The Deep Dive into Reef Aquarium Lighting

Every now and again I like to cover a larger topic in the reef keeping hobby and lighting in particular is a loaded topic. Let’s start with some basics of lighting and then work our way to the different types of aquarium fixtures. Grab your favorite beverage because this one might take a while.
Music:
Tracks: “Night Cave”
Artist: Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
License Terms:
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
incompetech.com/music/royalty-...
Video:
Camera information:
Canon C100
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS macro
Canon EF MP-E 65mm f/2.8 macro
Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4-4.5 STM IS
Sigma Art 18-35mm f/1.8
Sony Underwater Action Cam
Copyright Information:
This video was shot and edited by Tidal Gardens. Tidal Gardens owns all intellectual property rights to this content.
Editing Software License:
Final Cut Pro License Agreement 1. C. - "Title and intellectual property rights in and to any content displayed by or accessed through the Apple Software belongs to the respective content owner."
2. B. - “Sample Content. Title and intellectual property rights in and to any content displayed or accessed through the Apple Software belongs to the respective content owner…Except as otherwise provided, you may use the Apple and third party audio file content (including but not limited to, the built-in sound files, samples and impulse responses)(collectively the "Sample Content"), contained in or otherwise included with the Apple Software on a royalty-free basis, to create your own original soundtracks for your film, video, and audio projects.

[@terrakei]

would love to see an update on lighting with all the revolutionary technology that has come up since 2016! thanks for all the great work!

[@huntergreer98]

I wish i had a guy like this as an older bro sometimes. I feel like having a mentor in the hobby would be a great thing. especially in the beginning. I find myself trying to cram in all this knowledge that truly takes years and personal experience to grasp completely. To all of those out there that are mentors, yall do mean a lot, whether its on youtube, a forum, facebook group, or a family member.

[@dabare0731]

Amazing. You truly covered all the options, and the benefits and drawbacks. Thank you.

[@ThriveForFreedom]

Amazing video. I have been a hobbyist for many years and have tried all these lighting schemes and one other. Fiber optic funneling. This is a good refresher course and great for anyone new to the hobby. Thanks again for your videos !

[@StraitClownin909]

Quality and informative video, real pleasure to watch! Thanks!

[@sunnygoold9449]

I can't believe I didn't stumble upon this video until now - amazing and so helpful - thanks ;)

[@johnwells2648]

Love all your videos I especially like the dep fit you go into I even like your music and the tone of your voice lol it's always just such a joy to listen to you and watch what you have to show keep them coming sincere thanks

[@LuisRayasTN]

This viewer likes everything you post! SO VERY INFORMATIVE AND CLEAR. Thanks, mister.

[@Cycnoches2012]

love the photograph too!

[@shantanumathur1059]

Very in-depth explanation . Great resource for beginners like me in to this hobby . Thank you for making this video .

[@Jondol]

Please keep making this type of video, it's really helpful!

[@cliftonhill3432]

once again you guys killed it with this video its helping me with my lighting and coral choice

[@oceres]

Excellent explanation, thank you!

[@pascal590]

Such an informative video, thanks!

[@aquapucci]

Great, as usual. Cheers.

[@lisadimercurio9473]

Great video Than, thank you very much. I'm cycling my new 33 gal cube. When I first got back into the hobby I didn't know much about LED lighting but now that I know more I purchased a Kessill 160 Tuna Blue and I love the shimmer. If I had a bigger tank I would have a LED T5 combo

[@jjiron706]

Amazing Job !

[@shortnanxious6088]

your Lighting videos for coral tanks are probably the best for Salt and freshwater aquatic hobbyists to understanding lighting... Thanks Than Thain. 👍 I was one of KG Tropicals Livestream fans that was on the chat when you were a guest... The one who was Joking around with John about the poisonous corals. lol. I had Fun listening to you telling John about coral... never seen him so, Shocked and nervous about starting something new. You seemed to be very good humored too... I enjoyed it. ☺

[@richardnation3379]

I am looking into getting into the hobby and this was very informative!

[@thomshere]

What a great video! Thanks so very much for taking the time to film and edit all your awesome videos. Not only are they extremely informative but the corals are filmed like your right next to them underwater and I think It makes them so much more interesting than your average reef tank videos!

[@tidalgardens]

I'm glad you like the videos. It's a lot of fun for me to make as well I just with I could make more of them.

[@modolla81]

Great video! Added to Fav Videos

[@9StickNate]

Another great video!

[@michaelwescott8064]

Thanks, this was very informative.

[@tidalgardens]

You're welcome!

[@Airafel]

Amazing video! Your hard work put into this is beyond appreciated. Thank you! :)

[@tidalgardens]

Thanks Becky

[@saraivy4582]

Thank you for diving in to the biology of reef keeping. It's at the foundation of everything we do with our reefs, from water parameters to lighting to feeding...complex and fascinating! Your videos are truly outstanding, and your photography is stellar. I look forward to more videos!

