Moon Lights
- Thread starter Phischy
- Start date
djconn
New Member
I've got one on my 20H. Its the CSL single white LED. Got it for about $30 I think. I've had some problems mounting it b/c I don't feel comfortable drilling into my light canopy but I really just need to grow a pair and do it. Its pretty cool for when you're walking around the house at night and you can see your tank. The ripples on the surface water make some pretty cool shadows on my wall.
For true night viewing though, I still use the old mini mag light with the red lens in it. The red lens doesn't scare any of the worms or other inhabitants in the tank like white light does. You can get the minimags at astrological and avation shops.
If I were making my own light canopy (as I know you are), I would def. incorporate moonlights into my plan. Maybe string out like ten or so along the inner lip. Try blue or red maybe.
For true night viewing though, I still use the old mini mag light with the red lens in it. The red lens doesn't scare any of the worms or other inhabitants in the tank like white light does. You can get the minimags at astrological and avation shops.
If I were making my own light canopy (as I know you are), I would def. incorporate moonlights into my plan. Maybe string out like ten or so along the inner lip. Try blue or red maybe.
Flame Angel
New Member
This is what I use:
It's called a MiracleBeam, and it works like a charm.
-Flame
It's called a MiracleBeam, and it works like a charm.
-Flame
Flame Angel
New Member
That's exactly where I got mine.
And thanks for not calling it Death-Co...I work at the Portsmouth Petco in New Hampshire, and our store is most certainly not like that. I hate how people generalize because of a few stores. While their methods may not be the best, we do try to take care of our animals. Some stores just make a bad name for us, is all.
-Flame
And thanks for not calling it Death-Co...I work at the Portsmouth Petco in New Hampshire, and our store is most certainly not like that. I hate how people generalize because of a few stores. While their methods may not be the best, we do try to take care of our animals. Some stores just make a bad name for us, is all.
-Flame
djconn
New Member
The petco by my house is pretty interesting. They just redid all their fish and tank stuff. Looks pretty good. They have a really cool looking live plant overflow thingy. You guys have one of those too?
Some of the employees there are just kids that don't know any better. For the most part, everything looks ok...just really expensive.
Some of the employees there are just kids that don't know any better. For the most part, everything looks ok...just really expensive.
Flame Angel
New Member
Yeah, we unfortunately have the overflow plant tank...the problem with using that blasted thing for plants is that there's too much of an O2/CO2 exhange at the surface, due to all the agitation that overflow systems cause. Cleaning it is a pain, too. You can gravel-vac the deeper partitions no problem, but when you get down to the one that's only 6" deep....well, it gets to be a little difficult to get it all clean before you run out of water.
As for the red algae...yes, it's a problem in my store, too, although not as bad as I've seen it in other stores. Unfortunately, most Petco's are dealing with a severe phosphate problem in their supply water. The tank systems they use don't create enough water flow, either. And, to top it all off, they're using the MARS systems built by Marineland. They have a huge bio-wheel on them, which is good for freshwater, but it just becomes a huge nitrate factory in saltwater. There are just too many things for a place as busy during the day as Petco to deal with...I know that firsthand. You try and get all you can done in the time you're allowed, but you can only get so much done. :wink:
-Flame
As for the red algae...yes, it's a problem in my store, too, although not as bad as I've seen it in other stores. Unfortunately, most Petco's are dealing with a severe phosphate problem in their supply water. The tank systems they use don't create enough water flow, either. And, to top it all off, they're using the MARS systems built by Marineland. They have a huge bio-wheel on them, which is good for freshwater, but it just becomes a huge nitrate factory in saltwater. There are just too many things for a place as busy during the day as Petco to deal with...I know that firsthand. You try and get all you can done in the time you're allowed, but you can only get so much done. :wink:
-Flame
Phischy
New Member
Back to the topic of moonlights...
Does anyone vary the intensity of their moon lights to mimic the moon phase. As in if you have 4 moon lights you have zero on for the new moon and then turn 'em on 1 at a time till you hit all four in the full moon? I read somewhere that corals need the moonlight to help with their breeding, so it would only make sense to vary moonlight intensity to mimic moon phases. Or is this just too much to deal with?
Does anyone vary the intensity of their moon lights to mimic the moon phase. As in if you have 4 moon lights you have zero on for the new moon and then turn 'em on 1 at a time till you hit all four in the full moon? I read somewhere that corals need the moonlight to help with their breeding, so it would only make sense to vary moonlight intensity to mimic moon phases. Or is this just too much to deal with?
My 2 cents worth:
First, moon phases help corals spawn, which nobody should want in a nano-tank.
If you do have a coral spawn, plan on doing 20% water changes for the next week and heavy skimming! Hope everything survives. Its the same as a biological bomb going off in a tank. I would not want any corals to spawn even if I had a 500gal tank.
Even if corals do spawn, there is very, very, very small chance of reproduction occuring from spawning in a tank. Actually, I have never heard of successful reproduction from spawning in a tank......I may be wrong, I will read up on it.
Moonlights are for asthetic purposes ONLY!!
First, moon phases help corals spawn, which nobody should want in a nano-tank.
If you do have a coral spawn, plan on doing 20% water changes for the next week and heavy skimming! Hope everything survives. Its the same as a biological bomb going off in a tank. I would not want any corals to spawn even if I had a 500gal tank.
Even if corals do spawn, there is very, very, very small chance of reproduction occuring from spawning in a tank. Actually, I have never heard of successful reproduction from spawning in a tank......I may be wrong, I will read up on it.
Moonlights are for asthetic purposes ONLY!!
Phischy
New Member
Oh, ok, that's pretty cool then. I mean, I wouldn't want to find my tank a milky soup or anything.
So since it's for asthetic purposes only, it doesn't matter what color LED's you use? Sweet, I may wire mine up with white/blue/red and turn 'em on at different times for effect.
So since it's for asthetic purposes only, it doesn't matter what color LED's you use? Sweet, I may wire mine up with white/blue/red and turn 'em on at different times for effect.
Dolfan0925
New Member
Me and some friends put some on ours a few weeks ago, they're nice. Put them on my 10 up to another guys 265g. here's the Skinny on how we did it(the smart guy put this together so I understand half of it)
http://www.macsreef.com/moonlights.htm
http://www.macsreef.com/moonlights.htm