DIY Luxeon LED Moon Light.. Lot's of Pics

DaMeatMan

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Sep 25, 2003
Messages
197
Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
DIY Luxeon LED Moon Light.. Lot\'s of Pics

I just wanted to share my latest LED project with you guy's. For a while now i've been planning on constructing an LED moonlight to simulate natural moonlight at night when the main lights go out in the tank. I ordered two blue LuxIII emitters from the sandwich shope but what i received was actually labeled "Lux I blue" so i'm uncertain of what i actually got vs what i paid for. Anyhow i used a walwart from my old cell phone, it's rated at 4v and 350ma output. The emitters are connected in parallel and I used a variable resistor to adjust LED brightness along with a mini toggle switch to turn it on and off. The results of this project are in the many pics below, enjoy!

Close up of emitter:
moonlight0356qb.jpg


Moon light on low:
moonlight0392go.jpg


Moon light on high:
moonlight0408ne.jpg


Sealed electronics, adaptor jack, toggle switch, and variable resistor
moonlight0441nk.jpg
:

Pic of tank with flash and moonlight on:
moonlight0268tt.jpg


Pic of tank in total darkness with moonlight on:
moonlight0292ur.jpg


moonlight0048qv.jpg


Just so u know these pictures really don't do it justice, the tank looks absolutely awesome in person and the fish actually behave differently with the night light on.. it's really cool to observe! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 

nemul

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 22, 2005
Messages
1,592
Location
Georgia
Re: DIY Luxeon LED Moon Light.. Lot\'s of Pics

very cool idea! makes me wanna go get a fish tank!
 

Silviron

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jun 24, 2001
Messages
2,477
Location
New Mexico, USA
Re: DIY Luxeon LED Moon Light.. Lot\'s of Pics

[ QUOTE ]
For a while now i've been planning on constructing an LED moonlight to simulate natural moonlight at night when the main lights go out in the tank.

[/ QUOTE ]

Gee,when I first read your post, before I got to see the photos.....
I thought you were into Armor, not aquariums. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ohgeez.gif
 

WildRice

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 30, 2003
Messages
1,135
Location
SW Michigan
Re: DIY Luxeon LED Moon Light.. Lot\'s of Pics

There is a product out there made for salt water tanks that have a Royal blue with a low color bin (450-455nm), that is supposed to simulate moonlight and put fish 'in the mood'.
These are WWAAYY overpriced for what they are, a LUX I star LD and a wal-wart, thats is, for around $100. Looks like you come in MUCH lower than that cost. GOOD JOB.
Jeff
 

koala

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 5, 2003
Messages
2,295
Location
Melbourne, Australia
Re: DIY Luxeon LED Moon Light.. Lot\'s of Pics

Apart from a cool looking tank at night, does the moonlight increase spawning?

I use red light at night, as red don't disturb the fish sleep much.

I can see you some serious aquarist there with the chiclids and Hagen products like the aquaplus and all the nutrafin dry foods /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif.

-vince.
 

DaMeatMan

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Sep 25, 2003
Messages
197
Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Re: DIY Luxeon LED Moon Light.. Lot\'s of Pics

[ QUOTE ]
WildRice said:
There is a product out there made for salt water tanks that have a Royal blue with a low color bin (450-455nm), that is supposed to simulate moonlight and put fish 'in the mood'.
These are WWAAYY overpriced for what they are

[/ QUOTE ]
If you do a search on ebay for "moonlight" you will come up with several listings, most of which seem to be based on 5mm nichias which cannot even light up the whole tank they have a very unatural spotlight effect. But your right, they definately are WAY OVERPRICED for what they actually are.

[ QUOTE ]
quoala said:
Apart from a cool looking tank at night, does the moonlight increase spawning?

[/ QUOTE ]
I've read that blue led moonlights have that effect on the fish, however i have yet to see what mine will actually do as i have just recently set it up. They definately do seem to like it and the male cichlids do seem to be quivering infront of my females quite a bit! By the way you must also be an aquarist for spotting the cichlids in my tank and their food. Good eye! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/happy14.gif
 

Hallis

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 23, 2004
Messages
2,590
Location
Dallas, Tx
Re: DIY Luxeon LED Moon Light.. Lot\'s of Pics

Better eyes than mine as i cant even see the fish that well, lol. might be the crappy monitor here at work also. lol. Ive got a few albino oscars in seperate tanks. Ive found Convict Cichlids to be really hearty breeders though. I had a few pink and a few stripped ones we bought just to help the tank get going and we couldnt stop those damn things from having babies /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif On the other hand we could never get the Blood Parrot cichlids to ever have any, although they would lay eggs, they would always end up eating them. Prolly due to there being oscars in the tank too, lol.

Anyway, back onto topic. VERY nice setup youve got there. Ive never even thought of doing such a thing. Not that im too concerned about breeding since there's only 1 oscar per tank in my house. But if one of them ever decides to die on me then i would definately employ a mod like this for a little mood lighting for them.

Again very nice work.

Shane
 
L

LITEmania

Guest
Re: DIY Luxeon LED Moon Light.. Lot\'s of Pics

Is a ray from LED harmful to fish or not ???
 

Hallis

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 23, 2004
Messages
2,590
Location
Dallas, Tx
Re: DIY Luxeon LED Moon Light.. Lot\'s of Pics

It's not putting out any radiation or anything so i wouldnt think so, IT's just light, and at the levels he's running, a relatively dim light.

Shane
 
L

LITEmania

Guest
Re: DIY Luxeon LED Moon Light.. Lot\'s of Pics

Hallis : Thanks.
 

DaMeatMan

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Sep 25, 2003
Messages
197
Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Re: DIY Luxeon LED Moon Light.. Lot\'s of Pics

That's awesome Hallis, i hope i could be so lucky as to have my fish breed like yours did. Hopefully the moonlight helps with that.
 

Hallis

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 23, 2004
Messages
2,590
Location
Dallas, Tx
Re: DIY Luxeon LED Moon Light.. Lot\'s of Pics

If they won't breed then just flush them and get yourself some pink and striped convict cichlids and they'll breed like rabbits. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Shane
 
Top