Marine Aquarium Moon Lights: What Are They?

Many of you probably though that you were finally done purchasing all the equipment needed to be successful in your marine endeavor, and you are probably right! However, their are always other pieces of equipment that we could incorporate into our aquarium's configuration to afford us other benefits, if not for aesthetics alone. Moon lights, otherwise known as lunar lights, have grown in popularity over the past few years. In fact, many of the lighting fixtures that we have as our sole artificial means of lighting our tank are accompanied by moon lights. Moonlight's offer many advantages that should be considered when addressing your tanks needs as well as that of your living animals residing in your tank.

Lunar/moon lights are a way of replicating the light of the moon evident at nighttime. This achievement can be astronomical for three main reasons: Observe nocturnal behavior of livestock without interfering with the use of flashlights or room lights being used, influences spawning possibilities in your animals, and affords you the ability to add lunar luminescence to make the colors of many of your corals jump out at you with gorgeous coloration.

Their are two distinct ways of incorporating moon lights into your tanks chemistry. Either adding them alone to come on at the same intensity each time you turn your moon lights on, or the better alternative is to incorporate your moonlights on some form of moon controller or computer system. I will explain shortly, the difference between the two set-ups, first I will enlighten you by giving you some background of the moon and its importance to us and sea life as well.

The moons lunar phase/stage consists of the natural progression of the moon and the amount of the moon we see at night, over a period of 29.5 days which represents the lunar month. Waning gibbous, first quarter, full, new and waxing crescent are all various phases that we see at different times of the month based on the geometrical relationship between the moon, earth and sun. Full moon phase would be evident when the moon and earth are on opposite sides of the sun. New moon would be evident once the earth and moon are situated on the same side of the sun, so that the half of the moon illuminated from the sun would not be seen by us, leaving us to see an invisible (dark moon).

The moon is responsible for the tidal changes that we can observe daily with the high and low tides. These tidal changes can best be expressed as a magnet between our Earth and the moon. Through gravitational flow(tractive force), we experience tides with the cycle from one first high tide to the second in the course of the day taking roughly 12 hours and 25 minutes. Ultimately, The moon's direction in relation to Earth causes the ocean to bulge in the same direction of the moon to influence our tidal changes. These tidal changes help to bring waves which in turn bring nutrients up from the depths and transfer them towards shore. They also aid in riding waste and other pollutants in the form of foam that gets washed up on shore.

Spawning is often dictated by the moon's lunar cycle along with increased water temperatures at any given time. Spawning by corals, Clams, fish and invertebrates and algae can be experienced through the incorporation of moon lights, especially if set to a lunar cycle module as I will explain shortly.

Ok, now as for the addition of lunar lights to our tank set-up, lunar lights are often sold as blue(460-420nm) or white LED bulbs. These lights allow us to experience the glorious nocturnal environment evident in our tanks. A whole different and unique world awaits us after the lights go off. The subdued lighting afforded by the small, less intense LED moon lights, allows us the ability to experience, enjoy and witness life in a reef without disturbing many of the nocturnal habitat in our tanks. Worms, corals, snails and other various and delicate cryptic lifeforms can be seen on our live rock and in the sand, coming to life in search of food and reproduction, that are elusive by day.

The vibrant fluorescing observed under blue LED moon lights is amazing. Certain corals will take on a whole different coloration that is a site not to be missed. Photosynthetic corals that contain dinoflagellates(zooxanthellae), are reliant on the lunar light afforded by the moons glow and this transfers to the marine aquarium as well.

As mentioned, there are two distinctly different ways to incorporate moon lights into a marine aquarium set-up. Purchasing just the LED moon lights to come turn on and off at our leisure or placed on a timer to come on for a desirable period of time. Depending on the number and size of the LED bulbs, you can attain a greater intensity of light, light a larger tank or a deeper tank as well. This is a nice addition to a reef tank especially, however the second option makes more sense and is better associated with reef aquariums, based on the lunar cycle I explained above.

By incorporating your moon lights on to a controller or computer system, you can replicate the moons intensity based on the 29.5 day lunar cycle. This further enhances the ability to experience the nocturnal life and spawning processes by many various lifeforms as the moonlights will gradually dim themselves then increase in intensity based on the stage of the moon and its glow.

Unfortunately this controller/computer set-up is more expensive but is a better representation of the natural process and benefits the moon's light provides us and all life under the sea!