just a crazy idea or might it work? moonlight alternative :)

[sir_dudeguy]

ok, this might just be a crazy idea, but hey, if it works, we could all probably have "moonlights" for free

So what would happen if you took regular old chrismas tree lights and take out all the reds/greens/whatever and replaced them w/all blues.

Would you be able to set that up somhow as a cheap "moonlight"? I know that the spectrum or whatever would be way different, but just for night time viewing...would this work? I'd think that you'd have to have quite a few of these bulbs tho....whereas the LED moonlights it only takes a couple/few to light up a tank (depending on size).

But i know all or most of you all probably have like 3 million christmas tree lights somewhere in your garage/attick/closet...so it would more than likely be free if you just take the time to rig it up somehow. And i know that our christmas tree lights have built in timers on them So you could have them running w/that.

just an idea that occured to me when i saw a fellow reefer's LED moonlights...they were on a strip that strongly reminded me of chrismas tree lights (but imagine putting those bad boys all over your tree!!! )

 

[Randall_James]

you will find that a pretty good number of tank owners have done this. The light ropes work a bit better as all the electrical is sealed in (no 120V stuff falling in tank is a good thing)

 

[Ti]

yeh it works

 

[reefnetworth]

UV rays would probably be my only concern. i'm pretty sure they dont put out any, but... moonlights are cheap and installed where they have no chance of possible elect. also, i believe with a strand of lights you will have ALOT more light than you would want. IMPE

 

[sir_dudeguy]

cool! into the attick i go!....in the morning that is

 

[sir_dudeguy]

UV rays would probably be my only concern. i'm pretty sure they dont put out any, but... moonlights are cheap and installed where they have no chance of possible elect. also, i believe with a strand of lights you will have ALOT more light than you would would want. IMPE

i doubt that they'd give off any UV...even if they do...they're so weak it prolly wouldnt even matter.

moonlights are cheap and installed where they have no chance of possible elect.

not really that cheap...i'd need at least 2 of these for my tank
http://www.hellolights.com/1wablmoglled.html
That'd be like 50 bucks pluss shipping...lfs sells them for even more than that. I'd rather save that 50 bucks and get a nice coral from the lfs (or local) if at all possible.

And what did you mean by...

and installed where they have no chance of possible elect

no possible elect...? srry..i'm lost

 

[BCreefmaker]

electricution of the poor fishies

 

[FullPull]

sir_dudeguy.....let me know how it works out for you....seems to easy

 

[Randall_James]

Moonlights are normally LED (and so low voltage) if they fall in the tank, nothing gets fried (most are 5V)

The xmas lights work best if you use a combo of blue and white bulbs btw

 

[sir_dudeguy]

The xmas lights work best if you use a combo of blue and white bulbs btw

really? what...does the whites like balance out the blue or something?

electricution of the poor fishies

i'm really not gonna worry bout that either...i'll be using wood staples to keep the xmas light strand up anyways..so there will be no way for them to fall...if not staples, then i'll think of something else lol.

full pull..i'll let you know how it comes out

oh and btw...how many bulbs do you think i should have? And would they be fine if say its a big strand (i doubt we have any small ones...my mom seems to buy everything in bulk and gets the costco/samsclub ginormous pac of lights lol...but then she wont let me buy 10 bulbs at a time...go figure )

but anyways...say i got a big strand...and there's too many bulbs...couldnt i just take out a few of the bulbs here and there? Or would that be bad for the rest of the lights? Cuz i know that our chrismas tree always has a few bulbs not working or missing here and there...i wouldnt think that it'd matter too much.

thanks again for all input

 

[barjam]

I bought a cheap LED night light from home depot, opened the case and soldered a longer lead to the LED.

The nice thing is that the LED is automatically turned on when the lights go off.

 

[michaeldaly]

You could use a cheap pc cold cathode tube (blue) and run it on an old psu. It's low voltage so it is safe to use close to water and they come in different lengths so you can get the right amount of light for your tank.

 

[J. Montgomery]

Can't you get Hannukah lights that are all blue?

If you're worried about things falling into the water and electrocuting everything . . . you should probably install a GFCI (ground fault circuit interruptor) outlet. Some would argue that its a must have safety item for all aquariums (especially with the number of pumps, heaters, and powerheads that most of us have submerged in the water already).

My light fixture has four LEDs built into it . . . I'm not too crazy about them. The lights are pretty well focused and only illuminates a small area. Though I do still use them, and if you can focus it onto a specific coral with nice green fluorescence then the view is pretty cool.

 

[Kinetic]

my current usa lights were only $12 =X i don't think you need to spend so much on moonlights? i'm confused why you'd go the lengths to using old christmas lights. goodness, that's a lot of light at night =/

 

[Randall_James]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8427089#post8427089 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by michaeldaly
You could use a cheap pc cold cathode tube (blue) and run it on an old psu. It's low voltage so it is safe to use close to water and they come in different lengths so you can get the right amount of light for your tank.

Yes and they are at the 420nm wavelength as well, They do need a bit of "weatherproofing" to protect the little ballast they come with.

 

[sir_dudeguy]

i'm confused why you'd go the lengths to using old christmas lights. goodness, that's a lot of light at night =/

because A) they're free...i've already got them...and B) it wouldnt really be a lot of light. We've got a bunch of small strands w/only like 20 bulbs on it so i'll be trying those out tonight.

 

[barjam]

One single blue LED is too bright for my 75. A tiny bit of light goes a long way.

 

[conchead]

What will you put on the tree at Christmas?

 

[yakfishin]

The christmas tree lights will work. I have also I had good luck in the summertime using what I call cheap star lights, that resemble the twinkling of stars on a clear moonless night. I pay my daughter a penny for every live firefly she can catch. We place them in glass jars and just float them around in the aquarium. If any escape they just become free fish food. Sorry.....just my idea of humor on a Friday afternoon!

 

[serpentman]

Here would be my concern. Most Christmas lights are pretty cheaply made. Case in point, every year I put away boxes and boxes of working lights only to take them out the next year and find that they don't work. Worse, I get them up and then they don't work.

This might work temporarily but in my experience, the lights also get hot. To me, long-term use around water spells trouble. Also, too many lights give off a lot of light, which might upset your inhabitants.

However, with all that said, I would be interested in seeing how you make out.