Ripple effects in the tank

[weekf]

Does the ripple effects come from single metal halide bulb unlike fluos which run along the tank?

I am using NO on my nano but hardly see any ripple effect but the giant fish tank in the LFS has got huge underwater ripple shadow effect when they are using metal halides. I know it has got nothing to do with brightness but the angles of a single metal halide bulbs compare to NO fluos running along the tank is that true?

 

[Guest]

i only have fw experience, but;

i was playing with an old hid light over my tank once, and it does cause this ripple effect you are asking about. the hob's agitated the water surface and the light which was hanging over the middle of the tank created a rippling effect and vivid shadows from the plants and fish alike. hth.

 

[ccCapt]

I know it has got nothing to do with brightness but the angles of a single metal halide bulbs compare to NO fluos running along the tank is that true?

It has everything to do with the brightness and intensity of mh's. Not sure what you mean by angles of the bulb, but most, if not all aquarium mh's are mounted horizontally.

 

[weekf]

I am not very good at describing physic and no degree in physics but correct me if I am wrong. With fluos it is running across the top of tank, therefore all the light shown will shoot down to the botton vertically from the left to the right therefore render water surface ripple effect useless.

Whereas with one metal halide, say you only got a single bulb in the middle of the tank, the light shoot to the left side and right side of the tank will be at a certain degree of angle therefore the ripple on the water surface will cause ripple shadow effect underneath the water surface on either side only I think because the middle of the tank will have the metal halide right on top and will not have that much ripple effect. But if you use twin metal halide this spots can be covered by both metal halide angle and you get the total ripple effect full area under the water surface. Don't know if this make sense to everyone I am not a native english speaker.

 

[flanque]

I only have 2x 3ft NO and I do get a ripple effect but not as intense as MH. Actually when the lights turn off and there's just the light from just the fixtures in the room I get a much more dramatic result, and they're a good couple of meters away..

 

[2revup]

weekf is right, its all to do with angle.

 

[flanque]

How do you suggest we do it to get a better effect?

 

[weekf]

I think fluo won't give much ripple effect strip light that is. For max ripple effect I will say a few single bulb light, not necessary a metal halide but something like a single bulb in nature spread them out and you still get ripple effect but metal halide just show them up more obviously because it is brighter I think.

 

[ccCapt]

I still don't know what you guys mean by angle. You have a mh bulb mounted horizontally or a flourescent bulb mounted horizontally so what diff angles are you talking about?
The ripples you see in the tank are actually shadows cast by the water surface, if thats what you guys are talking about. That comes from the intensity of a mh. Flourescents just are not bright or intense enough to cast a shadow that far into the water.

 

[Ziggy953]

cccapt is correct. What you guys are talking about can not be accomplished with PCs, VHOs, NOs or HOs, they just do not have the intensity needed to create the shadows. What are you are talking about the lamps and other lights you have that cause a ripple when you lights are off are because your lights are off. The NOs you are using cancel out the light from your lamps or other lights when they are on. If you want to create the ripple effect you need to upgrade to MH w/VHO actinics.

 

[2revup]

MH lights like

/ \


and fluro like
| |
| |

so therefore halides create angle try this at night with a small torch and you will see amazing rippes its because of the angle.

 

[ccCapt]

Hmmmmmm
So are you trying to say light coming out of a round tube flourescent bulb directs the light ONLY in one direction? Down? So if I look at the side of the bulb there's no light coming out? Interesting. How do you know which way is right side up before you turn it on? You wouldn't want the light shing up only. On every flourescent bulb I've ever seen, the light comes out from all 360 degrees. Some reef bulbs have a reflective coating over the top half to reflect more light down, but it still comes from the sides too.
And your diagram shows a mh doesn't shine directly down? I must have special bulbs then, cause mine sure do shine down, and up, and sideways..in fact light comes out of a round, horizontally mounted mh bulb from all 360 degrees.
Forget your angle theory It's all about the intensity.

 

[Ziggy953]

I have no idea what he is talking about. I'm with you cccapt, my bulbs shine in all directions that's the point of a reflector, to get as much of the light to go in the direction you want, usually straight down. Oh well......