Moon Light effect and some general lighting Q's!

[heyimeugene]

I have a 29 US-Gallon tank, 30"x18"x12" and it came with a standard hood which came with a fluorescent bulb (24 inches i think?). Well it lights the aquarium well with that nice white look and my live plants seem to be doing good.

Besides using the "standard" fluorescent bulb what else can I goto? I saw some tanks with this "moon light" effect where its really dark inside but certain things react to the blue (black light effect) and I've seen somem tanks that just have a light that made it really really low lighted blue.

Either way it looked cool for a night time light.

I looked up some bulbs and found a "Blue Moon Flourescent Lamp" bulb 24"
http/www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/produc...id1=1843;pcid2=

Anyone know what this would make my tank look like? BTW its a FW tank .

I was thinking some more and realized if this made that dark dark blue color or even the "black light" effect, I would have to keep changing my bulb out to use the standard flourescent bulb during the day...

I'm so lost between all these lighting things!! So any help and comments and feedback and run on sentances would help!

Thanks!

 

[CFC]

You can fit a second tube into your hood by buying a starter unit from the lfs, in England they cost around £17. All you do is fit two tube clips into your hood either buy drilling small holes and using plastic bolts which your lfs will sell or you can glue the clips directly into the hood with strong glue like super glue.

The blue "moonlight" effect tubes work well for veiwing nocturnal fish such as catfish which wont come out when the normal full strength tube is on.

 

[heyimeugene]

Okay cool thanks!! I'm off to LFS tomorrow morning and probably starting a DIY project... hope it turns out nice.. maybe I can post some pictures of me while I work on the project and make a guide..

But I never knew they sold those starter units!

 

[ddm18]

heyimeugene, I've got a feeling that you might be slightly mistaken (maybe not though, so ignore me if I'm wrong!). The starter unit that CFC mentioned isn't like a starter kit, i.e. a lighting set-up for beginners. It's not difficult or scary though, either. Let me explain:

A flourescent tube doesn't work exactly like a normal light bulb, and you need what's called a 'starter' - what this does isn't important, but that's what CFC is referring to. Usually (well, in my case) you buy a starter with a switch and wires to attach to the bulb all together in a pack (kind of like a starter kit!)

Sorry, that's probably confused you more!

 

[Fawke]

hi there

I have that tube in my tank, it makes everything look blue and is really nice of an evening. We also have a regular white tube. we set them up with two seperate switches and starters,; each complete light and fitting cost us around £18. anyone thinking of doing this I would strongly reccomend, not only does it give a great contrast, you can also use both together to get an effect of really pure light. sorry, hard to explain what it looks like, but we love it

it was seeing a tank in my lfs with both these lights on that inspired us to do it

HTH

 

[Fawke]

sorry

just wanted to add that ddm18 is right. thats exactly what we got and it also included the plastic fittings to secure the tube to the tank lid.

good luck with the DIY

 

[CFC]

To avoid confusion here is a link to some pics i just took of a spare starter unit i have laying about and the attachments

http/fish.orbust.net/forums/index.php?sh...pic=41063&st=0&

 

[heyimeugene]

Okay thanks for all the help guys! I went to LFS and found they dont have any starters (like the kind you guys explained to me)... all they have are extra hoods with TWIN TUBE but all on 1 switch so that doesn't help me... I'd really like to get the "starter-kit" thing so I can turn on what bulb I choose.. where else can I check? The hardware store?

 

[Teelie]

Probably you should be able to find some there. Not positive though.

 

[CFC]

Could try a specialist pet store, a lot of snake and reptile keepers use them for fitting full spectrum UV lighting into vivariums.

 

[heyimeugene]

Okay so Petco and Petsmart didnt have it.. I do have another LFS thats like a little shack with aquariums all over the place.. messy.. very messy.. yes indeed messy... but I never checked his fish supplies section its all crammed in like a room the size of a bathroom... I shall check it out tomorrow! Thanks!