Aquarium Supplies, Resources

The use of UV-C Sterilization for aquariums, ponds, and home/office air and/or water purification has grown in popularity.

HOWEVER, so has the use of low quality electronic ballasts that often fail in months instead of years.
While most sellers of UV Replacement Bulbs still utilize at least reasonable quality Hot Cathode UVC Bulbs, Lamps; the same CANNOT be said for the manufacturers of UV Sterilizers of late.

Even the best in reliable Compact UV Sterilizers (the Terminator), does not have the ballast quality that they used to have. Worse is the very over rated Coralife Turbo Twist which has had 100% ballast failures within months according aquarium/pond maintenance professionals.

What is very sad from my experience in the aquarium/pond industry (as well as others have observed) is that persons will purchase a UV Bulb that goes out either immediately or in a few months due to these poor quality ballasts than blame the seller of the UVC Bulb, making comments such as “Cheap Chinese Bulb” (even when the bulb is not even Chinese made) when in reality it is the low quality Chinese Ballast that is the problem???
Worse yet these same persons when finally convinced that their UV Sterilizer is the problem will go out and purchase another low quality UV Sterilizer such as the Turbo Twist, Laguna, Sunterra, Jebo and many other similar Ultraviolet Sterilizers that use these same low quality Chinese Ballasts, then repeat this cycle.

The bottom line is when you realize you were misled into purchasing one of these low quality Compact UVs, I suggest spending a few extra dollars for a UV Sterilizer that has ballast that last many years instead of months, and has replacement parts available world wide at reasonable prices and finally just as importantly has the most efficient flow, Dwell Time pattern of ANY UV Sterilizer!

While this may seem like an over the top sales pitch, that is a matter of opinion HOWEVER the FACTS are low quality ballasts are 90% of the cause of UVC Replacement Bulb failure, and ignoring this fact and purchasing a Compact UV Sterilizer or Submersible UV Sterilizer of which most have low quality ballasts to save a few dollars or worse refusing to admit to owning a poor quality UV and blaming the UV Replacement bulbs seller is simply irresponsible and you have no one to blame but yourself.
Sorry for the harsh point above, but based on the plethora of feedback I have received and from aquarium maintenance professionals this needed to be said!!

See this article about the High Quality TMC UV Sterilizers for Aquariums or Ponds:

Pond and Aquarium UV Sterilizers, Clarifiers by Tropic Marine Center (TMC); Review

Updated 12/05/11

TMC has long been a leader in the aquarium/pond products industry in both innovation and price.
In the case of their UV Sterilizers, TMC is not the first, but what they done is built a well designed Ultra Violet Sterilizer line based on the most proven and practical design.
These Sterilizers are rugged in their build, with UV-C exposure times that are unsurpassed compared to comparable UV Sterilizer wattages.
TMC brings together quality & design along with price, making their UV Sterilizers/Clarifiers second to none when price and quality are factored in together (a TMC 110 PRO will out perform any Aqua 114 Watt UV for vastly less $$$)

The TMC Advantage and Vecton Ultraviolet Sterilizers design makes these among the most easy to service. When compared to ALL compact UV Sterilizers that are so popular as of late, servicing of the quartz sleeve and UV lamp is much easier with the TMC units.
I know of many who have accidentally broken their compact UV Sterilizer sleeves when attempting to service the UV since most are seated in a way these often have to be pried out. This is not the case with the TMC UV Sterilizers.

As well TMC provides most replacement parts at reasonable prices, unlike the vast majority of UV Sterilizers now flooding the market (especially the Asian built units). Many compact UV manufacturers in particular do not either supply parts or do so at very high prices. Others utilize proprietary UV Replacement Bulbs (such as Tetra) that are difficult to obtain or are quite expensive. This is NOT the case with TMC, as every UV Bulb they utilize is an industry standard UV Bulb/Lamp.

MORE IMPORTANTLY
(From UV Sterilization; Dwell Time Test between UVs)
*In a very telling controlled experiment between a Compact 13 Watt UV Sterilizer versus a TMC Vecton 8 Watt UV shows the big difference between the TMC Advantage and Vecton UV Sterilizers vs Compact UV Sterilizers
Using a Rio 600 (200 gph), with 2 feet of 5/8″ ID tubing; the dwell time inside the Vecton was 2.6 seconds, while the 13 Watt Compact (Terminator) was 3 seconds.
It is important to note that the Terminator 13 watt holds DOUBLE the water volume at 20 oz. water (meaning a less efficient design with more water not within the optimal .3 cm exposure zone) versus 10 oz. of water for the 8 Watt Vecton.
Keep in mind that the Terminator is one of the best designed Compact UV’s, as well, it is noteworthy that the popular Turbo Twist Compact UV has an even higher water volume due to even less efficient water contact design.

