LED Lighting

[Craigj247]

I guys quick question my 9gal nano had 22 white LEDs and 8 blue LEDs. I have no coral in the tank just 3 carpet anemone.

My question is do I need to keep my blue LEDs on in the night or can I knock them off?

 

[Sniperhank]

Could turn them off. Are they actual actinics or are they blue "moonlights"?

 

[Craigj247]

Moonlights... The reason I ask this is because my anemone seem to shrivel up when I knock my blue light off but perk up again when I turn it on. Thats why I was not sure if it was ok to keep the lights off for a long period of time.

 

[Sniperhank]

Moonlights do nothing. They are only there to please us. I actually never turn the moonlights off on my 36 gal.

 

[Craigj247]

Oh ok... So it is ok for me to have the white and blue lights on during the day too or should I just have the whites on only?

 

[Sniperhank]

The moonlighting won't do anything but please the eye. So leaving them on or off will be up to you. Are you sure they are moonlights and not blue spectrum LEDs? It sounds to me that they are actual blue spectrum...just don't know why there are so few of them...how are your 3 nems doing? That seems like alot of nem for a 9 gallon, and if the blue leds are moonlights rather than blue spectrum they might struggle some.

 

[Craigj247]

Well I have no idea if they are blue spectrum or not... All I know is that my carpet anemones respond to it when it is on... The anemones glow green for the blue light if that info helps in anyway... Well I am working on a 90 gal system so hope to get my stock in there soon.

All the anemones are doing fine... Eating and everything without any issue... I do feed them every one to two weeks only.

 

[kdpuffer]

My personal suggestion is to leave the blue on all the time, the nems will like it during the day. Turn only the whites off at night and you can keep the moonlight effect. I suspect they are blue spectrum since there are that many, if they were intended as moonlights there would only be 2-3. I personally love moonlights, sheds just enough light to see all the nocturnal critters out at night which is in my opinion one of the most interesting features in a reef tank.

 

[Craigj247]

I agree ttly on that.... Alright thanks a bunch guys.

 

[mr_X]

My opinion without seeing the tank is that they are supplemental lighting and not intended to be moonlights. If that's the case, your anemones, just like corals, need a night time as well as a photoperiod. If that's the amount of light they shed in the picture you are using as an avatar, you should turn them off at night.

 

[Craigj247]

This is a night time picture...



View attachment 88195



View attachment 88196

So do you think I should knock the lights off in the night?

 

[TigerBarbs]

Yes I think that fish and corals should definitely need some darkness to rest.

 

[mr_X]

Yes, I do think you should shut them down. BTW, did you know that a carpet anemone will get to be the size of a trash can lid?

 

[TigerBarbs]

Lol I was just thinking that!!

 

[Craigj247]

Lol yes yes I know I have seen full grown ones at the aquarium I go to... They actually get much bigger than trash can lids

I am working in a 90 gal so hopefully shifting my life stock to that in the near future.