moon lights

deger · 07/22/2007, 07:01 AM

I have a light kit that I broke down for parts and retro fitted in
my canopy. I need to mount the moon lights but the bulbs blew out monthes ago. Heres my question, when I replace the LEDs, will UV bulbs be harmful my coral or will they light up in fluorescent colors? Should I stick with white or blue?

areze · 07/22/2007, 10:42 AM

UV LEDs will not be harmful because they are still in the safe spectrum. they are analogous to the black lights you'll see at cosmic bowling or a night club in the 90's.

blue LEDs put out a slightly higher wavelength, which includes visible light.

white puts out all the wave lengths.

most choose blue because it targets more of the UV spectrum than white. white LEDs are generally just a dimmer result of what you see in the day. blue allows you to visibly see the rock and sand, but the corals will stand out more with their glow. UV would light up very little of the tank, only place you would see the light is where it hits the corals. it would otherwise be a mostly dark tank with green and red and whatnot from corals glowing.

deger · 07/22/2007, 12:11 PM

What about Infrared?

theatrus · 07/22/2007, 12:14 PM

IR won't make it beyond an inch in water or so. Plus you can't see it.

areze · 07/22/2007, 12:31 PM

the spectrum goes from UV, to blue, to yellow, then to red(I think thats the order roughly...), on the opposite end of the spectrum from UV is IR. it does not have any bearing on a fish tank though.

deger · 07/22/2007, 04:55 PM

Thank you all for your help.

07/22/2007, 07:01 AM	#1
deger Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Boca Raton Posts: 37	moon lights I have a light kit that I broke down for parts and retro fitted in my canopy. I need to mount the moon lights but the bulbs blew out monthes ago. Heres my question, when I replace the LEDs, will UV bulbs be harmful my coral or will they light up in fluorescent colors? Should I stick with white or blue?

07/22/2007, 10:42 AM	#2
areze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,048	UV LEDs will not be harmful because they are still in the safe spectrum. they are analogous to the black lights you'll see at cosmic bowling or a night club in the 90's. blue LEDs put out a slightly higher wavelength, which includes visible light. white puts out all the wave lengths. most choose blue because it targets more of the UV spectrum than white. white LEDs are generally just a dimmer result of what you see in the day. blue allows you to visibly see the rock and sand, but the corals will stand out more with their glow. UV would light up very little of the tank, only place you would see the light is where it hits the corals. it would otherwise be a mostly dark tank with green and red and whatnot from corals glowing. __________________ current tanks:240g of wallet draining capacity.

07/22/2007, 12:14 PM	#4
theatrus 100-mile-commuter Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: almost nevada Posts: 4,721	IR won't make it beyond an inch in water or so. Plus you can't see it. __________________ Custom electronics purveyor. blueAcro.com Current Tank Info: 90g SPS+mixed reef (10 yrs): LEDBrick LEDs, 40g custom sump, Ca reactor, chiller, Vortech, lots of custom electronics

07/22/2007, 12:31 PM	#5
areze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,048	the spectrum goes from UV, to blue, to yellow, then to red(I think thats the order roughly...), on the opposite end of the spectrum from UV is IR. it does not have any bearing on a fish tank though. __________________ current tanks:240g of wallet draining capacity.

07/22/2007, 12:11 PM	#3
deger Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Boca Raton Posts: 37	What about Infrared?

07/22/2007, 04:55 PM	#6
deger Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Boca Raton Posts: 37	Thank you all for your help.