Do You Use Moon Lights?

[DJYoshi]

Since the upgrade, I've been checking out what other things I can do with the RKL controller. Just wondering if anyone out there uses moonlights & runs them on lunar phases. If so, I'd love to see a video on them.
If you do or don't believe in moon lights, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

 

[fishman1069]

I have a strip of moonlights that I took off my old pc fixture. It only has 8.. 3/4 watt blue leds but it gives the tank a nice effect at night. I run them 24/7 cause i dont want to run another timer. I need to get one of those RKL . Oh, the corals that get hit directly with the light, explode with color!!

 

[Arati]

I do use moonlight , i think it makes the fish less likely to be startled when they can see a little.

i have zero proof of this..

 

[BILBO913]

i also use moonlights and the rkl but havent set them up on the lunar setting yet

 

[DJYoshi]

i also use moonlights and the rkl but havent set them up on the lunar setting yet

bilbo, what kind of lights are you running?
Right now I'm using the Blueline LED system & have the blues come out @ 4pm. The whites come on at 5 & go off at 11, and the blue lights shut off at 12. I was kind of wanting to see the transition. Do your moonlights just turn on when the main lights go off? Are you running the MLC unit or just have them on the internal timer?

 

[DREUTZ]

I bought a 403nm Ecoxotic Stunner strip. There is short a video in the bottom right corner and you can see how they are easily installed and an example of that wavelength strip on a tank:

http://www.ecoxotic.com/products/modular-led-lighting/stunner-led-strips.html

It's a deep dark purple that makes colors in corals and fish pop in a different way than blues. I wanted something different and something that is not as bright because the tank is in my bedroom. I have an RKL with ALC module so my Blues and Whites ramp down on the timer and my moonlight turns on about a half hour before the others start ramping down. It transitions from full blue and white on to blue to purple. You start to see the purple as blues are at the end of ramping down. I think it gives it a cool look and it gives you enough light to see the creatures that hide all day start to come out. I only run it for about 2 hours after my blues are off because someone suggested that it might cause an algae bloom if left on all night, however I don't know how true this is. I have no explored syncing it to lunar cycles, but seems like it would be a cool idea if possible.

I should also add that it is not too intense and gets drowned out by the other lights so it would not be a good accent light if run during the daytime..

 

[BILBO913]

bilbo, what kind of lights are you running?
Right now I'm using the Blueline LED system & have the blues come out @ 4pm. The whites come on at 5 & go off at 11, and the blue lights shut off at 12. I was kind of wanting to see the transition. Do your moonlights just turn on when the main lights go off? Are you running the MLC unit or just have them on the internal timer?

im running a 4 bulb t-5, the moonlights im using i added to the structure, are blue led xmas lights. sounds cheesey i know but they really look good.
here's a link http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/diy-do-yourself/91969-diy-led-moon-lights.html

and i have them set now to turn on when the other lights go out

 

[jrobbins]

i use the lsm module for the neptune controllers. i think i have the 8 led one. i was running them on the lunar cycle setting for quite some time. i dont think it does crap. they (neptune) claim that the lunar cycle thing helps with coral spawning, but i think that is also a load of crap. then again, who the heck am i?

 

[WiLL2c]

bilbo913.....i have a 4 bulb t-5 and wanted to do moonlights also.... how did you do that exactly or can you post up a pic of your setup

 

[bigcapct]

bilbo913.....i have a 4 bulb t-5 and wanted to do moonlights also.... how did you do that exactly or can you post up a pic of your setup

+1


Sent from my SGH-T959 using Tapatalk

 

[ryangrieder]

Check out his thread he posted. I've seen his set up many times. He took christmas light, not cheap dinky types, but real nice blue led lights that are cylinder shaped, cut holes into his reflector and hot glued them in place and plugged it back together. It turned out nice. They are flush with the reflector, so you cant even see them sticking out. It is not strong enough for you to see when the t5 come on, but at night it looks real nice. Corals have a nice glow and a nice shimmer on the sand bed.

