Moonlight in the aquarium - All about the purpose of the aquarium moonlight and how to do this easily retrofit can the lighting in the aquarium has made significant changes in recent years. Be it the ones that are coming to the fore more and more LED technology or else simulations as well as this mentioned moonlight. Retrofitting moonlight into your aquarium not only looks good, but also has a number of advantages. Not only for us humans, but also for the fish. But what is the meaning and purpose of a moonlight in the aquarium? How can I do this simple retrofit and what do I need for it? Is there a guide for this and what do they have Manufacturers for products in stock? This guide to moonlight in the aquarium answers these questions and many others.
What is moonlight in the aquarium anyway?
In nature, every planet has a moon. As is well known, this is illuminated by the sun and in turn throws this light to the earth. So this light occurs at night and the ornamental fish in the wild know this light. In our aquarium it has so far only played a minor role, but with the ever-improving technology this seems to be changing.
However, the moonlight in nature is constantly changing. Be it because of Cloud cover or from the different ones moon phases. Everyone should be familiar with these, because in addition to the full moon there is also a waning moon, a partial moon, a half moon and much more. Getting a simulation in the aquarium here is certainly not easy, but there are now quite a few controllers and Aquarium computers, which can emulate this phase.
Replica of the phases of the moon and the moonrise and moonset
As in nature, the time of moonrise and moonset now changes appropriately for sunrise and sunset. This should also be possible in a reasonable simulation. There is another crucial point which should be possible. Since the luminosity of the moon is also measured in lux or lumen and this sometimes increases and sometimes decreases, this should also be taken into account. The aquarium computers have controls that simulate this 29-day rhythm with the waxing and waning moon. The illuminance is raised or lowered here as a percentage, and this always step by step. Thus one has an optimal simulation of the natural phases of the moon.
How exactly and at what intervals the controller does this varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. However, most of them stick very closely to nature and reduce the light until the 15th day of the respective moon phase and then neither increase it successively.
[the_ad id = “1019 ″]Clouds are simulated
The manufacturers of aquarium lighting and aquarium computers are also coming up with more and more ideas for clouds. So it is also possible to simulate clouds. Not only during the day and daylight, but also during night lighting, i.e. moonlight. Here you can distinguish between different types of clouds in nature, but this is usually not considered in the simulation. Here it does not matter whether it is about Cirrus clouds, Cumulus clouds or Stratus clouds acts. In German one often speaks of stratum clouds, cumulus clouds or veil clouds. Basically, it's just a matter of dimming the light for a period of time. This is how you simulate a simple darkening, which is what clouds do in nature.
What are the advantages of aquarium moonlight?
Of course, one now asks oneself whether the whole thing also has significant advantages. What do the ornamental fish, or even the plants, get out of it? Or are there also advantages for us humans?
Let's first look at us humans and thus the viewers of the aquarium. Of course we have a good advantage, because the aquarium does not go completely dark after switching off the "normal" lighting. So we can still see something in the aquarium after the night's rest. Above all, nocturnal fish can be observed here at work. Most of the time, the animals behave completely differently at night and it can be very exciting for us aquarists to observe them. But it shouldn't just be about us humans, because above all it's about the animals.
Ornamental fish will also be able to enjoy such moonlight, as this reflects their natural habitat. The better and closer you can stick to these, the more comfortable ornamental fish will feel with us. In nature it is almost never completely dark.
With some fish species, such as nocturnal species such as many catfish, this also means showing a completely different feeding behavior. They are happy about this special lighting. Even one, increased fertility and sexual activity can be noted in some fish. It might even work better with a pairing.[the_ad id=”1019″]
Moonlight can also be an advantage for juvenile fish or fish that are repeatedly hunted. They have a much better orientation and can also hide accordingly. Furnishings are predestined for this.
Let's summarize the most important advantages again.
- Better viewing and observation for us aquarists
- Pisces feel better
- Nocturnal fish can absorb food better
- Better breeding success with some types of ornamental fish
- Hiding places for young fish
What are the disadvantages of aquarium moonlight?
Of course we want to say a word about the disadvantages of moonlight lighting in the aquarium, because not everything is positive. Especially the Upkeep will be influenced somewhat with this lighting, although not extremely. On the one hand, LED lamps are usually used here and, on the other hand, they only have a low output in lumens. Much more important here is the light color, which is usually around 10.000 Kelvin. Nevertheless, you will need a little more power when using the light source.
In addition to the maintenance costs, there is another cost factor because the acquisition costs will also increase accordingly. Here, 50 euros or more are quickly due. Depending on size and model. If you need a special controller, it can quickly become much more expensive.
There are no known disadvantages for ornamental fish.
- Higher maintenance costs
- Acquisition costs for the moonlight
What components do I need to retrofit moonlight?
Now let's get to the real thing Technology, which is required here. Compared to the normal lighting in the aquarium, there are only a few differences. Be it with the power supply, which also takes place here with a special transformer for the LED lamps, as well as with the wiring.
The decisive factor is usually the Light color because here you work with a bluish light. This should be able to be dimmed accordingly in order to adjust the power level accordingly.
The heart of such a moonlight system is certainly the control and the dimming, because, as already described above, it is about being able to optimally simulate the phases of the moon. This happens with the help of a dimmer and a corresponding automatic switching and regulation. These devices are offered in various sets, especially those from Sera. Of course, we have also put together all the necessary components for you:
Of course, these dimmers with the simulation of clouds are also available for daylight
- to control the Sera LED lighting
- can also be used as a timer
- manual adjustment of the brightness possible
Installation and commissioning
The construction and assembly are quite simple. The Sera set, for example, already includes a holder with suction cups. This suction cup holder only has to be attached to the aquarium accordingly and the actual light is already in place. Then all you have to do is connect the cables and set and program the control accordingly. This is also not a problem with the corresponding operating instructions.
How long should the duty cycle be in moonlight in the aquarium?
Again and again, especially with regular lighting, there is a discussion about how long you should leave it on. We have also thought about this in detail and have already explained it in another article.
This plays less of a role in the Moonlight Aquarium, because it is not about plant growth or the containment of algae. Here the actual benefit lies elsewhere. Therefore, one can also use the duty cycle / lighting duration design individually. Of course, you don't have to leave the lights on all night, you can also let the moon go down after a certain time.
You should turn it on as soon as the sun goes down. Here we advise a smooth transition from normal sunlight to moonlight. You should switch off the moonlight before sunrise at the latest. In nature, however, the moon will usually no longer be visible much earlier, so that you can save 2 hours of electricity here.
Conclusion and purchase recommendation for retrofitting aquarium moonlight
So let's summarize the most important things again. The above-mentioned Sera 44498 LED Moonlight Set not only did an excellent job in customer tests, but is particularly suitable for retrofitting. Of course, this function is also available for new lighting systems. However, if you want to retrofit this, you have made a good choice with this set. We can give a clear buy recommendation here. Of course there are many other manufacturers, which we have also listed below. Anyone who buys a new aquarium can already buy such sets with moonlight from manufacturers such as Juwel or Eheim.
In the age of digitization, one should no longer do without this feature.
