"Shedding LIGHT" on REEF Aquarium Lighting

Almost since the beginning of the hobby, how to properly light a reef tank has stirred discussions and controversies. So, imagine the discussions illuminating a 17,000-gallon display tank full of corals of every description. This video examines the lighting currently employed on this tank like never before. Tullio Dellaquila of ReefBrite and Marc Levinson of Melev's Reef employ state-of-the-art equipment to assess how well the tank is being lit. For this analysis, Tullio used an Ocean Optics Flame extended-range Spectrometer to measure the spectrum of light throughout the tank from 200-1000nm. This unit was also calibrated right before being used by Ocean Optics to confirm its accuracy. In addition, three handheld Solarmeter handheld meters were used to measure UVA/UBB independently. And an Apogee 510 PAR meter, something some of us hobbyists might have, to assess the PAR throughout the tank. For comparison, these devices were employed outside in natural sunlight so that the amount of light hitting the tank and its spectrum, including UV light, could be compared. Various lights, intensities, and templates were compared to each other. To say that some of the results are eye-opening is an understatement. Seeing these unbiased comparisons as they were done will undoubtedly lead to even more discussions about how to light a reef tank properly.
A special thanks to Tullio Dell Aquila and Marc "Melev" Levenson!
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Thank you for being part of the Polo Reef journey!
- Andrew Sandler
0:00 - Intro
0:26 - Welcoming Tullio to New York
1:35 - Measuring Sun Light
2:31 - Playing Around With the Device
5:41 - Testing in the Quarantine Room
6:39 - Diving Into the 17,000 Gallon Tank
7:48 - UV: LED vs Metal Halide
12:58 - Spectrum: LED vs Metal Halide
15:44 - Conclusions
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[@juanmunoz8984]

i payed more attention to this video than the attention i payed to my whole highschool years 🤣 love the info

[@timbrown8587]

Great information that a lot of us don't pay enough attention to.

[@jacksonfamily1903]

Reefing is one of those hobbies where you never stop learning all in order to pamper our coral babies!! Appreciate the video and information.

[@Keeferd]

That light spectrum analysis software is pretty awesome.

[@briansbrain3127]

Quality unbiased content. The hobby needs more of this!

[@jeffseussalias7605]

Why do you think someone with a warehouse full of metal halides and sells led accent lights for them is unbiased?

[@jmdelira87]

Tulio is so full of **** attributing theories to UV. Needs a sales.

[@DoYouEvenFishTank]

@@jeffseussalias7605 Exactly, so many red flags

[@BornAgainFarmGirl]

Honestly I’m such a newby but I feel smarter after watching your videos Andrew.

[@chrisrojas]

You learn something new every day

[@jeremywhiting9009]

Glad to see y’all exposing these differences to the reef community! Would love to see more experimentation

[@PoloReef]

more is coming !!

[@Alex_Correa]

Hey Marc... some of the things I told you on the phone when you switched to those Sky lights... Big mistake is the fact that you guys are concentrating only on UV and forgetting ALL THE OTHER QUALITIES of HALIDES! So important!! Thanks Tullio!!!! Nice shirt!!! Teaching all new and old hobbyists to understand the seriousness of reef lighting! Looking forward to see more and more of the other aspects of metal halides. Quality of light isn't only concentrated on UV as we know. Great beginning!! Thanks for sharing this video!

[@PoloReef]

now we are working on reds and infra reds as maybe important spectrum.

[@Alex_Correa]

@@PoloReef The whole spectrum works as an orchestra! It's not about separated wavelengths. Metal halide is the best source of light because the whole thing resemble the sun. Results don't lie. You won't regret.

[@mwpfishbreeder]

"Let's walk inside since it's cold," he says, while I'm watching this with 4 feet of snow on the ground and -5F over here in Duluth, MN.....HA!!! Much love from the frozen tundra of Minnesota guys!

[@PoloReef]

😂😂🤪

[@Erol_808]

This is super interesting, the use UVB has often been ignored, will great to see how your experiments progress. 👍

[@andrewjones1610]

y'all know uvb pretty much filters out in the first few inches or feet of water right? its completely worthless, and studies suggest it may even cause more harm than good. uvb is what causes skin cancer and mutations in dna

[@johncressy5015]

Awesome video , explaining and showing the differances

[@PoloReef]

thank you. more coming

[@Chris58369]

Love learning more & more about this hobby!!! So many factors go into the saltwater hobby especially lighting with corals 😊

[@blastyfish1393]

This video reminds me why we need the return of Freshwater and Marine Aquarium Magazine. Excellent job men!

