"Moonlights" or dark

[dswiese]

a bit if retail therapy led me to pick up a marineland blue/white hidden led setup. Can be in tank even submerged if wanted. Right now it's slipped onto the inside of the back frame.

Question is: should I just switch it on and off as I want or was thinking of setting it to blue only and then switch on when the main lights are off. This would/could be on all night then ( if left alone and plugged in with the coral life timer)

 

[brennae]

I have the same lights and I leave the moonlights on all nite

 

[Samfred0205]

Some say total darkness is best but I don't think it really matters. However why waste more energy running night lights all night just turn them on if you want to do some night stalker

 

[dswiese]

That's what I was thinking I want to do. Though can only have one in the 55g the hob filter is on the other back half of the tank.

 

[dswiese]

Well compared to the t5 light running during the day. The hob and currently an air pump. A few LEDs won't make a big dent in the bill lol

But I do like to night stalk.

 

[Convict2161]

I like a period of total darkness.

 

[dswiese]

And at the moment it's only half of the tank. may put them on a sep timer from the main lights. Could have them turn off just after I head to bed

 

[Brandon4432]

Leave the moons on all night

 

[Convict2161]

Can you take a pic of the moonlights, I'd like to see how bright they are. A firm believer in a total darkness point somewhere along the light cycle.

 

[Samfred0205]

I will post the night lights from my fluval tonight for you

 

[Zimmanski]

I have the same fixture on my 75, used to have them on my 55, these moonlights do really well for our tanks. It's just bright enough to see whatever you want but not too bright that isn't disturbs the fish

 

[dswiese]

That is pretty close to the look I have and also I only have one at the moment so it's just half the tank that is dimly lit

 

[Samfred0205]

Here is my little fluval, it makes a nice night light abd I don't believe they are bothered by it at all

 

[Zimmanski]

That is pretty close to the look I have and also I only have one at the moment so it's just half the tank that is dimly lit

I only have one, its right in the middle, have you tried that?

 

[Hobgob]

I would turn it off at night. Fish like darkness so they can rest.

 

[Convict2161]

It's pretty bright. I'd give them a time of total darkness. That's not to say you can't use the moonlights. I'm jus saying at some point call it light out for the fish.

 

[Samfred0205]

Mine ce put brighter in the pic than it really is

 

[Brandon4432]

Well plants need total darkness but what people dont know is that blue lights cant be picked up by plants.... Also fish hardly will knotice the blue moon lights. Its a whole different thing then white. To justify my point what happens in the wild? Plants still grow, fish are healthy. There is a moon orbiting are earth thus there called "moon"lights nut thats my opinion

 

[thursyanna]

Here's my moonlights on my 55 gal. tank. They are the Marineland LEDs.

 

[jetajockey]

plants do not need a period of total darkness. They do go through light and dark cycles but they go through them whether the lights are on or off.


As far as fish needing total darkness, nearly all of the fish I've collected in the wild are in areas that get an ample amount of natural moonlight. I could imagine that for a prey species it would be stressing to be in total darkness with no way to keep an eye out and likewise for nocturnal predators.