The result is 6.66 ounces of water per second is exposed to UVC irradiation for the 13 Watt Terminator while 3.84 ounces of water per second is exposed to UVC irradiation for the 8 Watt Vecton. MORE IMPORTANTLY the results are 1.95 watts of UVC energy per second for the Terminator 13 watt versus 2.08 watts of UVC energy per second for the 8 Watt Vecton

What does this mean? The Terminator is a very good compact UV, however when you consider the 8 watt Vecton actually has a higher dwell time due to actual time per ounce of water held close to the UVC lamp and although the 13 Watt Terminator has a higher energy output, the lower dwell time basically renders these two UVs equal in aquarium/pond gph capacity. So with the TMC Vecton and Advantage you will be getting more UVC Sterilization per watt (as well as a more durable long life UV)

The bottom line is the TMC Vecton & Advantage Premium High Dwell Time UV with almost 100% water exposure to UVC of less wattage is often going to out perform a Compact UV of higher wattage!

TMC has three basic types of UV Sterilizers;
Please click on pictures below to enlarge

*The Vecton UV, Aquarium Sterilizer Line, primarily designed for Aquarium use.

• You can see from the picture that this is a well constructed UV Sterilizer with maximum UV-C exposure and unsurpassed UVC dwell time which includes little space for water to pass outside of maximum penetration, unlike many UV Sterilizers on the market.
• This Sterilizer is very compact for a straight tube UV with opposing hose barbs for ease of installation.
• The Vecton utilizes a very long life and reliable magnetic ballast and starter, unlike most UVs that now have cheap electronic ballasts that often only last a year or two
• The Vecton is manufactured from impact resistant, translucent polycarbonate
• Incorporates unique LITE-SET lamp life timer technology – a tricolor neon lamp life indicator which alerts you to when the UV lamp needs to be changed.

*The Pond Advantage UV Sterilizer Line, built for ponds, but excellent for aquariums too.

• As with the Vecton, the TMC Advantage is a well constructed UV Sterilizer with maximum UV-C exposure which includes little space for water to pass outside of maximum penetration, unlike many UV Sterilizers on the market.
• The Advantage UV includes a very rugged out shell that blends well with many ponds and is equally at home in aquarium applications
• The Advantage UV utilizes a very long life and reliable magnetic ballast and starter, unlike most UVs that now have cheap electronic ballasts that often only last a year or two
• Can be used with Vinyl Tubing Sizes; 1/2″, 5/8″, 3/4″, or 1″ ID OR Rigid pipe adaptors, for connection to 1 inch (40 mm) solvent weld rigid PVC pipe, are included with the unit. These adaptors are held in place with screw on collars, allowing the disconnection of the rigid pipe, leaving the unit or the rigid pipe in site for ease of servicing and maintenance.

*The PRO series as in the 110 Watt Pond PRO UV, primarily for ponds, but these are also useful and popular for large aquarium or systems (such as central filter systems)

• As with the Vecton & Advantage, the TMC Professional is a well constructed UV Sterilizer with maximum UV-C exposure which includes little space for water to pass outside of maximum penetration, yet without the gimmicks of many other premium UV Sterilizer commonly sold
• Suitable for ponds up to 19,200 gallons (dependent on stocking density and the amount of sunlight the pond is subject to) or Aquarium Systems up to 1800 gallons.
• Simply the best professional grade UV Sterilizer for the price!

A suggested web site to purchase a TMC UV Sterilizer with experience in UV Sterilizer design and professional use:
Tropic Marine Center UV Sterilizers at American Aquarium Products

Copyright; Misti King

Updated 12/05/12

The Fluidized Sand Bed Filter is not a new concept, in fact my maintenance friends have been using these back to 1995 and even then admittedly we were far from the first to utilize the benefits of these awesome aerobic bio filters.

As well improvements have been forthcoming over the years since the first models that were great in concept, but poor in design.
Sadly though many spam websites such as About.com do not even list the latest generation Fluidized filters, but then my observations and those of my friends that have been in the aquarium industry for decades have seen little value to anything about.com publishes (as an example, their article about aquarium planaria is laughable and sad at the same time as the information is so badly inaccurate).

Back to Fluidized Filters Attributes:
When properly constructed and functioning as they should (correct suspension of sand in an even churning motion), the Fluidized Filter has bio capacities unsurpassed by ANY other type of aquarium or pond filter.
In fact the newest generation TMC V2 #600F Fluidized Filter has the bio capacity of 35 pounds of fish or other bio life, and this is the smallest model of this current generation of Fluidized Filters.
The larger model #1500F can easily surpass the overly hyped Fluval FX5 or Ehiem 2080 in pure nitrifying bio capacity (as can the smaller models). While the new generation Fluidized filters cannot perform chemical filtration and only limited mechanical filtration, when compared “apples to apples” the use of these Fluidized Filters instead of the high priced and over hyped Fluval FX5 or Eheim 2080 should be a ‘no brainer’, especially when cost is factored in.
This said a second filter whether a canister, HOB, etc. that can perform these other functions AND for REDUNDANCY should be paired with a Fluidized Filter (ANY aquarium should be set up this way with at least two filters if only for redundancy as per most aquarium professionals consulted for this article).

