Do T5s reduce shimmer?

[LadyTang2]

Say you have LEDs and strong shimmer, will adding T5s make the tank brighter with the same shimmer appearance? Or will adding T5s reduce the shimmer and the more you add the less shimmer you get.

What I am trying to ask is, does the shimmer go away somewhat?

 

[dwest]

Say you have LEDs and strong shimmer, will adding T5s make the tank brighter with the same shimmer appearance? Or will adding T5s reduce the shimmer and the more you add the less shimmer you get.

What I am trying to ask is, does the shimmer go away somewhat?

Yes, my shimmer is less when my t5’s are on.

 

[Roush427R]

Yep

 

[LadyTang2]

Just so I have an idea, is it way less shimmer? Say I had a puck kessil and 8 T5s, 4 on each side, would that greatly reduce it or would there still be a fair amount?

 

[dwest]

Just so I have an idea, is it way less shimmer? Say I had a puck kessil and 8 T5s, 4 on each side, would that greatly reduce it or would there still be a fair amount?

I would say you will see little kessil shimmer with 8 t5’s on. I get some shimmer with 4 t5’s. Although you can turn your t5 bulbs on less hours than the kessils. Thats what I do. 12 hr kessils and 8 hours t5.

 

[LadyTang2]

if theres some water movement up top, will T5s prodcue small amounts of shimmer?

Also do T5s remove lots of shadows? like at the bottom of the tank, shadows from corals rocks ect?

 

[dwest]

You get shimmer from point sources of light like kessils and the sun combined with the surface motion. So no, don’t expect to see shimmer with t5. However, they are great lights and supplement kessils very well. They will help reduce shadows.

 

[W1ngz]

The shimmer from a hybrid LED/T5 is definitely less striking than a single lens LED (like the Kessil) alone. I was really surprised at how much calmer my tank looked visually in the moments after the T5s came on the first time when my Kessil was already getting close to it's peak white.

If you've ever watched a scuba diving video, or been scuba diving or snorkeling, a hybrid combo makes very close to the same effect you would see midday on a wild reef.

 

[BurgerFish]

I have enormous shimmer with 6 T5 and the sun from the window at morning.