Lunar lights, for us or them? (or both)

[oeb]

Just a quick question...

I bought a Current Sundial 36" light w/4 lunar lights built on. Since adding it around a month ago, I noticed my brittle star fish doesn't venture out as far as it once did. Also, when I first got the light, and manually turned on the lunar LED's after hours, the starfish would retreat under a rock.

So my question is, is there much benefit to the actual inhabitants of the aquarium from lunar lights? Or is it just a way for us to watch what is going on after hours?

And on a positive note, my CBS loves to roam when the lunar light kicks on (or when it's dark in general?). I never knew he was so active until I got the light.

TIA-

[mattchew]

my star does the same thing..... good question... i still run mine though

[Godbert]

the lunar lights have many benefits... one (and this is probably the best one) is that you get to observe your specimens at night another is that some fish, and some corals too, will spawn if they are in a mated pair when the moonlights are on. as for your star problem it may just come as a shock to him when the lights switch depending on what circuit they are on

[oeb]

They have a light sensor and come on within a couple seconds after the actinics kick off.

[Otty]

I have heard it both ways and people will preach them both. I run some nice Lunar lights that Tangster made and I put them on a Lunar cycle that is programmed into my AC III controller. So there are times in the month I see no lights because that would be the new moon.
Just some thing to play with as the moons cycle will advance about 50min every day.

[oeb]

Otty, great response, thank you.

I turned off my lunar light right before I posted, and just did a red-light check. My starfish has moved to the other side of the tank. I think I will have to adopt some sort of schedule as well. Although mine will be manual.

[wildreef]

Originally Posted by oeb

Otty, great response, thank you.

I turned off my lunar light right before I posted, and just did a red-light check. My starfish has moved to the other side of the tank. I think I will have to adopt some sort of schedule as well. Although mine will be manual.

well' i'll say that ive never had lunar lights on my tank , now
with that said ' lunar lights are supposed to imitate the moon ?

well why would ya have them iluminate every night ?

The moon isint out every night and and you have half moon's /full at diffent times of the month'
Theres real cloud cover in the real world

So i would think if i were to have lunar lights on the tank , would be if i could time them to come on and diffrent times and fade off, and/or come on at the cycle of a moon/month ???
And ive read in some places where this helps with spawning of certain species of fish/corals ?

[Otty]

Originally Posted by wildreef

The moon isint out every night and and you have half moon's /full at diffent times of the month'
Theres real cloud cover in the real world

So i would think if i were to have lunar lights on the tank , would be if i could time them to come on and diffrent times and fade off, and/or come on at the cycle of a moon/month ???

My AquaController III imitates all of that by dimming the lights and doing a complete lunar cycle. Here is a look at April's seasonal table.

Date Sun rise/set - Moon rise/set - Temperature

Apr 01 07:06/19:21 - 03:44/15:44 - 76.0
Apr 02 07:06/19:21 - 04:32/16:32 - 76.0
Apr 03 07:05/19:21 - 05:21/17:21 - 76.0
Apr 04 07:05/19:21 - 06:10/18:10 - 76.0
Apr 05 07:04/19:21 - 06:59/18:59 - 76.0
Apr 06 07:03/19:21 - 07:48/19:48 - 76.0
Apr 07 07:03/19:21 - 08:36/20:36 - 76.1
Apr 08 07:02/19:21 - 09:24/21:24 - 76.1
Apr 09 07:01/19:22 - 10:13/22:13 - 76.1
Apr 10 07:01/19:22 - 11:02/23:02 - 76.1
Apr 11 07:00/19:22 - 11:51/23:51 - 76.1
Apr 12 07:00/19:22 - 12:40/00:40 - 76.1
Apr 13 06:59/19:22 - 13:28/01:28 - 76.2
Apr 14 06:58/19:22 - 14:17/02:17 - 76.2
Apr 15 06:58/19:22 - 15:06/03:06 - 76.2
Apr 16 06:57/19:23 - 15:55/03:55 - 76.2
Apr 17 06:56/19:23 - 16:44/04:44 - 76.2
Apr 18 06:56/19:23 - 17:32/05:32 - 76.2
Apr 19 06:55/19:23 - 18:21/06:21 - 76.3
Apr 20 06:54/19:23 - 19:10/07:10 - 76.3
Apr 21 06:54/19:23 - 19:59/07:59 - 76.3
Apr 22 06:53/19:23 - 20:48/08:48 - 76.3
Apr 23 06:53/19:23 - 21:36/09:36 - 76.3
Apr 24 06:52/19:24 - 22:25/10:25 - 76.3
Apr 25 06:51/19:24 - 23:14/11:14 - 76.4
Apr 26 06:51/19:24 - 00:03/12:03 - 76.4
Apr 27 06:50/19:24 - 00:52/12:52 - 76.4
Apr 28 06:49/19:24 - 01:40/13:40 - 76.4
Apr 29 06:49/19:24 - 02:29/14:29 - 76.4
Apr 30 06:48/19:24 - 03:18/15:18 - 76.4

Pretty cool how it works but there are days will the tank is black when I leave for work and it's in the basement so there is no light down there.