T5 VS. Metal Halide
- Thread starter bluerug
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The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
Had he gotten zapped and fried his brain he would have responded WOOF WOOF WOOF!!!
Looks like some tastey rock in there.
Looks like some tastey rock in there.
AVALover5498
*Zoa Freak*
Do T-5's produce a different color in SPS than MH's? I've heard lighter colors appearing with T-5's and darker colors with MH's. Is this true?
The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
Seems to be at least some truth to that but as we learn more about these lights I think the color issue will be resolved.
db_triggerfish
Premium Member
OT, bluecarpet i like your rocks, who would have thought a year ago i would look at a rock and say to myself that is a nice rock. lol
TropTrea
New member
This is not an issue of MH verses T-5's but more of a matter of which particular coral you are refering to and what light frequency is reaching that particular coral.
One of the things about many corals and especialy SPS corals is that there are chemicals within that coral which caise a florescent effect. What realy happens in the florescent effect is that light is received by this chemical and the frequency of that light is reduced by a chemical reaction and then emitted from the coral.
There are probably several hundred of these chemicals which are involved in these florescent type reactions. Each of these chemicals require a different wave lenght of light usually in a very narrow spectrum to cause this chemical reaction and the light emitted by these chemicals is also very dependent on the frequency.
An example might be a said coral contains three different such chemicals. Chemical A is activated by light at 440nmand emits light at 460 nm, Chemical B is activated at 470nm and emits light at 500 nm, and Chemical C is activated at 530nm and emits light at 600nm. Now if you light source over the coral is concentrated at 420 nm with veryabout 5 times as much light at 440 nm then it has at 470 nm and none at 530 nm, then the coral will radiate at a frequency of 460 nm with the other frequencies showing little or no light at all. Putting this same coral into another persons aquarium with even the same rated lighting source might actually have a slightly different spectrum where the much stronger at 470 nm and will look considerably different. In the long term this coral will will build up more of Chemical B in your friends tank but more Chemical A in your tank resulting in an even greater color difference.
Little points like this is where I get aggitated when people talk about PAR ratings being the only guide meaningfull. It is also where I get annoyed because there has not been enough data made available to the hobbies on the true spectrum of various lighting sources, and the true needs of various particular corals.
Dennis
One of the things about many corals and especialy SPS corals is that there are chemicals within that coral which caise a florescent effect. What realy happens in the florescent effect is that light is received by this chemical and the frequency of that light is reduced by a chemical reaction and then emitted from the coral.
There are probably several hundred of these chemicals which are involved in these florescent type reactions. Each of these chemicals require a different wave lenght of light usually in a very narrow spectrum to cause this chemical reaction and the light emitted by these chemicals is also very dependent on the frequency.
An example might be a said coral contains three different such chemicals. Chemical A is activated by light at 440nmand emits light at 460 nm, Chemical B is activated at 470nm and emits light at 500 nm, and Chemical C is activated at 530nm and emits light at 600nm. Now if you light source over the coral is concentrated at 420 nm with veryabout 5 times as much light at 440 nm then it has at 470 nm and none at 530 nm, then the coral will radiate at a frequency of 460 nm with the other frequencies showing little or no light at all. Putting this same coral into another persons aquarium with even the same rated lighting source might actually have a slightly different spectrum where the much stronger at 470 nm and will look considerably different. In the long term this coral will will build up more of Chemical B in your friends tank but more Chemical A in your tank resulting in an even greater color difference.
Little points like this is where I get aggitated when people talk about PAR ratings being the only guide meaningfull. It is also where I get annoyed because there has not been enough data made available to the hobbies on the true spectrum of various lighting sources, and the true needs of various particular corals.
Dennis
The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
Good article about lighting spectrum and it's role in coral coloring. This is why I suggest multiple lamps rather than one or two different lamps in T5 mixes
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2006/9/aafeature/view?searchterm=riddle
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2006/9/aafeature/view?searchterm=riddle
ogredawg19
New member
You really can't beat the shimmer effect. I don't know about you guys, but for me 80% of this hobby is all about looks. The reason why I buy particular corals and why I have my rockwork done, etc. is because of how's it's going to please my eye when I look at it. I was thinking about t5 lighting when I was getting ready to upgrade. I looked at other reefers who had this lighting and went to stores who used t5 for their systems, and I do agree that they're really bright and support everything. That's why my friend decided to go with T5. But after seeing couple of halide lit tanks, I was sold. I had to have the shimmer because it just makes my tank look better (IMO). Now I can't really tell you that there isn't any heat issue, because it's winter time and so far I don't have any complaints on the heat mh puts out. But I'm sure this is going to change when summer time comes that will change.
I do agree though that some corals does look better on t5, based on my friends tank. But some corals, hammers and frogspawn for example, I like it better in mh. My frogspawn looks like it's glowing from the inside instead of just plain green with my friends t5. I don't exactly know how to explain it but here's a picture...
<br>
Here's a full tank shot, although it's kind of messed up because I tried doing that panoramic crap but it kind of got messed up. It ended up looking like I have 3 clowns instead of two, and my mushroom has two mouths lol.
I do agree though that some corals does look better on t5, based on my friends tank. But some corals, hammers and frogspawn for example, I like it better in mh. My frogspawn looks like it's glowing from the inside instead of just plain green with my friends t5. I don't exactly know how to explain it but here's a picture...
<br>
Here's a full tank shot, although it's kind of messed up because I tried doing that panoramic crap but it kind of got messed up. It ended up looking like I have 3 clowns instead of two, and my mushroom has two mouths lol.
ogredawg19
New member
by the way, the camera's exposure was set to -1 because it was too bright with 0.
The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
Nice tank
I am an odd duck, I don't like the shimmer lines. Anyway in my old tank my frogspawn looked WAY better under T5's. The Fiji Yellow leather liked the halides better, go figure.
I am an odd duck, I don't like the shimmer lines. Anyway in my old tank my frogspawn looked WAY better under T5's. The Fiji Yellow leather liked the halides better, go figure.
55semireef
Moved On
Making logical statement is considered as "misinformation?" ok...
55semireef
Moved On
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8846182#post8846182 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bluecarpet
I will save that for the 30th.
You can say thank you for the rocks and why in the heck did you put the lights on after I told NOT too.
TropTrea
New member
Actually even with MH's there are limitations with singl Bulbs. When using the 15K ot 20K MH's you have lower PAR ratings because of the lack of light in the longer wave lenghts, yet when you go to 6.5K's or 10K most people sense more of a yellow cast and the light is also not strong enough in the shorter wave lenghts for some of the blue florescing corals.
My new tank is going to be a combination of probably 4 T-5's expecially in the shorter wave lenghts ( 2 actinic and 2 blues) with 2- 250W MH's in the 6.5K to 10K range to bring up the PAR as well increase coral growth rates. After that point I should be able to do some fine tweeking by changing out one of the T-5's if the balance is not ideal.
Plus I should get the shiller of the MH's and the dept penetration of the T'5's
Dennis
My new tank is going to be a combination of probably 4 T-5's expecially in the shorter wave lenghts ( 2 actinic and 2 blues) with 2- 250W MH's in the 6.5K to 10K range to bring up the PAR as well increase coral growth rates. After that point I should be able to do some fine tweeking by changing out one of the T-5's if the balance is not ideal.
Plus I should get the shiller of the MH's and the dept penetration of the T'5's
Dennis
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