What purpose does a Moonlight serve?

Has anyone ever heard of, or seen, an aquarium moonlight? What purpose does it serve? Can it be used on a freshwater aquarium? Are there any moonlights available for freshwater aquaria? The light looks very nice on pictures to me - it looks as if a real moon's light was shining over a tank. I was wondering if I could get one for my aquarium. Any recommendations? Thanks

 

I think they are meant for saltwater tanks with corals in them. I don't see any reason why you couldn't use them on a freshwater tank at night if you wanted to. I don't think they'd be enough light though for a freshwater tank with live plants if that was your only light source.

 

No, I wouldn't be using this light as a regular light source. If I got a moonlight, I'd use my regular light during the day, as I am always using, and I'd use the moonlight in the evening for an hour or two, just for aesthetic purposes. I think I'd love to stare at a tank that looks like moon is shining over it Know any types of moonlights? Do they come in standard aquarium bulb sizes?

 

Here is a really cute little lamp that looks like it would work for a freshwater tank.  It goes on the side of a tank with suction cups so there is no wiring.



I hope this helps.  I have never seen an aquarium with one on it, but the pictures look absolutely beautiful!

Rose

 

Chickadee, yes, you have helped me greatly THANK YOU

As I was looking at the moonlight lamp you sent me, I found something even better, look:
- this is a fluorescent moonlight bulb that comes in a size that fits my light strip Exactly what I was looking for. And it's cheap too.

And this: - is the timer I was looking for. Thanks again! It can time more than one light, plus timing other aquatic accessories - all at once. And I don't think it's very expensive as for the amount of tasks it does (and since I'll need a multiple timer anyway)

THANKS

 

Isabella-

I am so glad I could help. I spend a lot of time with those catalogs and pretty much know most of what is in the ones I get so I can respond to most of the things I hear of that folks are looking for. I missed the timers though! I didn't know your set-up so didn't know if your tank could use a fluorescent tube or you would need a stand alone fixture to add the moonlight.

Maybe if you have a camera that will handle it you can get a "moonlight" shot to post for us.

Rose

 

I have heard of moonlights being used to observe fish behaviour after lights out. You know like nocturnal fish Seems the fish don't notice them being on.
Carol

 

Really? It would be great to see what my fish do at night Only all of my fish are not nocturnal, except for my algae eater - it comes out both during day and during night, but it's still more active when the lights go out.

Carol, is it just any moonlight that fish don't notice, or some specific one? If it's any moonlight, and if fish don't notice it, that means they go to sleep as if all lights were out, right? It doesn't bother them if the light is on all night?

 

Hi, okay my new project is moon lighting.

I have a 60 gallon tank and it came with the standard flouscent light. I have 2 hoods that are separate by that plastic strip in the center of the tank. I want moon lights. I purchased on blue moon light which I basically have sitting below the flourscent light on the glass facing downward to shine into the tank. but this of course leaves the wire coming out of the side of the tank.

I saw the 6 led lights that they sell on ebay but do not know how to set these up on my tank, on my hoods. any ideas or suggestions? I basically want to be able to run it to one outlet and put it on a timer.

 

I saw pepetj use PVC pipes for lighting, search it and you'll see a clear definition.

 

If you're using plastic hoods that are designed to hold your fluorescent lights, I'd suggest switching to glass Versa-Tops and just laying the moonlight strip over the glass.

 

I have a a glass top that my lights sit on and I have the one moon light resting on that. just don't like the cords hanging out. I didnt know if I could attach those led lights to the inside of the light and run the cords out behind it to a timer. don't know what others have done with their tanks.

 

Well, I've never used that kind of moonlight so I can't really comment there. I'd think the easiest way to do it would be to lay it on the glass. If you are handy, you could build a canopy and mount the strip inside so it shines through the glass tops. I'm not sure it would fit inside the strip lights, and if it did, I would worry about heat issues from the lights you already have.

 

these are the ones I was looking at. seems like they go with any type hood...

my boyfriend is handy! I have been toying with a canopy idea...just didnt know how to incorporate both day and night lights...... those dual systems are so expensive!

 

Ok, I'm not at all familiar with those, I thought you were talking about the LEDs that are on a strip. I'm unclear as to how these are mounted from looking at the pics.

 

zowie, these are the ones I have. We took apart the light fixtures and drilled small holes in the white plastic behind the fluorescent bulb. We ran the LED lights inside the fixture and poked the lights through the drilled holes. It worked really well and the seller includes a dvd with instructions. I don't use a timer and it is a bit of a pain since there is no switch. I usually just leave them on all the time and when the daylights are turned on, you can't tell the moonlights are on.

 

yeah I looked at the strips but didnt know how I would incorporate those ; )

 

My moonlight is on from 8pm - 9pm
I simply LOVE to fall asleep watching my fish swim around under a blue light...I find it's even more relaxing then watching the tank with the 10000K tubes on during the day.
Who else has a moonlight and simply loves it to pieces?
I know I do!

