Moonlight

[mrV]

I made moonlight to largest tank couple weeks ago.

Some of those pics are quite large. However, they aren't so good quality because my camera doesn't react so little quantity of light and pics are quite dark. Last picture has been modified increasing brightness and contrass by Photoshop, so you'll see better what moonlight looks in a tank. Although it's much nicer in real life

moonlight 1
moonlight 2
moonlight 3
moonlight 4
moonlight 5

If someone is interested in to build something like that too, scroll down this page. There is topic "moonshine" and there is some pics about what you need for moonlight. Unfortunately I have written the text only in finnish. So, you need:

- super bright leds (white and blue)
- transformer
- timer
- tin and 'soldering-iron'(?)
- resistors

 

[CFC]

I have done something similar with a 18" moonlight tube and arcadia lighting unit on a 4ft tank, the effect is quite nice and it give me a chance to see some of my very nocturnal catfish.
Ive set the entire lighting system to try and mimic the normal routine of the sun, i have 5 tubes in total connected to timers and they are set to come on and go off half an hour after each other, ie sunrise and sunset, with the sunset ending with the blue tube coming on and remaining on till the morning when the sunset sequence starts. Fish seem to enjoy it and i dont have any problems with the fish being startled by a sudden flood of light in the mornings and sudden darkness in the evenings.

 

[mrV]

Moonlight tube is quite too bright for me.. I don't want to brighten all tank, just some area so it's look like moonshine shadowed by "trees" - like in natura. As you can see in pic 5, there is alot of dark areas.

Have to do same to other tank too

There is also 4 fluorescent tubes, so they all turn on different time. First one - then others, and turn off the way that only one tube is on before it turns off too and only "moonlight" brighten the tank, just alittle. So the brightest time is at noon and the darkest is at night and fishes can rest...

 

[CFC]

Moonlight tube is quite too bright for me.. I don't want to brighten all tank

Thats why i use a 18" tube in a 48" tank, it has much the same effect as the one in your pictures with the large part of the tank in darkness. I would use a smaller tube if i could but they dont make a moonlight tube smaller than 18"
It sounds like your timer set up is very similar to mine, wow i thought i was the only one mad enough to go that far to try and give my fish as natural life as possible in their glorified prison cell.

 

[Jesse]

Finnish Wow thats one class I should have taken

 

[smb]

That looks great mrV. I use a light for a really small tank but I like your idea. I never went so far as to have a timer or anything. You and CFC definately got it down pat tho!