advice on making my own moon lights
- Thread starter ta2rtst
- Start date
MeuserReef
Welcome to the next level
Go to Walmart and get you a set of the new LED night lights. They are the type with the photo-cell control on the front. Install them into your canopy and they will come on automatically when your main lights go out.
Last I checked, you can get a 4-pack for like $5. They arent too bright, but cast a nice shimmer effect on the reef.
Just my $0.02
Last I checked, you can get a 4-pack for like $5. They arent too bright, but cast a nice shimmer effect on the reef.
Just my $0.02
MeuserReef
Welcome to the next level
ummm... probably not... But they sure look cool to me! I would (personally) be more concerned with stable parameters than the wavelength of my moonlight.
I obviously have neither right as I have not had any spawning to date
ya i want to see if i can get mine to spawn and what id like to do is link up a series of LEDs on a voltmeter so that i can slowly change the intensity day by day to mimic the actual cycle of the moon, as this is how they figure out that its the right time to reproduce. my main problem though is where do i buy the right one and how do i know that they're right?
brian.julia07
New member
I dont know if this is the same wave length as the moon, but I took some blue led keychain lights that I had lying around and bought a adjustable voltage ac adapter and linked them together, they worked very well as cool lighting, I could adjust the voltage on the adapter to make them brighter or more dim. The only trouble that I ran into was I didnt water proof them enough so the little circuit boards on them rusted out and they died. I think i'm going to start a new set and put more time into them with nicer mounting brackets. But you can do it. I heard that radio shack carries l.e.d. bulbs, I didnt get them b/c I already had some around but will be buying them this time around. good luck
they sell moon cycle controllers.
Ive never heard anyone actually getting jack for spawning as a result of these rather expensive units.
might be trying to accomplish the impossible.
but the question, DIY moonlights, thats easy. whats not east is controlling it, you going to twist that little voltmeter every day for the rest of your life after checking the weather channel for the moon phase each afternoon? no way. they sell controllers on ebay that use circuitry you cant DIY(not without a 1 off microcircuit that would cost way too much if you could design it).
just hit ebay, they have what you want, but it 99.99% chance wont have the effect your hoping for, atleast it hasnt for anyone else.
Ive never heard anyone actually getting jack for spawning as a result of these rather expensive units.
might be trying to accomplish the impossible.
but the question, DIY moonlights, thats easy. whats not east is controlling it, you going to twist that little voltmeter every day for the rest of your life after checking the weather channel for the moon phase each afternoon? no way. they sell controllers on ebay that use circuitry you cant DIY(not without a 1 off microcircuit that would cost way too much if you could design it).
just hit ebay, they have what you want, but it 99.99% chance wont have the effect your hoping for, atleast it hasnt for anyone else.
Go to www.allelectronics.com they have an assortment of LEDs in various wavelengths and brightnesses, even some UV ones. I use six ultra bright white ones on a pulse width modulation controller (same kind used to control a model train engine. three in series make a 12v ) to vary the brightness. I don't try to duplicate the moon phases, just keep enough light in the tank that I see if someone is misbehaving after the lights go out. When LEDs get efficient (and cheap) enough, I would like to try a complete dawn to dusk light simulation. the moon cycle sounds neat. Give it a try and see what happens.
brian.julia07
New member
this guy figured out the wavelength question?
http://www.kaotica.com/frag/diy/moonlight/
http://www.kaotica.com/frag/diy/moonlight/
or the high end
http://www.fishbowl-innovations.com/product/moonComputer
I thought I remembered one that utilized a series of lights and actually "moved" the light source across the tank like the moon crossing the sky by lighting the different LEDs in sequence each night.
I could be making that up.
but to be clear, this WONT MAKE ANYTHING SPAWN, it just looks cool.
http://www.fishbowl-innovations.com/product/moonComputer
I thought I remembered one that utilized a series of lights and actually "moved" the light source across the tank like the moon crossing the sky by lighting the different LEDs in sequence each night.
I could be making that up.
but to be clear, this WONT MAKE ANYTHING SPAWN, it just looks cool.