Fluidized Sand Bed Aquarium Filters are not self powered but work well attached to an internal filter, power head or canister filer.
Fluidized Bed Filters use fine sand kept suspended in a water flow for aerobic biological filtration. The plus is they are basically self cleaning as the sand is constantly rubbing against other grains keeping down the organic buildup

A Bit of History:

Our first use was with the Coralife Sea Storm & Red Sea Merlin Fluidized Filters which although these were an inferior design when compared to the later 2nd and now 3rd generation Fluid Bed Filters, these filters still impressed us as to what a fluidized filter could do (as per observations at the time via measured ammonia, nitrites, nitrates)

Later we utilized the LifeGuard (Pentair) Fluidized Filters, which were a big step forward in efficiency and reliability.
The LifeGuard is also the first Fluidized Bed filter my friend used to incorporate in a partial store set up and then later after testing, the entire store!

In fact in tests utilizing several different canister filters such as the Via Aqua 750, Rena Filstar 2, and Magnum, wet/dry & large canister filter only systems (which included the Ocean Clear (converted to Bio Balls, Ceramic Media) and large Eheim Filters; the measured results compared to the Fluidized Filter Systems all out performed these before mentioned filter systems by a very large margin (which is why the store was converted solely to the canister or internal filter powering Fluidized Filter system).
As for these tests; all tanks used were of similar bio load (fish by weight volume) and all tanks were well cycled and running with 0 ammonia/nitrites. We then poured in a liquefied fish food and noted the spikes in ammonia/nitrites and the time to come down from these spikes. Not only did the Fluidized systems spike very little, the spike only lasted less than a day whereas the large canister filter and wet/dry systems spiked notably higher with a few days to come back to 0 readings.

Now, fast forward to 2011 and the 3rd generation TMC Fluidized Filter Systems; these fluidized filters have less issues with blockage or “kicking out” sand and simply put work much more reliably than the Pentair (LifeGuard) 2nd generation Fluidized Sand Filters.
Although actual bio filtration results are not notably better, the ease of use, versatility, and reliability make the TMC V2 Fluidized Sand Bed Filter the better choice in our experience and why this is our fluid filter of choice.

The TMC V2 does not have as much incidence of back up as earlier models either, especially the Sea Storm and Merlin.
Back up is not as much problem with the 2nd generation Lifeguard Fluidized Filters (although the design is still not as secure to prevent this as the TMC model), although the Lifeguard still had/had issues of poor fluidiation and sand loss often due to uneven fluidation.

See the Set-Up Options above & below for the TMC V2 Fluidized Aquarium Filter:

Another effective bio filter is the Sponge Filter, especially the Patented Hydro Sponge Filter.

For Further Aquarium Filter/Filtration Information, please see this article:
Aquarium Filtration; Filters

For light information for your aquarium, please see this article that is second to none:
Aquarium Lighting

Or for an accurate guide (31 years of UV-C experience went into this guide) for UV Replacement Bulb for Sterilizers, Clarifiers, & Purifiers:
UV Bulb Reference Guide

Updated 1-13-12

With LED Lighting advancing at a fever pace, there is a lot to know and as well there is a lot of good information available, but there is also a lot of bad or simply misleading information too.

Sections Include:

• CRI
• PAR (Photosynthetically Active Radiation)
• PUR (AKA Useful Light Energy)
• Other LED Considerations/Rumors
• Unique Features; Lightning Storms to Stimulate Breeding
• TMC AquaRay Recommendations

CRI

Lets start with CRI (Color Rendering Index), this is what OUR human eyes see, not necessarily what is best for Corals or Plants. Unfortunately even some of the best LED manufacturers as well as those reviewing LEDs (such as a very good Aquatics Blog post I read recently) tend to give way to much credence to the importance of CRI as to Aquarium Lighting.
Also many who purchase a good LED light will look at their new light and then compare it to an existing T5, Metal Halide, or similar and then complain that the LED is not as bright. This is again based on the fallacy of depending upon the narrow band of light our eyes can see. The LED’s with the best lighting currently on the market are the TMC AquaRay or Orphek.

More specific to CRI, many purchasing or reviewing LED or other Aquarium Lights look to CRI as to how their corals or fish look under specific lights, and often those lights with higher CRI will show of certain colors better than other lights. While this is all well and good, this should not be used other than maybe a minor consideration when purchasing an aquarium light, in particular LEDs. The symbiotic zooanthellic algae living within corals, clams, etc do not “care” how they look to you, but their biological needs are important when it comes to “Useful Light Energy” (PUR) & PAR, so these parameter should be more important to you.

PAR

Photosynthetically Active Radiation is the spectral range of solar light from 400 to 700 nanometers (some research indicates up to 750nm) that is needed by plants & symbiotic zooanthellic algae (Zooxanthellae are single-celled plants that live in the tissues of animals such as corals, clams, anemones, & nudibranchs) for photosynthesis. This is found from actinic UVA to infrared. UVA is 400-550nm (of which 465-485 has the highest PAR of the actinic range) which is the absorption bandwidth of chlorophylls a, c², and peridinin (the light-harvesting carotenoid, a pigment related to chlorophyll). Infrared is 620-700nm which is the red absorption bandwidth of chlorophylls a and c².

Please see this article for more on the subject of PAR:
Aquarium Lighting Facts & Information; PAR

PUR

PUR (AKA: “USEFUL LIGHT ENERGY”) stands for Photosynthetically Useable Radiation. PUR differs from PAR as the basic definition of PAR is any light in a specific frequency range. PUR is the usable light energy portion of PAR, as well different photosynthetic species will have a different PUR range to which they respond (to which research is still behind as per exact wavelengths for many of these species).