[@samdoeesq]

I appreciate these in-depth videos on tank tech! Keep it coming!

[@kevindaniels8602]

It is really cool to visually see the spectrums on the screen and the differences between the lights. Thanks for doing this video!

[@PoloReef]

agreed. thank you !!

[@RacOfBeef]

good to learn more about par readings!!!

[@ou812reefing]

Very informative in understanding lighting

[@Brad.Hobbies]

This was epic, I love the research and information shared. Thank you, Andrew and Rachid!

[@joshswedersky7759]

Thanks Andrew and team for everything you guys do for the community!

[@PoloReef]

appreciate that !!

[@TheNyfishguy]

Tulio has a Plethora of Info ! Thanks for this Super Insightful and Educational Video Gentleman 🙌🏼🙌🏼

[@lsheridan5807]

I love learning about this stuff!

[@jkershen]

Quite an education for somewhat who's only had small aquariums.

[@luperodriguez4738]

Learning about saltwater and seeing how everything is and seeing progress it’s nice. Love the hobby

[@tazer5000]

Great information. Thank you for all the work.

[@shayn1277]

Great video, thanks for sharing

[@JC_Reef]

This is a great video. Thank you, guys, and awesome feedback, Tullio! ☺

[@stephendavis3259]

I love learning about the hobby. Thank you for the video.

[@nanocube6689]

Quite interesting, love this type of video!

[@wilberlemus1654]

I love to see your videos and learning more and more everyday.

[@Temptress1978]

I've used uvb for reptiles so this is very cool to learn about! Thank you for making this video and sharing your experience and knowledge!

[@PoloReef]

pleasure. truth is we still dont get why we can run halides at higher par vs led.

[@barbcongl2588]

Interesting video. Thank you. Love these educational videos.

[@n.goose1997]

Love watching all the videos

[@BCs_Hobbies]

A lot of valuable information here, I too would like to see T5s in the mix. To pivot off of this content, it would be fun to see comparison of competitor fixtures as well!

[@alananeville3003]

I am working on making space and getting a reef. They are just so cool, and you can foster alot of underwater life even here in this cold state of SD

[@insane_reefer3719]

I love everything you guys do for the community thanks so much and keep up the good work.👍

[@PoloReef]

appreciate that 🙏🏼

[@fletcherwright7042]

Great information team 👍looking forward to more information.

[@cloud9aquariums]

Awesome content guys! Thanks for bringing great educational videos to the hobby!

[@merricktheobald8434]

Nice video. Keep up the great work!

[@maxcheslow1230]

Another great video, loving the content!

[@InappropriateReefer]

Very interesting video as UV seems to be becoming the hot topic recently, thanks for putting this together! I can't wait to see the experiment on the effect of UV B. 😎

[@andrewjones1610]

y'all know uvb pretty much filters out in the first few inches or feet of water right? its completely worthless, and studies suggest it may even cause more harm than good. uvb is what causes skin cancer and mutations in dna

[@PoloReef]

us too !! we will have duplicate corals with pathogens and see what happens

[@jeffthomas7383]

@@PoloReef I'm hoping you'll test how different types of corals respond positively or negatively to UVB. Various SPS, LPS, Softies. Purely speculating, but I'd be willing to bet that not ALL corals will react positively from UVB exposure.

[@jonashley9681]

Awesome videos! Keep up the good work guys!

[@stevecapell9062]

Great information about lighting.

[@1HAPPYBOY]

Some really great info, thank you!

[@lukeschnabel2447]

amazing work

[@mikedesjean]

Such great content Andrew! Can’t wait to meet you at FFM this year!

[@603SkyFPV]

Love seeing everything you guys do!

[@PoloReef]

❤️🙏🏼

[@alexalipiev55]

Man all this is insane! I love this aquarium!

[@joshsullie4003]

I love the videos and the reef! What a system!

[@ernestobrito1709]

Nice video, lots of good information

[@russeladams2003]

Tullio with a frantic sales pitch after BRS videos out that say what Dana Riddle and others have said: UVA + UVB don't matter. The blue plus was one of the best T5's. basically zero UV.

[@PoloReef]

😂😂

[@zulu09]

So much cope

[@sdavey10]

Great Vid, very, very useful information.

[@Trand1983]

Great video!

[@Reefahholic]

Let em know Tullio! Thx for the video Andrew. 💯✅

[@davidhartman2081]

Thank you for the knowledge I can't afford but can understand as always thats a big issue I own a par meter but not a spectrometer, love the videos appreciate the information as always Mr.Sandler.