 

No I don't have one - but they sure do look lovely! I might get one.. Is it just the blue/plastic/film that you have to purchase? And cover the tube light with it? Also do you have pics? Thanks

 

mine is a long thin blue tube that was already in the light, but you can always try the blue plastic idea, though if the tube gets hot the plastic would melt?
and I do have pictures...but they're not very good, might need to try another camera tonight and see how that goes
Anyway, the first picture is with the torch on my camera phone, the second one is without the torch. You can actually see the green of all of the plants and the fish are a lot easier to see in real life than what those photos show

 

I use moonlights on all 6 of the tanks inside my hose. I cheat though & just use actinic tubes. Great for watching my cichlids at night.

 

I LOVE your signature Nutter!

EDIT: I just reread this thread and I believe that Nutter's signature changed...
LOL It looks like I'm being just plain cruel

 

I don't have one but I bet it looks great.

 

YAY I got a MUCH better photo from my mum's camera:

 

Looks good.

 

looks amazing!

 

how much are these, are they availabe at petco/petsmart, and are they the type of blue light that will emphasize glofish? there sight says black or blue light works, but I don't know what counts as blue light

 

I'm sorry I can't answer your questions. I don't think that petco or petsmart is here in australia so I don't know what they have :S
And I'm not familiar with glofish so I can't help you there.
I got my light used on ebay. It's an Aqualina light and I got two of them for $300, with extra tubes and the other light doesn't have the moonlight.
You can always try nutters idea and use actinic tubes..they are blue, or you can probably get LED lights or something for reasonably cheap.
You can always get proper moonlights by themselves or buy a light with a moonlight built in though that's starting to get a little pricey...

 

oh, wow, that dose sound expensive! I think I will just add another light strip then. thanks

 

I've just done a bit of experimenting with the moonlights & think I have come up with a cheap & easy solution. Seeing as the spectrum of the light doesn't really matter & the only prerequisite is that the light be blue, I tried simply painting a normal cool white tube. The effect has been quite remarkable. I'll post a pic of the light later when it's gotten dark for you to see the result. All I did was to use some non toxic kids hobby paint & brush three coats of it on the light tube. I put the tube in a fixture that wasn't over a tank & left it on for 4 days to make sure I didn't get any peeling or flaking. Works great. The only thing is it's a little too dark so next time I will only do two coats of paint.

 

is there any benefit other than aesthetics? like any benefit to the fish? The 55gal I'm considering buying comes with the hood and has two separate hoods so I would consider doing one side with a regular bulb and other with a moonlight....

 

I'm curious to see the pic of the painted tubes. Any update.
I'm currently looking for a moon light set up as they look awesome. I came across a good bar set up, now I need to see if I could sit them inside the cool white tube casing. Its a two bar setup that has 24 L.E.D's and its 48 inches long. Pretty sweet. The company also has a video demonstrating their product so I am impress. The cost will be $50, so lets see if I buy myself a setup with taxes

 

Not really any benefits other than aestetics. It does lessen the shock to the fish of the lights suddenly going from on to off as they provide a bit of a low light stage before & after the main lighting goes on & off but that's about it.

I don't know that having half & half lighting would be that good. During the day you would have one half of the tank staying much darker than the other side & all the fish will probably hang out in the darker sections. Then at night you would only have half the tank lit & not be able to see a great deal with the moonlights. Much better just to install a second tube/s & run a moonlight across the whole tank as well as having the standard lighting across the whole tank as well. Especially over a long tank.

Aw Nuts - I'll take a pic of the painted light over the tank later during the daytime light break or tonight & post it later for you to check out.

 

awesome, sounds like a plan.

 

is there any benefit other than aesthetics? like any benefit to the fish? The 55gal I'm considering buying comes with the hood and has two separate hoods so I would consider doing one side with a regular bulb and other with a moonlight....

I think that in a reef tank, certain corals benefit from a moonlight?

 

I'm wanting to put a "moonlight" on my 55 gallon convict/jellybean convict tank in my bedroom.

What type of bulb do I need, where can I find it, and can I still have my "daylight" light as well? I'm confused on how this all works. I can change to a glass top if I need to.

 

well there are a lot of cheap LEDs that come in a strip that are moon light, ive heard that some people glue the strips into, or onto the oustide of the hood they already have, then just turn it on when needed..."moonlights" are just blueish, and or whiteish lights.(to mimic moon "colors") I know ive seen them on ebay,amozon, I think fosters and smiths new aquatics.. and "that pet place"..(That fish place, that pet place.)

 

You could use a low-wattage actinic bulb to get a similar effect, but you'd probably be happier with the look of LEDs. Foster and Smith even has some that are submersible, so you could keep the same hood. I've never used the submersible ones, so I can't comment on whether or not they are good/reliable products.

 

I got mine (LEDS) in multiple strips for my 125 off of ebay and they have worked great

 

Thanks, everyone! This'll be on my next list of projects. It'll be really cool to watch them as I fall asleep. You guys are the best!