It is important to note that an LED (or any light) can test well for PAR using a PAR meter, but still have poor “Useful Light Energy” (PUR)

If using Apogee MQ-200 PAR Meter or similar to test PAR value you can get similar µMol•m²•sec numbers (also referred to as micro mols or mmol). A PAR meter can sense and report light (‘photons’ or ‘quanta’) that are responsible for promoting photosynthesis which are the wavelengths that are between 400nm and 700nm.
However, if one of these lights produces energy that peaks at 450nm, or the blue spectrum; while another light peaks at 590nm, or the yellow spectrum your reading comparison is not all that accurate since the reading will be similar, yet the light producing the exacting 450nm bandwidth is clearly the better light to use (which is where a PAR meter is often over rated).
For zooxanthellae in your coral’s tissue, the light peaking at 450nm will have greater PUR than the light that peaks at 590nm, although the PAR mmol readings are the same.

The problem with relying on a PAR reading is this does not accurately reflect “useful light energy” output, as well there is more than one way to mix light “colors” (wave lengths) yet still maintain the desired PAR and other popular ‘selling’ parameters (kelvin, etc.); these mixes of colors (often by adjustable LED emitters) are rarely optimum for PUR/Useful Light Energy.
In fact as per the gimmick of adjustable LED emitters; Spectral output only holds true when the emitters are run at the operating voltage and current that they were designed for. As soon as that simple voltage rheostat is used (“control technology”) or RGB is altered, the spectral output changes thus lowering PUR.

I should also note, that based on observations by many aquarium maintenance professionals, even a Spectrograph is not always a reliable source of exact “useful light energy” output as even when spectrographs have displayed similar charts, the results were different (this may in part be due to the amount of energy actually delivered due to LED circuitry and driver design).

This is where you are somewhat dependant upon manufacturer claims, since wave lengths of many LED emitters (diodes) are closely guarded trade secrets. What we can and do know is results and observations such as “LED Light Comparisons, Tests with Metal Halide.
Unfortunately the vast majority of LED Aquarium Lights flooding the market use lower quality older generation LED emitters that require 4-5 time the wattage (such as the Boost LED) to produce similar results in both PUR and PAR as the better patented emitters (such as the exclusive CRee emitters use by Tropic Marine Centre’s AquaRay LED or the Orphek’s PR-156.

Finally as per “Useful Light Energy” (PUR), I will address very rude email in May of 2011 that attempted to insist that there is little difference in emitters between those use by TMC, Orphek and other high end LEDs using patented emitters and those used by Marineland and others using “off the shelf” emitters.
To make such a rash comment (& insulting comment the way it was worded) ignores the expense of development and technology of the emitter (as well as drivers and circuitry running the emitters). This displays about much sense as comparing a processor running a computer circa 1995 as a processor running a 2011 computer. For those who believe this type of BS or want to make such comments, go ahead and hang multiple LED flashlights you can purchase at Walmart for $5 over your aquarium and see how well your Reef inhabitants or freshwater plants thrive!!
As a final thought here, keep in mind that a high end LED Light fixture is an electronic piece of equipment that is in part only as good as its drivers and circuitry which is also why care must be given in the installation to protect against humidity or moisture damage.

Other LED Considerations/Rumors

I look at areas where fiction & facts often get obscured either by poorly worded reviews, forum posts, and manufacturer claims.

1. First, many confuse the importance of dimming LEDs for sunrise and sunset. Having dimable features does not make an LED bad (as some claim), but neither does this feature make a LED better as others claim.
   The bottom line is this feature is for the aquarium keepers benefit, so if you like this feature great. However if not fine too, but do not let this feature make you purchase a lessor LED if the better LED Fixture does not have this feature.
2. CRI, I already addressed this earlier, so I will only add that this again is primarily for your benefit as an aquarium keeper, not your corals, etc.
3. Moon Lighting; Moonlight is not Blue, so do not purchase a LED fixture for this reason only (meaning one LED fixture provides a blue moonlite phase while brand 2 has a dimmed full spectrum phase)

A couple of LEDs I would recommend is the vast TMC AquaRay Line of LEDs or the Deep Tank Orphek PR-156

Be careful of purchasing brands such as the MarineLand Single/Double Bright, Ecoxotic, Maxspect, and many others as many of these lights simply do not have the best emitters as per PUR or in one companies case, infringe on patents.
For example the Ecoxotic depends upon (12) 1 Watt LED low end technology emitters versus (5) 2.4 watt very exacting wave length emitters for the TMC AquaBeam 500/600 (the 8000k white emitters use by Ecoxotic are not nearly as exacting as the patented & exclusive CRee 14,000k emitters used by the TMC AquaBeam/AquaRay); the result is although the Ecoxotic may cost 40% less, your useful energy (aka PUR) is less than 1/3 that of the TMC AquaBeam 500/600s.
Is this really bargain?

