Too Strong Moonlights?

[connorsbala]

Hey
Ive got a few CUC in my 18"x12"x15" marine tank (around 12 gals) and alls going well...getting a pair of perculas on saturday
Ive got a 24 watt power compact moonlight in (42 watts of PCs during hte day) and i was wondering if thsi is too much. I can see the hermits and the snails at nightand they seem fine..but will the fish react badly? Ive been reading that blue and reds cant be seen by the fish, so we can have the moonlights but is this too strong..it is quiet bright but i can sleep fine
Thanks

 

[Lynden]

Many people would argue that any "moonlight" is too much. It does seem to interfere somewhat with their sleeping habits/nocturnal behaviour, and indeed my puffer, xenia, green star polyps and pep shrimp are all prone to becoming "confused" when a room light is turned on after a period of darkness. Your best bet for viewing nocturnal behaviour would be to use a red light, though I can't do this as red light sends my puffer and shrimp into a frenzy...

One small blue LED would be best for a moonlight if you choose to use one.

 

[tat2life]

really ? i have a 18watt moonlight but havent got the tank set up yet... should i not use it ? or only use it during the day and no light at night... its only a fowlr setup so light isnt that important to the fish

 

[SkiFletch]

Yeah, moonlighting should really only be LED's or cold cathodes, no power compact lighting should be used, they're too powerful

 

[tat2life]

oooh thanks for that, you think the guy at the lfs would of told us that. i told him i wanted a blue light to use as the main light for the aquriam and he gave me a blue moonlight 18watts. so i figured it would be fine to use 12-15 hours a day because he said non reef marine fish dont need much light arent really effected by any lighting

 

[connorsbala]

Ill get a moonlight kit off of ebay tomorrow. Should i just use the blue tube for during the day then? Ivm using the interpet PC compacts at the moment. Ive got the daylight plus 24 watts (1 side blue actinic other normal white) and the triplus bulb 18 watts at the moment, should i run this blue actinic 24 watts oen aswell, then id have 68 watts

 

[connorsbala]

Is this okay? http/cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...e=STRK:MEWA:VRI

 

[SkiFletch]

A cold cathode, sure

 

[connorsbala]

Cool And the idea about having the blue actinic running in the day aswell as the ohter bulbs giving me like 66 watts for a 12 gal tank?

 

[SkiFletch]

Well, those Cathodes dont really give any usable PAR (photosynthetically available radiation) to any corals, algaes, etc. There's no harm in running them by day, but no realy benefit either.

 

[connorsbala]

I meant the moonlight that im using at the minute thats too strong. id only use the cold cathodes at night