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DIY Cold Cathode Ray moonlight


Sinistard

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SaltyDawg -- Ah another Ohio'n, I got my cold cathode from Microcenter but it cost me 17 bucks. I did get the kit that came with 2 lights and the inverter. Im still trying to decide if I want to put one over the back chambers, I'm just not sure it will do any good.

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Sinistard: I saw them last weekend at microcenter in a single bulb back ( wired up with endcaps and what not) for 6.99.

Nex time you go there walk down the first isle straight in front of you when you enter the building. they areright across from that table they always have the motherboard cpu combo sales on in a little cage bin. They are on the left side of the isle . The begining of the isle where they used to put the return racks in ( where they have those Giant black totes now)

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I believe it was in the book The Modern Reef Aquarium Vol.1 by Nilsen and Fossa, that mentioned something about the intensity of moon light on a reef. On a night with a full moon, the light intensity measured 200 lux at the water surface. I don't think it mentioned anything about what spectrum the moon was. They just suggested a blue incadesant bulb for a simulated moon light. I think that the sepctrum of your CCFL will be fine.

 

BTW, I don't have the book at hand to look it up, so I may be off on some of my numbers.

 

If you could hook that up to a timer that would vary the voltage, you could simulate the lunar cycle very easily.

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I have the same coldcathode moon lighting over my 35 and had to black out most of the tube to get it dim enough for it to be "moon lighting". But corals look awsome under this kind of moon lighting. My zoos glow insanely.

 

To save on space/timers you may be able to just add a relay to the power board for your fans. I assume the fans run when the lights are on? If so, add a relay in parrellel to the fans and wire your moon lighting to NC on the relay. This way when the lights/fans are on the relay is energized and NC is open, thus turning the moon lighting off. When the fans kick off for the night, the relay closes the circuit for the moon lights and they come on. Just a thought, I did something similiar with mine.

 

Jay

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prugs and pastelball --- I used a radio shack power supply that is switch able from 6-12 volts

 

jhupp -- Thanks for the idea I'll have to look into wiring the moonlight so It will turn on when the fans turn off. I'm not 100% sure on how to go about this if you have any suggestions on a list of parts I would need I would appreciate it. I have a little knowledge on circuits and different types of relays and switches but it is not extensive by far. Also I'm glad to hear that you corals like the Cold Cathode.

 

SaltyDawg -- I actually live in Columbus so I think my Microcenter is laid out a bit different then yours but I'll defiantly look around for the cheap stuff

 

joshnemily -- Thank you for the information, its hard to find anything on the web.

 

Blind Tree Frog -- I could leave it on all the time but I like to mess around with wiring stuff :)

 

On a side note I am thinking about using a computer fan speed controller to change the brightness of the moonlight so I will be able to very the light output with more control then the 4 or 5 levels the power supply offers. If this works I will just need a 12-volt power supply and not a 6-12 volt or I can just leave my power supply on 12 volts

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  • 4 months later...

I am using this idea in my 12g DX. Thanks a lot for posting this DIY forum. For all you skeptics, the Cold Cathode looks GREAT in a tank.

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I bought a 2 tube CCFL light @ Fry's. I also put in some 468nm & 430nm LED's. Have to say that zoos, etc. look better under the CCFL. I have my CCFL on a timer and adjustable power supply. Have them running @ about 6vdc. Really nice look. (In the pic they are @ 12vdc.)

 

Moonlights.jpg

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  • 3 years later...
neanderthalman
How many Ma is the dc plug adapter thingy from radioshack?

 

Old thread is old. Almost four years old. Probably not going to get an answer. Sinistard hasn't logged in since last May, and I don't think doncb has the same tank anymore - he started a NC 28 HQI this year.

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Old thread is old. Almost four years old. Probably not going to get an answer. Sinistard hasn't logged in since last May, and I don't think doncb has the same tank anymore - he started a NC 28 HQI this year.

Damn, I really wanted to do this one!

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No reason you can't. Try one in, say, the 500mA range. It's not much of an issue if you get one that's rated too high.

Ok thanks

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  • 2 months later...

Anyone know of a way you could do this mod and have a controller for the voltage run through it? I mean, so that you could hav a progression from 7.5 up to 12 until ur tank light turns on, like a sunrise cycle-ish?

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