Unique Features; Lightning Storms

Another unique feature that some high end LED Aquarium Lights can perform is simulated lighting storms.
With the TMC Storm Feature and Multi Power Controller, an aquarium keeper can simulate lightning storms via an internal program that will last 30 minutes.

This feature when utilized immediately after a water change is a proven way to stimulate many Tropical Freshwater Fish and certain marine fish species to breed.

In Summary

When the most important factors are considered, which this article only gives a brief over view of (an in depth reading of Aquarium Lighting,; Facts & Information is a must), the truly high end LED Aquarium Lights, of which there currently are just a few require only .6 (maybe .8) watt per gallon for high light freshwater planted aquariums and just .8 (maybe 1) watt per gallon for most Reef Aquariums (of coarse this is a simplification and depth, specimen placement, etc. are also considerations).
For “FISH ONLY” of very basic planted or FOWLR marine tanks, only 1/3 to 1/2 the above watts per gallon are required.
Please note that there are many other variables such as specimen placement, tank depth, light placement that can increase or decrease these suggested wattages; Ex: a shallow tank (such as only 12 inches deep) that might be large in volume will require lower wattages of “high end” LED light energy.

These watts per gallons aquarium lighting requirements must be compared apples to apples as these watts requirements do not apply to most Aquarium LEDs as most are just cheap Chinese imitations utilizing older emitter bins that are now available to all (unlike the newer, best technology emitter bins which are only licensed to a few high end LED manufacturers and cost considerably more).

If you are still considering one of these cheapie LED knock-offs (that use “off the shelf emitters”), realize the most important light measurement is “Useful Light Energy” or PUR and although most lighting professionals recommend the use of PAR Meters as a measurement of any aquarium lighting fixture, in the end this is still not 100% accurate, especially when one compares the best emitter bins to many of the older emitter bins used by the cheaper Chinese or similar LED light fixtures. Often the “cheap” LEDs produce considerably more useless green/yellow light and are bottom heavy in the Blue Spectrum. It is also noteworthy that many of these low price LED makers from China are also using stolen technology emitters and pending lawsuits will likely result in these manufacturers not being around long term for any real customer support.

So consider whether your so-called “deal” of a LED Light is really a deal at all or look at it this way: would you use multiple LED Flashlights you can purchase at Home Depot or similar to light your Reef or planted Aquarium? Although this analogy may seem a bit exaggerated, it is still a reasonable analogy when one considers current technology advances and the costs of developing these advances.
In other words some of the cheap panels or ready to fit LED Hoods (such as those in 36″ lengths) are not much better than placing multiple LED flashlights over your aquarium when it comes to PUR and other essential elements of aquarium lighting.

Here is a very basic RSM 250, 65 gallon Aquarium with AquaBeam Reef White LEDs YouTube Video”
YouTube Video; RSM 250 with AquaRay 600 Reef White

TMC AQUARAY RECOMMENDATIONS

Should you decide on the high end TMC AquaRay Lights, here are some considerations among the LED fixtures TMC offers;

*AquaBeam 500/600: Each 500/600 Fixture has a 24 x 11 inch light spread that penetrates well to 20 inches, good to 24 inches and fair to 30 inches (not recommended past 30 inches).
*The GroBeam 500 is suggested for planted and most freshwater applications.
*The Marine White 600 is best for fish only marine applications and blended with Marine or Reef Blue as well as any actinic T5 or similar lights already present.
*The Reef White is generally the best overall Reef LED in the 600 strips
*The Marine Blue is a good mix with other lower kelvin daylight bulbs or for deeper tanks (often in combination with Reef White)
*The Reef Blue is NOT a complete light for proper PAR/PUR in photosynthetic invertebrates, so this LED is meant as a compliment to other daylight LEDs or other daylight lamps such as a T2 or T5 daylight. The Reef Blue (as well as the Marine Blue) is also useful in tanks up to 30 inches for to compliment lower kelvin daylight in light penetration.

*TMC Mini 400 & 500:
*Each Mini 400 has a 15 x 15 inch light spread that penetrates well to 18 inches in freshwater
Excellent for high light planted Nano aquariums (15 gallons or less, including small hex aquariums), as well the unique shimmer effect looks very nice with this newest offering by TMC

*Each Mini 500 has a 15 x 15 inch light spread that penetrates well to 18 inches in saltwater
Similar to the 400; excellent for Reef Nano aquariums (15 gallons or less, including small hex aquariums) for all but the most demanding reef life (which further test may yet prove OK for as well)
The Mini 500 includes 4 lensed CRee patented XP-E 10,000K and one unlensed Blue CRee XP-E. with a unique switch to control off & on, blue only, or all.
The Picture shows a Mini 400 mounted using a MountaRay bracket and head on view of the Mini 500 Reef, Marine Aquarium LED.

*GroBeam 1000: Each GroBeam 1000 has a 24 x 24 inch light spread that penetrates well to 24 inches in freshwater (A Marine White would make a good compliment for tanks 24-30″ in depth). This is their best planted aquarium light with the most useful energy per square inch within the footprint.