[@paulguilliam3472]

Loving learning something new everyday! Lots of valuable information here.

[@PoloReef]

well see what it means. lol.

[@paulguilliam3472]

@@PoloReef hopefully something helpful.

[@billssaltwaterheaven]

I was waiting for this!

[@IMGbaugher]

The amount of knowledge Tullio has is insane. He’s one of the most stand up guys in the hobby. And honestly cares about the hobby.

[@chosenjacob4604]

Knowledge, yes. Evidence and researched, no. He’s just reading what it says off a meter and making a case that MH are better. It needs researching.

[@jaydominy]

Watching this makes me wish I had the resources to do something similar.

[@snowboarderandy]

great video!

[@LAMNguyen-sd8mo]

Thank you so much for this. The question nobody is acknowledging if we need uv in our reef tank and the benefits for our coral and fish. Hopefully you guys can shed the light on this topic. Hopefully the led maker will take notes if the is beneficial effects. We want change!

[@PoloReef]

we will be doing some real experiments with identical same systems different lights.

[@lisabodner1907]

Very interesting Info! Thanks

[@mwylde519]

Love your content

[@codi4537]

great information!

[@lestat45559]

great video

[@danchac01]

Interesting , thanks for the video 👍👍

[@momsfocusonline]

Love the new products

[@brinks128]

Bravo Zulu on this video. Great information 👍

[@shawn22vest]

You can never have too much light, and so many advantages to all the different kinds!! MH still a great standby for large tanks with sps dominate livestock

[@theiowegindiver989]

Amazing aquarium

[@monicawest2195]

Very nice tanks!

[@LimblessShadow]

Great information here

[@MYR_I_AM_333]

Love the lights!

[@lividfanatica]

Interesting video. I'll be curious to see future studies on how this impacts coral growth/health!

[@gregtaylor9678]

Interesting video

[@TravisZepp]

Beautiful!

[@Azernio]

Love the video

[@ElChamo7576]

This is awesome!!!

[@goreyboggs]

Not a bought review, fantastic job!

[@jeffseussalias7605]

He sells metal halide bulbs, fixtures, and ballasts along with led accent lights for them. I believe he is sincere but unbiased? Judgement call. He admits there is no actual proof of the implied benefits.

[@goreyboggs]

@@jeffseussalias7605 well said!

[@aaronbuncher4760]

So interesting! Coolest tank ever

[@drizzieee6837]

So awesome!

[@missj1704]

This is beautiful.

[@ryguy_8554]

Good work gentleman

[@Reefloco]

Great information. Would love to see experiment setups with fish and coral to see any affects between them. Great video!

[@danielf9052]

Marc sweating bullets filming this, hoping his LED fixture sales don’t go down 😂

[@justinvarghese09]

Love this!

[@daleschrieber3274]

I like yoiur ideas of using the reef

[@dawnsalcedo2663]

these are AMAZING

[@davesorensen6819]

I am surprised that MH temperature is so close to LED! Amazing!

[@davelenjan19]

Thanks for sharing

[@brycewilson4725]

you guys ROCK!!!!

[@thebalbin2784]

Amazing!!!

[@brittanygerken1959]

Love the par meter!

[@PoloReef]

we going to get one of those spectrum software machines

[@barnwine4927]

Nice Video...

[@hamiltoninsuranceagency1240]

This is so cool

[@siggyincr7447]

Tulio is very obviously a big proponent of the idea that UV is important for reef keeping. He seems to be channeling his inner infomercial presenter here. And as far as I can tell there are some pretty good arguments that it MIGHT be. But, loads of successful tanks without UV show that you in fact don't need UV.

[@PoloReef]

agreed. it was just meant to show led halide difference including other spectrums.

[@octiesreef]

The light's might be putting out different wavelength spectrums, but how much of that spectrum is reflected or absorbed by the water when you get 1,2 or 3ft down ? I would have liked to see T5's in the mix too.

[@jeffseussalias7605]

T5's have little to no uv or any ir

[@PoloReef]

uv b can go dn 20 to 40 ft.

[@Sativa098]

@@PoloReef according to who and what data?

[@PoloReef]

i have a uv under surface and spectrum how far down chart but cant put it on here

[@lisafoster4468]

@@PoloReef By whom, though, so we could look it up?

[@gustavovaldez8033]

Thank you so much for the knowledge, now I know the mathematics on how much my body needs to produce vitamin D!

[@travisquillen4479]

Very interesting

[@candycaneunicorn8024]

Please do an update video halides on paper seems the way to go. A halide vs T5 would be an amazing comparison. Thanks Great videos don't ever stop.