How to best emulate this beautiful tidepool lighting in an aquarium? Can it be done?

A. grandis

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 15, 2012
Messages
4,735
Reaction score
3,429
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Well, so a thread is opened asking what would be the best light source to represent a very shallow tide pool like the one in the video. The real answer is to use metal halides, or a combination of metal halides and T5s because metal halides is indeed the ONLY artificial light source for aquariums that will BEST REPRESENT in spectrum qualities an distribution/ delivery of photons (with the right application) the sunlight over a shallow water tide pool in the tropics. Period.
The rest will be only to defend someone's personal preferences in terms of aesthetics, or to sell LEDs, or to defend a purchase.
People can use what they want. That's fine! I just don't like to see posts trying to show the presence of ultra violet as mere detail in real full spectrum just to prove his "point" (whatever point it is in favor of LEDs... cause he doesn't have any experiences jumping in those pools nor any reef aquarium experiences anyways...). Sorry, you guys can continue with whatever you want to go with in this thread...
Oreo, I like some of the posts you publish, but I just couldn't let this one go in a thread like this, man! It was too evident! LOL!
 

buruskeee

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 17, 2023
Messages
791
Reaction score
528
Location
Sacramento
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Well, so a thread is opened asking what would be the best light source to represent a very shallow tide pool like the one in the video. The real answer is to use metal halides, or a combination of metal halides and T5s because metal halides is indeed the ONLY artificial light source for aquariums that will BEST REPRESENT in spectrum qualities an distribution/ delivery of photons (with the right application) the sunlight over a shallow water tide pool in the tropics. Period.
The rest will be only to defend someone's personal preferences in terms of aesthetics, or to sell LEDs, or to defend a purchase.
People can use what they want. That's fine! I just don't like to see posts trying to show the presence of ultra violet as mere detail in real full spectrum just to prove his "point" (whatever point it is in favor of LEDs... cause he doesn't have any experiences jumping in those pools nor any reef aquarium experiences anyways...). Sorry, you guys can continue with whatever you want to go with in this thread...
Oreo, I like some of the posts you publish, but I just couldn't let this one go in a thread like this, man! It was too evident! LOL!
The OP can correct me if I’m wrong, but he’s looking to replicate the color temperature and shimmer of that video he linked. All he needs to do is pick a fixture that looks like that spectrum while producing the shimmer.

T5 is the worst application to do this. Both MH or LEDs will work.
 

Reefering1

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
May 20, 2022
Messages
3,275
Reaction score
5,208
Location
Usa
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
No. Similar, but VCSELs are quite different from LEDs.

It’s like saying MH and T5 are similar types because they’re both in a tubular bulb.
Might it be closer to saying halide and t5 are similar because they both ignite and vaporize gasses and metals which then glow, emitting light- much like the sun?
 

KrisReef

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
May 15, 2018
Messages
15,257
Reaction score
31,323
Location
ADX Florence
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I do wish that I could use these! Unfortunately, the tank will be in a finished basement.
A long time ago in a far away town I worked in a LFS. When people came in and asked me what size tank they should have I always told them a 240 gallon tank. Often they would say that they didn’t have enough room. Then I would ask; “Do you have a couch.” If they said yes I told them the same thing that I would recommend to you. “Move it.”

This hobby may require you to question and
change your priorities. It may be for the best :thinking-face: :rolling-on-the-floor-laughing: :cool:

Good luck with your quest to find the perfect light!
 
Last edited:

Reefering1

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
May 20, 2022
Messages
3,275
Reaction score
5,208
Location
Usa
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The OP can correct me if I’m wrong, but he’s looking to replicate the color temperature and shimmer of that video he linked. All he needs to do is pick a fixture that looks like that spectrum while producing the shimmer.
T5 is the worst application to do this. Both MH or LEDs will work.
I almost fully agree with you here!! I believe the t5/mh combo is the best of the best(currently run mh/led). T5 by themselves would be lackluster but is the perfect compliment to mh. Maybe the only way to add to halide light.
 

KrisReef

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
May 15, 2018
Messages
15,257
Reaction score
31,323
Location
ADX Florence
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
By the way, your tanks footprint is awesome and I hope that you will post some pictures once it’s finished. It’s going to be fantastic!

Hopefully you will get a useful answer from Dana or one of the public aquarium folks who are using the equipment you are looking for.
 

buruskeee

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 17, 2023
Messages
791
Reaction score
528
Location
Sacramento
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Might it be closer to saying halide and t5 are similar because they both ignite and vaporize gasses and metals which then glow, emitting light- much like the sun?
Sure, you can say that as the analogy instead - but the point is they’re different technologies.

Also, the sun emits light through nuclear fusion which is very different than lighting a gas.
 

oreo54

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 18, 2017
Messages
5,971
Reaction score
3,674
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
If you want to defend your personal preference for LEDs... or try to justify your LED purchase... cause no one can go against the truth that metal halides IS in FACT the best representation of sunlight over ANY aquarium!
If you stick to a 6500k Iwasaki that "may" be true.
I've stated that before.
As to any other "flavor" of mh.. HIGHLY suspect.
Depends on how one wants to define it.