*Reef White and Marine White 1000: Each AquaBeam 1000 Ultra has a 16 x 16 inch light spread that penetrates well to 30 inches in saltwater (& freshwater for certain applications). The Reef White is the best LED for deeper applications or to compliment others other very delicate reef specimens such as Maxima Clams. The Marine White is also a good compliment (not the only LED) in planted freshwater tanks over 24 inches in depth. As well the Marine White & Reef White 1000 is a good compliment to Marine Blue or Reef Blue 600s in deeper tanks.

*AquaBeam 1500 ultima: Each XP-G Ultima 1500 Tile has a 24 x 24 inch light spread that penetrates well to 20-24 inches in saltwater (& some freshwater applications).
The original 9000K Ultima has the latest Cree XPG emitters (not available anywhere else) that has a very high PUR output in a wide angel design, but it is not a intended for depth penetration the way the 1000 tiles are.
The 9000K XG 1500 is excellent for shallow fragging tanks or as a compliment to other lights in freshwater aquariums too (the 9000K XG is also a good LED for use in freshwater that can still be used later in saltwater tanks, both fish and reef should you change over at some time in the future).
These 9000K XGs also are compliment (or are complimented by) the Marine Blue and Reef Blue 600s as well as a Reef White 1000.

The newest XG Ultima is the Ocean Blue which is half HO 9000K Daylight and half 50000K Blue.
This is not recommended for freshwater, but for reef tanks under 20-24 inches, this is an incredible light. As an example two of the Ocean Blue 1500s would provide unsurpassed lighting for a 60 gallon reef aquarium.

Both the Ocean Blue XG 1500 and 9000K XG 1500 are excellent for most Coral Frag Tanks, since the XG emitters provide copious amounts of light energy under the 12 inches of water often used in fragging tanks/aquariums. These XG emitters are unbeatable for such shallow tanks, including over the more focused depth penetrating XR emitters used but the Ultra 1000s.

Finally

As with ANY aquarium light, placement of your freshwater plants, sps corals, maxima clams, etc. can make a major difference in the amount or number of light fixtures required.
I know of many who have kept reef specimens and aquatic plants with half the recommendations I have made here. In these aquariums the plants or corals were placed directly under the lights with the entire tank simply not 100% lit.
An example is a friend with just one GroBeam #500 in a 40 gallon aquarium with live plants that are thriving and growing (this tank is actually well lit with just one GroBeam, but the plants are directly under the 24 x 11 inch footprint of lighting).

SHO Lights for Planted Aquarium, Hydroponics, and Similar

Although the SHO (Super High Output) CF Light is not all that new anymore, it is still sadly not all that well known in the Aquarium Hobby. These high output CFLs are quite well known among indoor nurseries and Hydroponics operations, and somewhat known among aquarium professionals.
That said since so much information is “cut and paste” (thanks to misinformed forums and places like Yahoo Answers), these lights are still either not well known or dismissed out of hand, such as the person referenced in this Fish as Pets post:
Aquarium Forum Hall of Shame Part 4: SHO Lamps/Lights

However the facts speak for themselves, otherwise why would many Hydroponics, Indoor Nurseries, and even health Centers that depend on high output natural sunlight use these lights? The facts are while maybe the newer LED GroBeams are better, the SHO is hard to beat when it comes to results and economy of use (especially on a large scale).
As well the 105 SHO puts out 6300 lumens of high PAR light that even the popular T5 cannot beat, even with comparable wattage.

See this comment by a new user of the SHO:

I also purchased a couple SHO 85 bulbs with reflectors, and they are unbelievable on my 75 gallon. I have never seen my plants pearl as much as they do now, and I went from about 185 watts of HO t5s to 170 watt CFLs. I would consider these a serious upgrade!!!!

Mark T.

Here are just a few Interesting Points & Facts about the SHO Light:

• The picture to the left displays how one can build a DIY rack to easily support the optional SHO reflector (which reduces restrike while increase light efficiency).
This is one of many ways an aquarium (or hydroponics grower) can mount a SHO light (Please click on this picture to enlarge for a better view)
• This is an awesome bulb for planted Freshwater aquariums
• A great bulb for DIY high intensity aquarium or greenhouse lighting projects and now medical studies have shown benefits to human and animal life.
The SHO Light is especially effective when used in properly designed reflector
(many convalescent hospitals are now employing these too, which along with greenhouse businesses, is the primary reason we have not always been able to obtain SHO lights as the primary North American Distributor is often sold out to these industries)!
• High output self-ballasted aquarium bulbs, no special (or expensive) ballast required
• 6400 K Day Light Bulbs
• Ideal for planted Aquariums (including Marine Refugiums), especially large tanks! In part due to the high PAR rating. PAR output is important for photosynthesis in plants or symbiotic algae in corals.
These bulbs are all you would need for a planted FW aquarium.
• 8000 hours average life
• The 65 Watt SHO produces 3900 lumens, while the 85 watt SHO produces 5100 lumens (the equivalent of a standard 425 watt bulb), and finally the 105 Watt produces 6300 lumens (the equivalent of a standard 525 watt bulb).
• 60 Lumens per Watt
• Can be used in freshwater or marine
• The SHO bulb is VASTLY brighter than most other competing lights (see this website:
SHO Light, Lighting).

