there is movement/waves. The light catches the water just right and bounces off casting a shadow below. (The shimmer)

Now with your T5 mere inches (or less) off the water there is nowhere for the light to bouce up away to (except back into the T5 reflector and istantly back into the tank). Since light travels fast it travels back into the tank FAST and this lessens or even removes any shimmer that could occur.

Move that light and reflector up and give the light bouncing off the waters surface somewhere to escape to and you will see shimmer.

 

[returnofsid]

Guess we'll have to agree to disagree. I will also have to change my above statement, as I have actually had my T5 higher than 10" off the water, when I first got it. There was NO shimmer effect at all, AND there was a vast reduction in light penetration. I suppose it's possible that I didn't have enough surface disturbance, to create shimmer, but I did have almost 5000 gph of flow, in a 75. Thus, I lowered the light, to increase penetration. Shimmer is caused by a "Point Source" lighting. Fluorescent lighting is a diffused source. This is why a lot of people have added aftermarket "spot" lights, to create the shimmer effect, while using T5HO.

About a year ago, I read a great thread, about someone using "track lighting" to get an awesome shimmer effect, while using VHO fluorescents. The accents created were amazing, and the cost was very low. I'll try to find that thread!!

Anyway, as the thread was meant to show the alternative view of T5 vs MH, I do agree that T5s are quickly replacing MH lighting, in all types of industrial uses. A lot of schools are also going this route, in gymnasiums. Granted the measurements of Candle Power, on the floors of these facilities, is averaged, so doesn't really show a true candle power, from directly under the MH, to 2-3' out, which is what we'd need in our tanks. However, it does show an overall trend to move away from MH and towards T5s. I don't know if it'll ever fully catch on in reefkeeping. However, I'm sold on T5HO, and will continue to praise them, to whomever will listen....lol.

 

[Darthv247]

the shimmer is just from the surface tension/waves and the light bouncing off them i would think.

 

[MGDMIRAGE]

I have shimmer over my 10 gallon with my t5HOs from the turbulence of my hob filter. Yet my 20L has way more turbulence and has no shimmer at all..

I would tend to agree that the pin source lighting definitely plays the biggest role in the shimmer, as you can use LEDs fairly close to the surface and still get shimmer.

 

[luisse25]

thats why i have mh and t5 for my new cube..i wanna have both:lol:

 

[tertansin2]

If you are willing to spend that much money and want a great fixture, there is a guy on here by the name of "jaygalindo" selling a TEK 48 inch 8 bulb fixture that is pretty new and would be a much better light for you. I promise you that T5's will still give you a shimmer effect if you are able palce them at least 10 inches off the water.

Do you mean like this?

I just sold them a week ago because I was missing the shimmer. I don't think T5's the have the same shimmer at all. IMO

 

[70galloncube]

Guess we'll have to agree to disagree. I will also have to change my above statement, as I have actually had my T5 higher than 10" off the water, when I first got it. There was NO shimmer effect at all, AND there was a vast reduction in light penetration. I suppose it's possible that I didn't have enough surface disturbance, to create shimmer, but I did have almost 5000 gph of flow, in a 75. Thus, I lowered the light, to increase penetration. Shimmer is caused by a "Point Source" lighting. Fluorescent lighting is a diffused source. This is why a lot of people have added aftermarket "spot" lights, to create the shimmer effect, while using T5HO.

About a year ago, I read a great thread, about someone using "track lighting" to get an awesome shimmer effect, while using VHO fluorescents. The accents created were amazing, and the cost was very low. I'll try to find that thread!!

Anyway, as the thread was meant to show the alternative view of T5 vs MH, I do agree that T5s are quickly replacing MH lighting, in all types of industrial uses. A lot of schools are also going this route, in gymnasiums. Granted the measurements of Candle Power, on the floors of these facilities, is averaged, so doesn't really show a true candle power, from directly under the MH, to 2-3' out, which is what we'd need in our tanks. However, it does show an overall trend to move away from MH and towards T5s. I don't know if it'll ever fully catch on in reefkeeping. However, I'm sold on T5HO, and will continue to praise them, to whomever will listen....lol.

Sounds good on the agree to disagree . I will completely agree that metal halide (as a point source light system) makes it much easier to achieve the shimmer effect, but again, only because of the reason that you mention above - the diffusion of the light and the way it is traveling. A tube provides light across and most of the disruption on the surface which means that even if light is being reflected from one point it is entering from another (diffusion). Where as with the "point source" system of metal halide, light being reflected up and off the surface is not being penetrated from the another direction thus a shadow is cast creating the shimmer effect. If a T5 fixture is hung high enough to allow for reflected light to escape there will be a shimmer effect, albeit it will not be as intense as a metal halide.

I like idea of using an L.E.D. to act as a separate point source light to get a shimmer. I'm surprised that more "store bought" fixtures aren't implementing this ides into their light.

Just curious since you already have a very nice T5 fixture (TEK) why oyu wouldn't just 'retro' some into your current setup?

Have a great night and thanks for the convo.

 

[70galloncube]

Do you mean like this?

I just sold them a week ago because I was missing the shimmer. I don't think T5's the have the same shimmer at all. IMO

LOL - I never said it was the same Just said that it could be achieved. I run both like most people who love the shimmer :lol:

 

[MGDMIRAGE]

You can get shimmer with T5HO but the top of your water has to literally look like a hurricane. I just noticed this with my 10 gallon, the water had gotten pretty low as it's cycling and i have neglected top offs, the lower the water got the more turbulent on the surface and thus i had decent shimmer effect. Soon as i totally topped off the tank the shimmer has dropped significantly.

 

[gas4544]

A little info on lighting and glitter lines from Sanjay Joshi:

http://www.personal.psu.edu/sbj4/aquarium/articles/Photosynthesis.htm

"Surface waves also affect the light intensity. The waves can act as a lens and focus the light, creating “glitter lines.” The glitter lines are intense and typically of short duration. They are very visible in shallow water. These glitter lines appear as flashes of light of high intensity and short duration, and have been measured as having up to twice the intensity of light incident on the water surface. This flashing light occurs only in direct sunlight, and does not occur when the light is diffused (as when a cloud obscures the sun). Whether this flashing light is advantageous to the corals or not is not known, but some researchers have found that it enhances photosynthetic performance in some unicellular algae (Falkowski 1982). In reef aquariums, these glitter lines or flashes can be created through the use of point source lights (e.g., metal halide bulbs) and surface agitation of the water. Florescent lighting is more diffuse and does not create these effects. I find the visual effect of dancing glitter lines to be very pleasing."

Gary