[@tidalgardens]

Thanks Sara, always trying to make the best I'm able to

[@susanatapia6669]

@@tidalgardens m

[@Forgetii]

Thank you so very much for this video. You cleared up a number of areas regarding lighting that I wondered about and even educated me on a few points I didn't know about. As usual your content, presentation and charming wit is spot-on. I can't wait to see what you put your talents to next.

[@tidalgardens]

Thanks Dave, I hope to get more videos out like this that explore the details.

[@ScottM]

Awesome video Than and just full of great information. I can see I will be watching a lot more than once to take it all in. Keep up the awesome work.

[@tidalgardens]

Thanks Scott

[@nickgarcia7415]

Great even more factors to consider for me a new person wanting to try saltwater and reef tanks for the 1st time

[@ronnietrejo9166]

Great video!!!!!

[@rogerroberts7031]

I really enjoyed this video as I am in the planning stage of re-entertaining this hobby after a 10 year break

[@chrisnwilm]

That tank around minute 14 OMG! beautiful

[@coralfish12g]

Extremely well done video!

[@gaultierdelbarre7411]

hey george, when will u make a vid on sps corala

[@tidalgardens]

Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@coralfish12g]

Maybe I can make one soon, but SPS is really not my specialty. Check out Than's video on them!

[@chipturd55]

CoralFish12g stop being gay

[@christemple6311]

chip turd I don’t think he is gay. You should really check your facts before commenting something that could affect the way people see you on the internet. Also your type of language is not wanted here. Go somewhere else.

[@scubascott1098]

Great video! I loved the delve into the serious science. I leaned a lot.

[@tidalgardens]

Thanks Scott, I like to do some videos like this that are more detailed.

[@SaltwaterGardens]

Great video Than!

[@cut419ram]

Thank you so much for saying that that LED is horrible for photography. I'm a pretty new aquaruist and have all LED lights. Never could figure out why my photos looked terrible on my tanks.

[@charlietvip197]

Good video. Thx

[@benedwards5190]

Your videos always help a lot. Amazing content!

[@tidalgardens]

Thanks Willem, I'm glad you liked it.

[@zaher.w]

Awesome man thank you very much

[@SaberJNL]

Great video

[@WayneDesilets]

Great video, very informative..

[@Greego]

Great info...soothing voice...makes me what to crack open a bottle of wine and just kick back and relax.

[@tidalgardens]

Maybe my future is in ASMR and not reef aquariums

[@CheapRidesAutoSales]

Amazing, stars don’t burn!

[@Thetinkanator]

super helpful

[@RoseFromTheAshesBand]

Your videos have been a real inspiration. I can't wait to make a purchase. We're only 2.5 hours away. :)

[@rainingmackenzie]

Awesome Video !!! Yes more of such video PLEASE. lol

[@tidalgardens]

Thanks Matthew, I plan on doing a few more aquarium-related topics that are more general such as this

[@yoarirlurodi236]

3:07 an amazing image!

[@Cycnoches2012]

As usual you do it up!!

[@tidalgardens]

There is only one way I know how to do this :)

[@theduckdk]

Super video MORE

[@christemple6311]

My favorite is T5 Metal Halide Hybrid since you get an even spread and that cool shimmer from the Halide.

[@simonstone2133]

Best lighting video on youtube

[@tidalgardens]

Only until my next one ;)

[@shortnanxious6088]

Simon Stone I agree

[@TripedalTroductions]

yes!

[@lizhollar3052]

I've been torn between LED and T5 for my 120g build and this helped SO MUCH. Thank you!

[@tidalgardens]

Which did you end up choosing?

[@lizhollar3052]

I ended up going with a HO T5 fixture. :)

[@joseCalderon1976]

Another excellent video. My personal experience with the nanoreefs that I have is to run a mix of LED/T5 combo. I use the T5's for like 3 hours in conjunction with the LED'S, then run the LED'S the rest of the day.

[@tidalgardens]

Hybrid lighting is becoming a lot more popular.

[@InappropriateReefer]

Love this video, lots of fantastic info and examples... not to mention beautiful footage and nice background music choice too! Thanks, I really enjoyed it.

[@tidalgardens]

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it.

[@lukeschnabel2447]

Thats a nice looking MH Fixture

[@tidalgardens]

it's ok.

[@robertkern393]

Great video! Can you dive into coral fluorescence as well in one of your next vids?

[@cl8115]

Please do a vid on day/night cycle. Blue lights on all night? Period of darkness?

[@danielbrewer6469]

Love your videos! Can you please do one that explains watts vs spectrum... I'm new to reefing and in my research, I'm finding somewhat conflicting information. I constantly hear the common watts per gallon advice but also hear about how spectrum is so important. Also, it seams like you can have too much light and "burn" or "bleach" corals? What's more important to coral health? I'm currently searching for my very first lighting system.

