Want the shimmer. Lighting help

gliebig · 06-04-2012, 07:47 PM

I just tore down my 125gal reef and am turning it into a low tech discus tank. From what I have been told, my 3x150watt halides are no good for this application. I wanted to keep the halides mostly for the shimmer effect.
I really, really want to keep the shimmer look, so am I limited to LED's or the curly CFL bulbs?

Please send me some recommendations. (It's a typical 6' long 125gal)

Thanks,
Greg

**vincenz** · 06-04-2012, 08:12 PM

If you don't want LEDs, you could go for 70W metal halides also. Or just suspend two of the 150W high up over the tank and deal with the light spill somehow.

gliebig · 06-04-2012, 08:29 PM

I'm open to anything, but I'm more familiar with MH. LED's would be cool too, I just don't know what fixture would be good. Switching to 70watt halides would prob be most expensive since I'd have to purchase new ballasts and maybe pendants too.

Bushkill · 06-04-2012, 08:33 PM

There are some decent LED spots that are in the 5000K range. I tried one over a 90G with angels and potted swords and for me it was perfect so I suspended a second one over the other side. I got it at Lowes', but it did set me back about $45. Has all the shimmer of MH. Coming from SW don't expect the same color temp. of a 14K bulb though.

gliebig · 06-05-2012, 01:14 AM

Would three 60watt cfl's work well?

**Hoppy** · 06-05-2012, 03:09 AM

CFL lights don't give the shimmer effect, probably because the reflector makes the source of light too big for discrete shadows. LEDs do give the shimmer, at least the LED lights I have made or seen do.

gliebig · 06-06-2012, 03:46 PM

I just held a lamp with a CFL over my tank and it shimmered pretty darn good. I may look into these. Are people using these?

JasonG75 · 06-06-2012, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gliebig

Are people using these?

All the time.

gliebig · 06-11-2012, 12:54 PM

I got in 2 36" Marineland double bright fixtures the other day. I just don't think they are going to cut it over a 125gal. It's pretty much only a total of 32watts. The blues seem to be useless and my center bracing covers up a few of the white LED's. I think I would need 4 Double Bright strips to cover the tank. They also kinda had a spotlight effect which I'm not fond of.
So I also ordered 3x70watt 8k halides. That = less than 2watt/gallon. Think I will be better off with those?

gliebig · 06-12-2012, 06:22 PM

anyone?

talontsiawd · 06-12-2012, 09:37 PM

On a tank that size, most the off the shelf LED lights won't be enough light. I should say "big brand" led fixtures as people do make usable LED's but you likely have to order them. Even a few LFS use them on planted tanks but don't sell them, for some reason. You could use your MH and raise them, I don't know enough about larger tanks to know how many you should use and at what height.

Lastly, though you don't get the true shimmer of LED or MH, you can get some shimmer with raised up florescent lighting and a large amount of surface ripples. I get some shimmer on a lower light PC setup and a lot more on my extremely high mounted light on my higher light setup. However, I get more shimmer with less light, not sure why that is. I wouldn't recommend this, per say, unless it fits what you are doing, I am just saying it is possible, but it's not as evident as LED/MH by any means. That's what is really going to do it for you.

One more thing, you don't have to go 100% LED to get shimmer either. I have added a LED desk lamp to a tank and it gave quite a bit of shimmer, and a bunch when used alone (was a strong moon light).

gliebig · 06-13-2012, 01:55 AM

I'm tired of stressing over the halides, so I'm giving up on the shimmer and contacting catalina to make me a t5 setup.