 

[BILBO913]

bilbo913.....i have a 4 bulb t-5 and wanted to do moonlights also.... how did you do that exactly or can you post up a pic of your setup

http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/diy-do-yourself/91969-diy-led-moon-lights.html

 

[DJYoshi]

I bought a 403nm Ecoxotic Stunner strip. There is short a video in the bottom right corner and you can see how they are easily installed and an example of that wavelength strip on a tank:

http://www.ecoxotic.com/products/modular-led-lighting/stunner-led-strips.html

It's a deep dark purple that makes colors in corals and fish pop in a different way than blues. I wanted something different and something that is not as bright because the tank is in my bedroom. I have an RKL with ALC module so my Blues and Whites ramp down on the timer and my moonlight turns on about a half hour before the others start ramping down. It transitions from full blue and white on to blue to purple. You start to see the purple as blues are at the end of ramping down. I think it gives it a cool look and it gives you enough light to see the creatures that hide all day start to come out. I only run it for about 2 hours after my blues are off because someone suggested that it might cause an algae bloom if left on all night, however I don't know how true this is. I have no explored syncing it to lunar cycles, but seems like it would be a cool idea if possible.

I should also add that it is not too intense and gets drowned out by the other lights so it would not be a good accent light if run during the daytime..

Dre, I'm definitely interested to see what the 403 looks like in your tank. Since I'm running a LED fixture now, I was thinking of having the 403 turn on when the white turns off. then having both the blue and ultraviolet on together...then finally just the ultraviolet for 2 hours after the blue lights shut off. for $20? it's worth a shot

 

[DJYoshi]

i use the lsm module for the neptune controllers. i think i have the 8 led one. i was running them on the lunar cycle setting for quite some time. i dont think it does crap. they (neptune) claim that the lunar cycle thing helps with coral spawning, but i think that is also a load of crap. then again, who the heck am i?

thanks for the honest feedback J.

 

[ryangrieder]

Current USA lunar led strips from russ at salt water critters...
On my 29g bio cube. Pics are not great but you'll get the point.
I love them. LOVE them. Just one alone did this effect.
3 strips makes a difference with the pc's on as well. More blue = more glow/shimmer

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

I have been watching this thread and following. I have moonlights. As a matter of fact if I didn't I would feel that my lighting system was incomplete. I think of it as a requirement for me. Being a night owl I love to watch the tank as much at night as during the day. (tank night and day BTW)

They have said that there are many things that benefit from a lunar light but for me it is personal enjoyment. Right now I am running a combo of 2 R2 Moonlights and 2 Sunlight supply moonlights. The R2's are bright as heck. I start the sunlight supply in the beginning of the night and as the moon rises in the sky the sunlight's go off and the r2's come on. After that the r2's turn off as the moon sets and the sunlight supply come back on. after that there is a period of complete darkness before the actinics come on.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

With only one strip running is there a spotlighting issue?

Current USA lunar led strips from russ at salt water critters...
On my 29g bio cube. Pics are not great but you'll get the point.
I love them. LOVE them. Just one alone did this effect.
3 strips makes a difference with the pc's on as well. More blue = more glow/shimmer

 

[ryangrieder]

I have been watching this thread and following. I have moonlights. As a matter of fact if I didn't I would feel that my lighting system was incomplete. I think of it as a requirement for me. Being a night owl I love to watch the tank as much at night as during the day. (tank night and day BTW) .

100% agree.

Getting my new fixture from russ today, and next week picking up a reef brite led strip. I feel like I don't want to run it without the LEDs either. I honestly take more pics with leds on at night then during the day. It gives it such an amazing look

 

[DREUTZ]

Dre, I'm definitely interested to see what the 403 looks like in your tank. Since I'm running a LED fixture now, I was thinking of having the 403 turn on when the white turns off. then having both the blue and ultraviolet on together...then finally just the ultraviolet for 2 hours after the blue lights shut off. for $20? it's worth a shot

I'll get a pic for you...

It's $49 for 1 strip plus a transformer for $19 and you can link up to 6 to it.

http://www.marinedepot.com/Ecoxotic..._Fixtures-Ecoxotic-XX08010-FILTFILDLK-vi.html

http://www.marinedepot.com/Ecoxotic...um_Lighting-Ecoxotic-XX08009-FILTACPC-vi.html

 

[ryangrieder]

chief, no issue with one. when i had one i put it in the middle of my fixture and it lit the whole tank up amazing. you could not tell there was only 4 leds. once it hit the water it spread out and looked awesome. if you want i can take a pic of what only 1 on looks like. i only added the other 2 because i loved it so much i wanted more lol. and 3 fit perfect on a biocube. front, middle, back. and they make a kit that all three wires plug into one wire and you only have one outlet plug for all three.