[@santamonicahelpassistant418]

Now I know why the coral is so bright :D - Chuan

[@jestronixhanderson9898]

I'm running Plasma LEP :) they are like the iwasaki 6500k, however they are true full spectrum. Supposedly they are the closest light to real sunlight. I run them in conjunction with blue led to bring the spectrum up a bit. Things I have noticed is you need to keep phosphates near zero as algae loves these lights, the blue led doesn't fool anyone :) all I can say is no bulb changes for 27 years and no moving parts :) Ultimately I think they are as good as the iwasaki and the 10k Hamilton. But time will tell. My aim is shallow lagoon for the daytime and led for evening viewing. Most of our corals are used to 6500k in 10 meters of water.

[@1luis4wero]

Kessil lighting is beautiful but there very bright I started my intensity at 50% and leached my sps coral I had to drop it to 30percent

[@AliMohamed-jg6bv]

Hi friend. I really hope that I came across this video earlier. A lot of info which will make my day easier. However I learned a lot by reading a lot. However, I have a question, hoe close lights should be from the surfaces?! Keep in mind it's for a freshwater tank. And is it correct that 2-5 watts is the requirement per gallon for a planted tank?! I need to ask also about aeration. Is there any thumb of rule to size how much do I need for my tank?! I'm planning to have a 1500 gallon. It's my first time and I know I might fail but I like the challenge.

[@thevirtualzookeeper8226]

I like the look of a shallow water reef tank, as in a not so much blue. I get it's not best for growth but I'm assuming I could use both. I think the flourecence is cool but I like to imagine myself suba diving in the shallows. Any advice on what light?

[@walterr.2619]

Nice video. I just got an led with white and blue lads 6000k. I'm told it wouldn't work with coral. Is that correct.

[@michaelboyle1437]

Than, have you ever considered solar panelling? I have a few large windows and would love to use solar as an energy source for my LEDs.

[@arturasnx7575]

to my knowledge, T5 with dimable driver (dali protocol) has same life expectancy regardlessly at witch power intensity it was used

[@enespera559]

Hi how are you, I currently have 2 t5 blue plus 2 coral plus and 2 of 54w add 2 bars of only blue led each 108 w bar with a dimmer at a low level in a 75 g tank but some of my soft corals I see them stressed could you tell me how high I have to put the light please

[@ryanwakebradtelle8682]

Can you compare a few popular lights to a tank in the window, I want to build my first saltwater tank soon. And I don't know if I want to get a 10 to 30 g tank, or if I want to use my spare 55g, and I don't really want to spend, like $400+ upfront. And seeing people who do basic saltwater tanks for under $100, I'm wondering what's right for my first experience with salt water

[@eliavedri7876]

I am thinking about entering the saltwater area, I have the perfect room for a Tank (I think so lol) one wall that faces east is all glass it is 10 feet high and 9 feet wide, and in the morning for about 4 hours this room is full of direct sunlight, That it would be a good place for the aquarium, about 350 gallons, of course I would not rely only on the sun, I would use LED lighting, and T5

[@brandonezdoofenshmirtz2916]

I bought a 168w blackbox and in gonna have a 150w metal halide as a backup, im gonna be all set

[@redsoxclover11]

Just curious . What are you sitting those tanks on to keep them level? it looks like some sort of foam padding?

[@hmtnhk]

Need your expertise: I'm in the process to set a small 55 gal tank, planning to keep just acropora and montiporas. I have bought two kissell blue tuna 360NE . What's a recommended height above surface and would you mind to suggest some settings? I'll really appreciate your comments.

[@EasyReefers]

orb @ 3.33 id assume plankton if it werent for the quantum phase burst (purple blob for split second) just before it appeared. ... it was being a smartass. check it out. ;)

[@AliMohamed-jg6bv]

dear friend, I'm planning a planted freshwater aquarium with 800 gallon. (arowana + discuss + ?! cichlids) the dimensions are hight: 1 m, width: 1m and long: 3m. which kind of light you can suggest me for such aquarium? one which can penetrate up to 1 m. - one good relaible thermometer. thank you

[@FelipeAraujo-dv8xy]

Have you trying Kessils ? ;)

[@troychampion]

what about induction lighting?

[@simonjohnson7484]

ATI hybrid = best fixture for acros so far

[@yassel22]

Awesome job. I've been researching for months on which light to get and finally came to the conclusion that led is best for me since i live in the tropics. I have also decided to go with Orphtek Atlantik v3 plus led.

[@tidalgardens]

I know people who like that light a lot and I've met the owner a few times. I'm sure they can get you what you want.

