Moonlight lighting in the aquarium – useful or superfluous?
Some crowds think that there are only two types of lighting conditions in an aquarium. During the day the aquarium is brightly lit and at night it is dark. In fact, aquarium owners also have the option of bringing moonlight into their aquarium.
- But what actually is moonlight in the aquarium?
- What advantages does it offer and what are the possibilities of letting the moon rise in the aquarium?
What is moonlight in the aquarium?
The moonlight is a series of LED lights that are used in the aquarium natural glow simulate what the moon emits in nature. Depending on what kind of model an aquarium owner wants to buy.
There are simple light rails that permanently create a faint glow of light in the aquarium and that have to be switched on and off manually. More complex models, on the other hand, are equipped with timers and also simulate the phases of the moon by shining brighter on some days and only glowing faintly on other days. This artificially displays a full moon or a waning moon, for example.
What are the advantages of artificial moonlight in the aquarium?
Moonlight lighting for your own aquarium is not just a purely visual matter, so that the aquarium also looks beautiful in the dark. The light is for some species of fish necessary. In the wild, fish are used to not having total darkness. Accordingly, they become restless when they are in an aquarium that is completely dark. They then swim around restlessly because they lack orientation. It happens more and more often that the fish swim against the panes. some fish jump in the disorientation also from the aquarium.
The artificial moonlight helps the fish to find their way around in the aquarium and calms them down significantly.
Some ornamental fish, on the other hand, need the moonlight to feel comfortable. There are species whose reproductive drive is stimulated by light. If they remain in a completely dark aquarium at night, reproduction will not occur. That is why the artificial moonlight is particularly important when someone wants to breed ornamental fish.
Other fish species such as catfish, on the other hand, need moonlight or generally low lighting in the aquarium in order to eat. These fish species are more active at night and may even die if kept in an aquarium that is completely dark at night.
For fish with juveniles, on the other hand, the artificial moonlight offers security. They can still keep an eye on their juveniles in the night lights to protect them from potential predators.
A brief introduction to the different lighting options
There are three different moonlight illuminations that aquarium owners can choose from:
LED spots:
LED spots are small lights that can be easily mounted in an aquarium. They selectively illuminate small areas. They are suitable for small aquariums to provide the necessary moonlight illumination. However, most models have limited luminosity controls and users have to turn them on and off manually. The LED spots are also quite cheap in comparison.
light rails:
Light rails can be attached more individually by users in their aquarium. The panels are malleable, allowing them to be laid out in straight lines, patterns or curves. The light rails are suitable for larger aquariums because they illuminate several areas.
In addition, many models have a built-in Dimming function, with which users can regulate the brightness of the artificial moonlight. However, the fixation is a bit more complex and it is advisable to additionally fasten the light rails with thumbtacks, for example, because otherwise they can quickly come loose.
LED light for showing the time of day:
LED lights with an associated timer allow aquarium users to set how long the lighting should last and how bright or dim the LEDs shine. The lights offer the fish a more pleasant transition from light to darkness at night and back to brightness in the morning. Also, the lights energy efficientbecause they don’t shine through all night long.
The installation is a bit more complex. The LED lights require an external timer or regulator, and the models are slightly more expensive than other types of lighting.
Instead of a timer, we recommend direct operation via remote control. For this purpose, Fluval offers a moonlight with remote control and air vent function.
How complex is the installation of moonlight in the aquarium?
The installation hardly differs from the installation of other lighting. The big difference between moonlight lighting and standard lighting is the color. While normal daylight in an aquarium is typically yellow or white, for the moonlight LEDs, mostly blue light chosen.
The installation is just as easy with moonlight LEDs as with normal lighting. The lamps can be screwed to the lid of the aquarium or attached with suction cups. The connection to the power source is the same as for normal LEDs.
How long should the moonlight be on?
There are different ways to set the moonlight correctly. Unlike the standard light, the bluish light of the moonlight has LEDs does not affect the planting in the aquarium or the growth of algae. That is why it is possible to let the light shine all night long.
But for the fish it is not necessarythat the aquarium is illuminated all night. In nature, too, there are times when little or no light shines. It is therefore sufficient if the moonlight shines 30 minutes to an hour after sunset and is switched on again at least 30 minutes before sunrise.
Adjusting the luminosity is more important than the duration. The moonlight illumination should be adjusted so that a smooth transition between daylight and blue moonlight. The going out of the moonlight shouldn’t be erratic either. Instead, the light should fade slowly so the fish can get used to the onset of darkness.
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