Poll: Your take on shimmer effect?

What is your take on the shimmer effect from lighting?

  • I like it and have achieved it

    Votes: 332 53.4%
  • I like it and am looking for ways to add or enhance it

    Votes: 94 15.1%
  • I don't like it and find it distracting

    Votes: 50 8.0%
  • I have no opinion one way or the other

    Votes: 139 22.3%
  • Other (discuss in thread)

    Votes: 7 1.1%

  • Total voters
    622

ca1ore

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Many natural reefs experience shimmer, so I think it is a worthwhile goal for the reef tank. ANY point-source light will produce shimmer IF there is water surface movement.
 

1979fishgeek

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I’ve storkled in the UK and Red Sea totally different but the shimmering effect underwater is so obvious and STUNNING! I never seen articfial light come close to it though unfortunately. My idea of heaven is swimming few meters down on a sunny day with those laser beams of light sparkling all around. Bliss

I use LED, Metal Halide and T5 over my display, I combined the lot as they all bring something but it’s still not close to what I’ve seen in nature sadly.
 

vetteguy53081

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Cant beat Kessils, but also the new Fluval lighting and Halo lights offer great shimmer.
 

Reefs of Space

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I run metal halides and led. Halides produce a more natural shimmer than the leds. Surface agitation is required for the shimmer effect.
 

gcrawford

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Kessils and T-5 over my 120. I took my kessils out to clean the fans the other day and just had the t-5 on and it looked fairly lifeless. LOVE the shimmer and it is also enhanced when you have some bright t-5(s) to supplement.
 

Shooter6

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I like a little but some systems look like a strobe light. I actually use a florescent light defuser on my tank which has 4 black box lights. I dont get very mich shimmer needless to say, but than again my wrasse also stay in the tank too.
 

rockhead51

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On my phone, which doesn't do the poll thing, but I am a +1 for shimmer. I have been diving for 30 years, and yes, it does shimmer underwater, but not very deep (then again, my tank is about 2 feet deep, so.... LOL).
I am run in a BioCube 32 LED, but upgraded to Steve's LEDs, and the shimmer is awesome. It IS most definitely "smaller" (if that makes sense) than the natural sunlight on waves/chop, but I think that is to be expected....
 

sundog101

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I like shimmer, but haven’t been able to get the look I like. I like MH the best. I’d love to get the full natural shimmer look...with distinguishable lines. I’ve never seen anything that can do it though.
 

When to mix up fish meal: When was the last time you tried a different brand of food for your reef?

  • I regularly change the food that I feed to the tank.

    Votes: 19 29.2%
  • I occasionally change the food that I feed to the tank.

    Votes: 23 35.4%
  • I rarely change the food that I feed to the tank.

    Votes: 18 27.7%
  • I never change the food that I feed to the tank.

    Votes: 4 6.2%
  • Other.

    Votes: 1 1.5%
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