[@ricko020475]

How is the orphek light doing, thinking of doing the V4

[@UltraReefReseller]

Great video! My dream is to set up a green house in southern colorado, 300 days of sunshine a year and not many very hot days.

[@tidalgardens]

The few hot days is the key. A lot of bad stuff starts to happen once the water gets above 80-degrees.

[@UltraReefReseller]

What do you do at your facility when that happens? If I could make it through the day, it always cools down at night at 5,500 feet in the mountains. I guess a chiller is necessary to be prepared for those extra hot days. What about increasing the water volume with an extra large sump? Thanks!

[@siggyincr7447]

I've wondered if something like a geothermal cooler would work. When your tank gets too warm, pump water though an in tank heat exchanger then into an underground loop to dump the heat and back again. Seems like a higher upfront cost but fairly cheap to operate in the long term.

[@jestronixhanderson9898]

I’ve put my Plasma 300w back on my tank after a number of wild sps corals died after I removed it, I added my halide back on and had roughly the same par, but no luck. In my eyes Plasma full spectrum is the truest replica of the sun of any system out there. Instantly i have seen a massive response in my coral since adding the plasma back onto the tank. Plasma came out when LED was hitting the scene and was too expensive and too cumbersome along with the colour at 6500k . It never got much use apart from some small trials where it out performed led for growth. Bulb life is on par with led too, it might just be an iwasaki bulb that lasts as long as led :) I’d love to hear of anyone else’s experiences and thoughts of plasma.

[@fasttlife1807]

what's the best light...? KESSIL.

[@abh3960]

nice vid 7 gallon long 2 tuna par 38 23w 1 65 gallom ocean revive

[@kacywatson6314]

can corals grow ok under just white LEDs ??

[@shih87]

Great video and I wait for toooooo long... Love the T5 month1 vs month8 shot, which save me a lot to remind people change their T5 bulbs. I have also set LED for show case purpose, T5 for real business. Do you have any traveling plan to Taiwan? Want to introduce Taiwan reefers to you, I always tell them the number 1 salt water aquarium video in youtube is made by Than on Tidal Garden and Advanced Reef Aquarium.....Of course I love to watch miss saltwater video as well ;-), I think you don't mind, right!? ;-)

[@tidalgardens]

I'd love to make it out to Taiwan at some point. I've been lucky enough to get out to Asia the past few summers, but not yet to Taiwan.

[@Dan_wiles]

anyone got any nice radion schedules that are more on the whiter side? Not such a fan of these ultra fluorescent looking tanks that seem to be in fashion these days

[@dowphantom3792]

how has that tank in the begining of the video not broken?? lol theres big bumps and gaps under it :O awesome informative video though

[@keagancribby7098]

Any suggestions for lighting a 48 inch deep 42wide 72 inch long tank? I'm back and forth between mh t5 combo and led t5 combo

[@tidalgardens]

Either one will work fine, but I like the lower heat output of LED vs MH.

[@chrisstella210]

Great Video I think The Giesemann Metal Halide/T-5 Combo is great but PRICEY

[@tidalgardens]

Aquarium fixtures in general are expensive. I've been testing out some really cheap units I found on amazon that are like $75.

[@yosefbenyah8732]

Great video, but someone please recommend a budget reef light

[@marcussreef]

Yosef Ben’Yah AI Prime HD.

[@seiyuokamihimura5082]

can i use full spectrum leds?

[@951000jerome]

you mean the ones that look pink? They're better for macroalgae and sumps than corals

[@jeepfish860]

When he said grab a beverage I got a glass and filled it with my tank water not salty enough for my taste my water was at 1.023 I prefer 1.025 but it was good enough

[@wpn3857]

Hi! I was wondering if I may use your video on my site for education lighting purposes.

[@tidalgardens]

Hi Jack, you can embed the video to share it, but if you want to use portions of it to make a new video, that will require a licensing agreement.

[@wpn3857]

Great! Thank You! I went with the embed option.

[@TheSpunkmayer]

What led brand do you use at your shop?

[@tidalgardens]

A mix of Reef Brite, AI, and Radions, though I am slowly replacing it all with T5 and MH.

[@Elchupacabra560]

Tidal Gardens thank you I saw this whole led nonsense happen in the hydroponic industry.lots of people with very expensive inadequate powered systems only to find out halide or hps was not broken nor needed fixing

[@BodyworkASMR]

Those metal hallides are no joke. At 12:27 a fly gets too close to the light and gets smoked as it dive bombs into the tank.

[@tidalgardens]

When I had 400W halides long ago I had a bug fry itself on the bulb and fill the room with smoke. They smell like pop corn.

[@maddawgzzzz]

T5 has nothing on the 2018 LED tech. Time for a new video?

[@HntrSvrsn]

wow wow wow perfect english until "last long time" perfect english lol

[@marjig8779]

I cannot stand this background noise. Do not use this in future videos PLEASE