You hang your hat on IR/UV for your definition. Thing is the "value" of such has NOT really been determined.
And anyways both can be added to LEDS.. well except for the radiant heat part..


Oreo, I like some of the posts you publish, but I just couldn't let this one go in a thread like this, man! It was too evident! LOL!
AND what you couldn't let THIS go?
Basically what you need.. Doesn't matter on the source..
6500k high CRI lights.

You really never hear yourself do you?
Anyways while you were doodling..
Red line is spectrum at 1M under water
Grey is sunlight.
Spectrum proportions are all screwed up.

Spectrum is a 10000k quality mh
Luminous flux: 10,500 lm
Radiant flux: 70,682 mW
PPF: 288 umol/s
TCP: 14080 K
CRI: 64
λp: 418 nm
Color: #A6A8FF
Keep in mind the deeper under water you go the less cri matters in real life and of course the higher the K goes.
ushio10kver1.JPG

bridgeluxebcob.JPG

Of course this isn't a "light" per se but the point is the basic led with some fill can more closely match the overall spectrum of light at any depth and any requirement IF one wants to consider the overall balance of wavelengths.

Now the fact that most sw led lights do not "favor" such combinations is not the leds fault.
Point is if one wants to go led for this particular situation there is nothing wrong w/ fw fixtures or some to the better sw ones like Radion g6 pros, or any that have a decent amount of output at the whiter settings one prefers.
Which is why I earlier said one may want to consider a fw led over a reef specific one IF you want to consider one at all..
 

A. grandis

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 15, 2012
Messages
4,735
Reaction score
3,429
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
If you stick to a 6500k Iwasaki that "may" be true.
I've stated that before.
As to any other "flavor" of mh.. HIGHLY suspect.
Depends on how one wants to define it.

You hang your hat on IR/UV for your definition. Thing is the "value" of such has NOT really been determined.
And anyways both can be added to LEDS.. well except for the radiant heat part..



AND what you couldn't let THIS go?


You really never hear yourself do you?
Anyways while you were doodling..
Red line is spectrum at 1M under water
Grey is sunlight.
Spectrum proportions are all screwed up.


Keep in mind the deeper under water you go the less cri matters in real life and of course the higher the K goes.
ushio10kver1.JPG

bridgeluxebcob.JPG

Of course this isn't a "light" per se but the point is the basic led with some fill can more closely match the overall spectrum of light at any depth and any requirement IF one wants to consider the overall balance of wavelengths.

Now the fact that most sw led lights do not "favor" such combinations is not the leds fault.
Point is if one wants to go led for this particular situation there is nothing wrong w/ fw fixtures or some to the better sw ones like Radion g6 pros, or any that have a decent amount of output at the whiter settings one prefers.
Which is why I earlier said one may want to consider a fw led over a reef specific one.
Hehe... tell us then what LED in this world he should get for that system that would be equal or even better than a 6500K or 10000K metal halide...
Give us the brand, wattage, how many, the coverage and the price.
Thanks.
 

Reefering1

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
May 20, 2022
Messages
3,275
Reaction score
5,208
Location
Usa
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Sure, you can say that as the analogy instead - but the point is they’re different technologies.

Also, the sun emits light through nuclear fusion which is very different than lighting a gas.
Different yes, but similar in the sense that they are closer to each other than led is to either right?
 

buruskeee

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 17, 2023
Messages
791
Reaction score
528
Location
Sacramento
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Different yes, but similar in the sense that they are closer to each other than led is to either right?
they all emit the same exact photons (assuming spectrum is exactly identical). In that sense, they’re all the same except for aesthetics (like shimmer).
 

oreo54

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 18, 2017
Messages
5,971
Reaction score
3,674
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hehe... tell us then what LED in this world he should get for that system that would be equal or even better than a 6500K or 10000K metal halide...
Give us the brand, wattage, how many, the coverage and the price.
Thanks.
ghlfw.JPG
 

Reefering1

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
May 20, 2022
Messages
3,275
Reaction score
5,208
Location
Usa
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
they all emit the same exact photons (assuming spectrum is exactly identical). In that sense, they’re all the same except for aesthetics (like shimmer).
But spectrum is not equal between the 2.. the differences shouldn't be ignored, imo
 

TOP 10 Trending Threads

WHICH OF THESE CREEPY REEF CRITTERS IS MOST LIKELY TO GIVE YOU NIGHTMARES? (PICTURED IN THE THREAD)

  • The Bobbit Worm

    Votes: 50 66.7%
  • The Goblin Shark

    Votes: 4 5.3%
  • The Sea Wolf

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Giant Spider Crabs

    Votes: 1 1.3%
  • The Stargazer Fish

    Votes: 5 6.7%
  • The Giant Isopod

    Votes: 9 12.0%
  • The Giant Squid

    Votes: 1 1.3%
  • Other (Please explain!)

    Votes: 5 6.7%
Back
Top