Moon lighting questions

[RocketScientist]

Alrighty anyone have any advice on moon lighting a 110 gallon tank? Also, while I can see this is great for me being able to see some critters when the main lights go out is it benificial for the corals and fish?

 

[matts125]

They are supposed to stimulate spawning in some corals inverts and fish, they replicate the moon so they are benificial and are very nice to have!
Check the DIY forum's and see if you can find a thread on the DIY moon lights they are rather cheap to make your self...

Matt

 

[returnofsid]

I think the whole idea of them stimulating spawning is just marketing hype...lol. Who knows...might be true. However, just like no matter how good our lighting is, it won't ever replicate the natural sun, moon lights will never replicate natural moon light. If we wanted to really replicate moon light, we'd also have to take into consideration different phases of the moon, the way the moon effects tides and such...lol. Heck I've read that there are now lighting systems that actually do all of that through computer software and gearing to move lights....I think the effect moon lights give a tank are cool to look at but doubt they really benefit the life in the tank much.

 

[DaBrowns]

Well I second Sid's opinion...but my fish and corals say they know what time it is by which lights are on. Halides=playtime; blues=outta bed sleepy heads and also cooldown before bed...and moons=lights out...bedtime.

They're just like toddlers...keep them on a schedule!!

 

[Krish]

Here's what Anthony Calfo had to say on them...

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16517

 

[RocketScientist]

Very interesting.... I wonder, has anyone noticed drops in their pods or other little critters after putting on moon lights? The only reason I'm wondering is that now we would be providing an advantage to sighted creaters (shrimp, crabs etcs...) Now they would be able to hunt better and perhaps mess up some of the life cycles or availablity of micro organisms to corals and such that were dependant upon those.... just a thought any one have observations on this?

Anyone know what wavelenght of light we can see but the guys in the aquarium can't?

Part of why I bring this up is that I just tried this out. If i throw my little mag light on the tank then the shrimp skitter on away. But if I take my cell phone and throw that light on (more blue) They don't care but it did seem like their activity level increased. Then I got buzzed by one of my pepermint shrimp and I noticed tons of little swimmers coming to the light. ????

 

[Krish]

Hmm...Never tried anything like that. My light fixture has 12 moonlights in it...6 white and 6 blue. IMO, it looks like a disco at night if any are one so I don't use them

 

[scytale]

Anyone know what wavelenght of light we can see but the guys in the aquarium can't?

I think I've read where other reefers were using Red lights to spy on critters.

I don't have any red lights right now, so I've haven't tested it myself....