06-04-2012, 07:47 PM	#1
gliebig Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Bel Air, Md Posts: 28	Want the shimmer. Lighting help I just tore down my 125gal reef and am turning it into a low tech discus tank. From what I have been told, my 3x150watt halides are no good for this application. I wanted to keep the halides mostly for the shimmer effect. I really, really want to keep the shimmer look, so am I limited to LED's or the curly CFL bulbs? Please send me some recommendations. (It's a typical 6' long 125gal) Thanks, Greg

06-04-2012, 08:12 PM	#2
vincenz Cryptocoryne (View User Tanks) PTrader: (47/100%) Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: New York Posts: 687	If you don't want LEDs, you could go for 70W metal halides also. Or just suspend two of the 150W high up over the tank and deal with the light spill somehow. __________________ "Space and light and order. Those are the things that men need just as much as they need bread or a place to sleep." The Spawning Pool-- 75g shallow square Three Worlds-- 4g triple sphere

06-05-2012, 03:09 AM	#6
Hoppy Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (57/100%) Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 17,287	CFL lights don't give the shimmer effect, probably because the reflector makes the source of light too big for discrete shadows. LEDs do give the shimmer, at least the LED lights I have made or seen do. __________________ Hoppy

06-12-2012, 09:37 PM	#11
talontsiawd Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Concord, CA Posts: 2,475	On a tank that size, most the off the shelf LED lights won't be enough light. I should say "big brand" led fixtures as people do make usable LED's but you likely have to order them. Even a few LFS use them on planted tanks but don't sell them, for some reason. You could use your MH and raise them, I don't know enough about larger tanks to know how many you should use and at what height. Lastly, though you don't get the true shimmer of LED or MH, you can get some shimmer with raised up florescent lighting and a large amount of surface ripples. I get some shimmer on a lower light PC setup and a lot more on my extremely high mounted light on my higher light setup. However, I get more shimmer with less light, not sure why that is. I wouldn't recommend this, per say, unless it fits what you are doing, I am just saying it is possible, but it's not as evident as LED/MH by any means. That's what is really going to do it for you. One more thing, you don't have to go 100% LED to get shimmer either. I have added a LED desk lamp to a tank and it gave quite a bit of shimmer, and a bunch when used alone (was a strong moon light). __________________ -Matt Eheim Pimp Club # 382 The Fraternity of Dirt #53 13 Stones (Part 2) 6 Gallon Betta Tank

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06-04-2012, 08:29 PM	#3
gliebig Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Bel Air, Md Posts: 28	I'm open to anything, but I'm more familiar with MH. LED's would be cool too, I just don't know what fixture would be good. Switching to 70watt halides would prob be most expensive since I'd have to purchase new ballasts and maybe pendants too.

06-04-2012, 08:33 PM	#4
Bushkill Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Bushkill, Pa Posts: 412	There are some decent LED spots that are in the 5000K range. I tried one over a 90G with angels and potted swords and for me it was perfect so I suspended a second one over the other side. I got it at Lowes', but it did set me back about $45. Has all the shimmer of MH. Coming from SW don't expect the same color temp. of a 14K bulb though.

06-05-2012, 01:14 AM	#5
gliebig Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Bel Air, Md Posts: 28	Would three 60watt cfl's work well?

06-06-2012, 03:46 PM	#7
gliebig Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Bel Air, Md Posts: 28	I just held a lamp with a CFL over my tank and it shimmered pretty darn good. I may look into these. Are people using these?

06-11-2012, 12:54 PM	#9
gliebig Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Bel Air, Md Posts: 28	I got in 2 36" Marineland double bright fixtures the other day. I just don't think they are going to cut it over a 125gal. It's pretty much only a total of 32watts. The blues seem to be useless and my center bracing covers up a few of the white LED's. I think I would need 4 Double Bright strips to cover the tank. They also kinda had a spotlight effect which I'm not fond of. So I also ordered 3x70watt 8k halides. That = less than 2watt/gallon. Think I will be better off with those?

06-12-2012, 06:22 PM	#10
gliebig Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Bel Air, Md Posts: 28	anyone?

06-13-2012, 01:55 AM	#12
gliebig Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Bel Air, Md Posts: 28	I'm tired of stressing over the halides, so I'm giving up on the shimmer and contacting catalina to make me a t5 setup.