*Please note that for maximum effectiveness; the use of mylar or other reflective material behind your SHO Lights or better a polished reflector will direct the light energy into your aquarium.
Without the use of any reflective material, as much as 40% of your light energy can be lost and couple that with the use of glass or thick acrylic, another 40% can be lost (polycarbonate tops are best for light penetration)

For the Internet’s premier source for Aquarium Light Information:

Aquarium Lighting; Facts & Information The above article is a must read for those who want the most complete and accurate aquarium lighting information; A MUST READ!

A for a Complete UV Replacement Bulb Guide:

UV Bulbs

Tropic Marine Centre Aquarium & Pond Products have been known for years in Europe (decades actually) as THE PREMIER fresh/marine aquarium as well as pond equipment company.

Only more recently has this company been getting the attention it deserves for the aquatic community in North America.

TMC is on the cutting edge in many areas, especially LED Lights/Lighting. In other areas of aquarium equipment, TMC has improved on products that already are well known; often for prices that are lower while providing a superior product. Examples here include the TMC Ozone Generator & Reverse Osmosis Aquarium Water Filter System

*TMC V2 Marine Protein Skimmer
• High performance, quality protein skimmer incorporating a patented venturi injection system which optimizes the perfect mixture of fine air bubbles and water and ensures intensive, efficient skimming and the removal of proteins and other harmful toxins (waste) from the aquarium.
• Ozone Compatible; The V2 can be combined with an Ozone Generator for even more efficiency (in fact when used with an Ozone Generator this premium Venturi Skimmer can surpass any available Needle/Mesh Wheel Skimmer)

*TMC V² O³ Zone Ozone Generator

• Unique “high purity ceramic” ozone cell design with microprocessor-controlled fan cooling for highly efficient and reliable operation
• The TMC V2 Ozone Generator raises oxidizing levels within a Protein Skimmer or similar containment device for freshwater, this in turn helps to break down harmful waste products produced by fish, removing yellowing compounds and creating crystal clear water.

*TMC V²Pure Reverse Osmosis Water Filter System
• Simply the best RO System for Aquariums under $300!!
• Three-stage, professional RO (reverse osmosis) system incorporating high quality components including a TDS Meter in Advanced Models.
• 10 inch Sediment/Micron pre-filter cartridge which functions as a first stage filter, removing particles of up to 5 microns from the water while also protecting and prolonging the life of the RO membrane. This pre-filter is enclosed inside a transparent filter housing so it is easy to see when the filter needs to be changed.
• 10 inch activated carbon block filter which offers the highly effective removal of contaminants such as chlorine/chloramines and colorants from the water.
• High quality Thin Film Composite (TFC) RO membrane, which removes contaminants such as heavy metals and hardness-forming minerals from the water, as well as a high percentage of nitrates and phosphates.
• Suggested use; In my commercial aquarium service business I found the use of a 32 gallon plastic trash can the best way to store RO water.
We would run the RO water directly through a small hole in the lid of the plastic trash can with a secondary tube near the top to an overflow container should this first container fill while no one was present to shut off the RO Unit.
The advantage of this over a pressurized RO tank is that with a pressurized RO tank, most are under 5 gallons and once filled the RO System will shut off, of which 5 gallons is far from enough water for most aquariums.
However with the 32 gallon plastic container, enough RO water is rarely an issue! The other advantages over a tank are simplicity and cost.

• Very Low Operating Cost; Based on maintenance schedule and replacement part costs listed below, your operating cost is only $ .014 per gallon!

*TMC Vecton and Pond Advantage UV Sterilizer/Clarifier
• Simply the Best Ultraviolet Sterilizer at any price!
• The Tropic Marine Pond (& Aquarium) UV Sterilizers feature solid construction by a company long recognized as an industry leaders in its innovation and quality of products. As well, these UV Clarifiers are made with UV bulbs that maximize water contact time, unlike many comparable high prices units.

• See this other very informative post for much more about the “Top Notch” Premium High Dwell Time TMC Advantage & Vecton UV Sterilizers:
TMC Vecton & Advantage UV Sterilizer Review

*LED Lights; TMC Aqua Ray; AquaBeam, GroBeam
• TMC Aqua Ray LEDs includes the improved AquaBeam 500/600 as well as 1000 with new wide angle beam that include the latest generation CREE XR-E Power High Performance LED Emitters; which are best emitters and available Aquarium LED lights available in their price range. The new 1500 XG has the most powerful emitter yet.

• Less expensive than T5 Lights when compared to the equivalent light energy of (2) T5 18 Watt Lights & fixtures including; electrical usage, initial cost, T5 annual lamp replacement over the 5 year life of a AquaRay LED light fixture; the AquaRay costs $178.28 vs. $318.85 for the T5

*TMC V² Bio Fluidized Sand Bed Filters
• The most efficient Fluidized Sand Bed Filter that utilizes the most efficient method of aerobic biological filtration available.
• The TMC V² Bio Fluidized Sand Bed Filter has a versatile compact design which can be installed internally in a sump or aquarium or externally as a stand alone or ‘hang-on’ filter.

