My New Moonlights - Updated Pic 1/11/07

[neilanh]

I ordered some of the moonlights from thelebos.com. I ordered the 2 light set for my 36" tank, but I ended up liking it best with just 1.

I took my hood and, utilizing my dremel, cut out a hole to house it. Not really wanting to go into extreme details, the light is just being held by electrical tape. There's a plastic sheet that lies underneath the light fixture, so I don't have to worry about this falling into the tank.

Here's some install pics, and the lit tank. Unfortunately, my camera doesn't do well in low light (I don't have an SLR) so it's not great, but hopefully you get the idea. There's also a fully lit tank pic for your reference.

The install:

Tank lit (You can see where the moonlight is mounted):

And the moon light

I played with the limited exposure capabilities in my camera (Sony DSC-P1), but hopefully I can get some better pics soon. Maybe one of you photoshop guys can do something to make them better?

 

[lovemybarbs]

I am definitely getting one. My LFS had some for about $15.00 I think.

 

[neilanh]

I love it, it looks much better in person, I promise.

I didn't find the cheaper ones until after I had already placed the order, but I really like these from thelebos, especially since they come with dimmer control.

 

[Marconis]

I. Want. A. Moonlight.

Looks awesome.

 

[lovemybarbs]

I'm wondering if one of those spotlights on the top would work???

I know I won't get it right the first time. I see returns in my future.

 

[Pleco]

I love my moonlights I attached using silicone to my hood though

 

[jbarr]

Moonlights don't keep fish awake at all?
Lol - sorry if that's airheaded, it's 2:44 am.

Also, I'm trusting your tank is more visible then the pictures reveal? No offense, j/w though

 

[coldmachineUK]

My fish sleep through the LED moonlight, but I turn off my 36W blue moon actinic moonlight on my puffer fish tank since its a bit stronger and I've noticed my fish stay active while it's on.

If it's only LEDs then the light output is so small it'll have little effect I'd have thought

Btw neilanh, I love the effect you chose: one single moonlight with a beam is much better than uniform spotlight effects (well, at least I think it looks more natural!). I use the Hagen Marina LED system on two tanks I run, and angle a single LED to cast a shadow of light across the tank rather than have it go directly down; its similar to yours but just from the side.

 

[neilanh]

I've seen those multiple LED systems, the light bars, etc, and while those aren't bad things, it just wasn't the effect I was after. I debated when I purchased about 1 light or 2, and ended up buying the 2 light system. My wife and I played with 1 light, 2 lights, center, offset, all over the place for quite a while until we found what we wanted it to be. Since there's no real benefit for this for FW, it was completely about visual aesthetics, so we just played until we got it where we wanted it. I chose 1 light, and just put a piece of black tape over the second one and let it hang.

ANd yes, jbarr, it is MUCH more visible in person, my camera is just horrible.

I use the Hagen Marina LED system on two tanks I run, and angle a single LED to cast a shadow of light across the tank rather than have it go directly down; its similar to yours but just from the side.

I thought about that too, and played with it. I put a single light nearly all the way to one side of the tank and angled it to shoot across the tank. My personal preference was to have the light down into the center of the tank, and allow the sides to go dark. Was a tough decision though, like I said we played with them all over the place for a long time.

Now I'm thinking that I need to create a track, and use a small motor on a pulley system that will slowly move the light from one end of the tank to the other over a period of a few hours, kinda like simulating the moon orbiting the earth.

Don't you guys go stealing my idea now

Actually, go nuts! I'd love to see that!

 

[happygirl65]

Really neat! I want one! or several...lol.

Thanks for the pics....beautiful tank by the way! I love the way you set up the plants and the driftwood, really gorgeous.

 

[zenkatydid]

i tried to play with the photo in photoshop but unfortunately there's just no data to play with. you're just going to have to get a better camera for us

 

[neilanh]

Thanks for the compliments!

as for a camera, a friend has a newer SLR he's bringing in tomorrow for me to use!

 

[neilanh]

I borrowed a friends SLR and got a much better pic, much more realistic to what it really looks like. I'm no photography expert, but this pic is really grainy looking for some reason, but anyway, you get the idea.

This shows much more what it looks like to the eye in person. This is with the moonlight on full brightness, but you can see how it's highly lit in the center, then bleeds off to darkness on the edges, which is what I ended up liking the best, and why I decided to run a single light instead of the 2 I ordered.

Water level is low due to my cycle running for aeration.

 

[courtnee]

That looks very nice. I really like it.

It has me thinking.....

My four pictus cats.. the 2 spotted come out during the day in the light, they could care less. My 2 four-line pictus have NOTHING to do with the light. They come out at lights out only and I never see them and check everyday they are still alive LOL.

What are my chances of being able to observe and enjoy my darkness loving, night owl four-line pictus using a moonlight?

 

[coldmachineUK]

Definitely higher than without any moonlights! But, for noctural fish it's also recommended that red coloured lighting (LEDs) are a solution: the fish won't detect there's any light whatsoever, AFAIK. I know a lot of people use red LEDs for their knife fish (eg. BGK) tanks, since these can be a shy fish.