New concept? Mood = Moonlighting (Video Up)

Well this is something I have been tossing around in my head now for awhile, and I figured I would start the topic and see what various people think of the idea.

Instead of the regular old "blue" leds for "moonlights", why do we have to stay with only blue? Moonlights as far as I know, dont really affect corals or fish (correct me if I'm wrong which I'm sure I am). They just provide very LOW lighting that can be ran at night time, and allow us to still view the tank at night and are supposed to simulate the moon shining down on the ocean.

My idea was, if there are no real "threats" to using other colors, why not use some RGB leds and build a color changing moonlight with a microcontroller, such as this YouTube - ‪Controlling a 3W RGB LED with an Arduino‬‏ but running on alot slower color changing schedule.

You could make it take an hour to change colors, just to set different moods in the room, and make different corals pop under different colors. What do you guys think, am I crazy? Unless someone can tell me a for sure negative effect it would have on my tank, I think I may experiment with this and take some video. Let the comments fly ;D

 

Why are you trying to get your coral colors to pop with moonlights? My corals go to "sleep" when the actinics go out... meaning very little showing to "pop". Also, you are wrong... some corals and fish spawn off the moon cycle. I don't know that the color is important to this, however. Though the moon does cast a relatively consistent color spectrum.

 

I guess you could & I wouldnt see why not. I wouldnt say moonlighting has no effect on fish/corals though. I noticed in my tank that I didnt get as much feeder extension on my acans & trumphets at night when they are on. Adding my moonlights to the timer I been getting much better growth. I have them to set up for an hour after lights out & half hour before lights on.

 

I never said the intent of this experiment was to get corals to pop, that would not be the only reason to build this. And this was a completely general statement, green zoas are the first to come to mind that look AWESOME under blue moon lights. And when I said the moonlight has no effect on corals/fish, it was a loose term, which I also noted in the OP by stating I was probably wrong about that anyways. The intent here is to toss out a new idea for discussion.

Khowst, I suppose you could do the same thing with timer and just have it run a schedule like you are saying.

 

I wasn't attacking you or your idea. You said it could make corals pop and I simply said my corals are all basically closed up when the moonlights are on. I also provided some information for what moonlights can actually do for the corals.

 

I didnt assume that you were attacking me, just clarifying what the intent was.

You say your corals are all closed at night, could you be more specific on which species? I havent seen very many reef tanks under moonlights, but the few that I have, had different types of zoas which all looked crazy flourescent under the moon lights, if I remember, I think I say an awesome brain that looked good too, but I beleive the moon lights had JUST came on when I saw it.

Anyways, I think it would be cool just for the overall effect

 

during night time the majority of corals close unless they are non photosynthetic, moonlights are meant to look natural and replicate the moon light. i just cant really picture taking a tank with a green or purple moonlight seriously and i think it would majorly take away from the look of a beautiful tank. also even under normal moonlights no corals really pop, i think you may be mistaking them with actinics because most moonlights are not blue enough to do that.

 

This is under my LEDs. The zoas completely close within minutes of the moonlights turning on.

Here they are under actinics (which are not moon lights)... they positively glow.

 

Lol, I should've known it wouldnt be long before you would drop in with your almighty 2 cents.

First of all, I think you meant to say most moonlights aren't "bright" enough to do that, not "blue" enough. It doesnt get much bluer than a "BLUE" led, which are what MOONLIGHTS use.

Second, contrary to your assumptions, no I am not "mistaking" moonlights for actinic lighting.

And I'm fully aware that corals close up during the night. You are telling me that no corals pop under moonlighting, yet I stare at my girlfriends bowfront every night when the halide goes off, and her zoa gardens look CRAZY iridescent under the moonlights.

I knew that this idea wouldnt be for everyone, as some people will only like the look of blue. I am more interested in knowing if there are any ill effects of using other colors for moonlighting.

 

Awesome pics man. Yeah i guess my girlfriends do end up closing, I'm usually watching when the halide first goes off. But there are green mushrooms and various other corals that still have enough color at night under the blue moonlights that it immediately catches your eye when you walk in the room. The green star polyps look cool too.