• A must have for advanced planted aquarium keepers as Fluid Sand Filters do not wear off your CO2
• Also a simple and practical way to supply calcium, magnesium, and trace elements when used with Oolitic sand. These Fluidized Filters work similar (and much more simply) to a Calcium reactor and aid in supplementing essential minerals and buffers!

See this review of the TMC Fluidized Filter for further information:
TMC V2 Fluidized Sand Bed Filter Review

Further Resources
For a UV Replacement Bulb Guide: UV Bulb

Or for Straight Tube UV Replacement Bulbs for your High Performance TMC UV Sterilizer:
Straight Tube, Standard & HO UV Bulbs

For the Internets premier source for Aquarium Light Information:

Aquarium Lighting

Or for an article specifically dealing with LED Aquarium Lights:
LED Aquarium Lights, Lighting

Quick Review of:
*LED Aquarium Light
*T2 Aquarium Lights
*SHO Aquarium Lights

Updated 11/23/11

This post will look at just a few types of aquarium lights/lighting, but is not meant as an exhaustive list.

These lights are primarily cutting edge, so if the reader is not familiar with these, it is partly due to the fact that the aquarium industry (as per lighting) is generally quite behind in technology (sometimes as much as a decade). This problem of old technology especially is noticeable in terms such as “watts per gallon” which is extremely inaccurate when applied to newer technology aquarium lights such as LED Aquarium Lights as well as T5 and T2 Lights (although to a lesser degree).

T2 Lights

T2 Aquarium Lights are another newer innovation, although not of the high tech level of the TMC LED Lights, the T2 Lights present a more affordable option over LEDS and even the older T5 lights. In fact lumen per watt and useful light energy is better than the often much more pricey T5 light.
These T2 lights are easily linkable for extra lighting or larger aquariums, with a very useful rotating lens for focusing light energy, unique to these lights.
The T2 has among the highest useful energy outputs of ANY fluorescent aquarium light and with the very unique rotating reflector/lens feature, very little wattage is needed in relation to light output (this also results in very little heat output too).

In fact here is just one comment (of many) I have received in feedback of these T2 lights:
“T-2 lamps are amazing!!!!! They absolutely have to be the best kept secret in aquatics, I simply can’t exaggerate this point. I have spent hundreds of dollars experimenting with different strategies and lighting combinations, I sooooo wish I’d discovered your product long ago. I cannot believe how much freak’n light these things put out. I’m going to go on every aquatics forum and announce how amazing these lamps are. These Lights have exceeded my expectation 10 fold. If you were to demo these lamps at aquatics shows and exhibitions, you will quickly sell out. Both performance and value are immediately obvious. Wow!!!!!!”
(from Steven, Yorba Linda CA.)

The negative is lack of variations when compared to T5, as well the more fragile nature makes these lights more delicate & workmanship is not to the high end level of the TMC AquaRay LED Lights (but then the price more than makes up for this)

LED Lights
LED Aquarium Lights have come a long ways in technology in just a few years, from previously being added lighting decoration (highlighting) or extremely pricey for mixed results as per high light need applications such as reef aquarium.

That said, the majority of LED Aquarium Lights on the market are still not reef or planted aquarium capable such as the Marine Double Bright or Ecoxotic Stunner. These two lights might work as supplemental lighting or even low light plant lighting, but not high light planted aquariums or reef marine aquarium.
The Maxspect and Current LED Lights are more capable, however these lights are still not using the emitter bin specifications of the LED emitters used by Tropic Marine Center AquaRay LED Lights, which are so precise that TMC has exclusive supply of these LED emitters and they are not available on the general market; for this reason the AquaRay AquaBeam LED lights have a more precise nanometer light output without the “spikes” with a much higher output of useful light energy per watt than other premium LED Aquarium Lights.
The picture above is a RSM 250 65 gallon aquarium with Reef White 600

Also see this article for an LED Aquarium Light Review:
LED Aquarium Lights, Lighting
Or this article from this website about purchasing LED Lights:
Purchasing LED Aquarium Lighting

SHO Lights
SHO Aquarium/Hydroponics Lights are an excellent cross over light, that only recently (the last couple of years) have some tech savvy planted freshwater (& some marine) fish keepers began to use.
This light has been used extensively by medical and hydroponics interests due to its simple self ballasted base, low cost in proportion to light output, and of coarse high PAR which is important in both Hydroponics and many medical studies that show better immune function, mental health, and more with high PAR High output lights, for which along with cost effectiveness have made these SHO lights quite popular in these commercial applications.

For aquariums, especially when used in a reflector or with Mylar in a hood, these aquariums can produce copious plant growth due to the high PAR energy produced per watt of energy consumed. In fact the 105 Watt SHO produces 6300 lumens, the equivalent of a standard 525 watt bulb.

For much more in depth information on the subject of lighting, please read this article:
Aquarium Lighting

Also:
LED and T2 Aquarium Lights

For this website’s UV Light Replacement reference guide:
UV Bulbs

This post will provide links/resources to a few “Unique” aquarium/pond articles dealing either lesser known subjects or subjects that are often unfortunately “ripe” with myths due to cut and paste posting on the internet via forums, Yahoo Answers, about.com, etc. (as well as misinformed aquarium/pet stores that are often lazy and repeat this information too)

Updated 12/30/11