Hemmdog’s 90gal Seaciety and 40gal Vale of Shadows

[ScottR]

I’m doing a little light experiment over here. I’ve had my lights on a spectrum that looked good to my eyes and a sunrise sunset with different spectrums and different durations. Well the world doesn’t work that way, so I’m going to go more natural and balanced. I made a few minor adjustments to my spectrum so it stays the exact same all day except for peak which has only 15% more whites. I also have the same duration for ramp up and ramp down now.
I just finished my moonlight experiment, the coral was not nearly as happy as it was when it was getting a good nights rest in complete darkness. Growth on acros actually slowed way down, much slower than before, corals look more washed out too, it’s very interesting. Feeder tentacles were also noticeably shorter while running moonlights. I attribute that to them not being able to catch as much food, thus looking less happy. My moon cycle also mimicked the actual phase of the moon; rather than on 100% every night rookie moonlight settings. My snails spawned so there’s that..
I’m looking for subtle differences with these new lighting changes. I’m very observant of my tank and have extremely high standards of what constitutes a “happy coral”. It’s legitimately an experiment to rule out or side with hobbyist myths about lighting period and spectrum. I’ll report back on this in 2+ months. We can discuss though obviously if anyone is interested lol.

Thanks for this. Always was curious about the moonlights. The moon is only full or partially full for part of the month. And the moon doesn’t always hit the ocean directly. So why do corals need it? Plus, LPS mostly close up at night anyway. And how far does the moonlight penetrate through the water anyway? And do corals actually photosynthesize off light at night? And do our lights actually mimic true moonlight. Sorry for the rant. Never understood moon lighting (unless for work).

I have a similar lighting schedule. Sort of like the WWC lighting schedule. I have to say, my tank is happier with that schedule. I run heavy blue with T5/LED.

Edit: similar lighting schedule that Hemmdog mentioned about whites.

 

[ScottR]

I have to add to this as well. Here I go again

I think that creatures spawn during moon events due to the tide that the moon creates. Not the light of the moon. When I was growing up in Hawaii, the lunar cycle brought box jellyfish 7-8 days after the full moon. It was the tide that moon brought in. Sea turtles would come in and eat the jellies. So it also brought them in as well. I don’t think any of this is due to the light but more to the gravitational pull created by the moon.

 

[Why-Me]

So just thinking out loud here but maybe it isn't the light from the moon but the tides that come from the different positions of the moon during the month??

 

[ScottR]

So just thinking out loud here but maybe it isn't the light from the moon but the tides that come from the different positions of the moon during the month??

My exact thinking.

 

[Hemmdog]

I have to add to this as well. Here I go again

I think that creatures spawn during moon events due to the tide that the moon creates. Not the light of the moon. When I was growing up in Hawaii, the lunar cycle brought box jellyfish 7-8 days after the full moon. It was the tide that moon brought in. Sea turtles would come in and eat the jellies. So it also brought them in as well. I don’t think any of this is due to the light but more to the gravitational pull created by the moon.

I love it. That makes a lot of sense. These things happen even when it’s cloudy skies on full moon nights to yea?

 

[Hemmdog]

Thanks for this. Always was curious about the moonlights. The moon is only full or partially full for part of the month. And the moon doesn’t always hit the ocean directly. So why do corals need it? Plus, LPS mostly close up at night anyway. And how far does the moonlight penetrate through the water anyway? And do corals actually photosynthesize off light at night? And do our lights actually mimic true moonlight. Sorry for the rant. Never understood moon lighting (unless for work).

I have a similar lighting schedule. Sort of like the WWC lighting schedule. I have to say, my tank is happier with that schedule. I run heavy blue with T5/LED.

Edit: similar lighting schedule that Hemmdog mentioned about whites.

I think tanks running moonlights are basically forcing their corals to undergo a small amount of photosynthesis at night. Which isn’t great ime because the corals need rest in complete darkness. I enjoyed being able to look at the tank at night during my experiment but that doesn't out weigh having coral in peak condition for me.

 

[Why-Me]

Correct some corals even floresce at night to release the energy they captured from photosynthesis during the day.
Specifically organ pipe corals Tubipora

 

[Hemmdog]

If anyone has @bubbaque level of coral growth & color but runs moonlights, chime in. That would be interesting. I have yet to see a truly remarkable show tank that runs moonlights.

 

[ScottR]

I love it. That makes a lot of sense. These things happen even when it’s cloudy skies on full moon nights to yea?

Good point as well. Dana Riddle did some PAR readings in the ocean in Hawaii. I forget the exact numbers but I think it was 30 ft deep and on a sunny day, PAR something like 600. On a cloudy day it was only 300. Perhaps we need a moonlight PAR reading on a cloudy night. I’m going 0 PAR for that one.

 

[NY_Caveman]

@Hemmdog you mentioned moonlights on my thread. I only run them an hour before and an hour after blues. The tank gets darkness for 10 hours a day. I agree with total dark for some period for tanks and refugiums too.

 

[Hemmdog]

@Hemmdog you mentioned moonlights on my thread. I only run them an hour before and an hour after blues. The tank gets darkness for 10 hours a day. I agree with total dark for some period for tanks and refugiums too.

Ah I see. Very nice. I was thinking you had them come on in the middle of the dark phase like I was doing during my experiment running them. What you are doing is just an extra viewing time during ramp up and down it seems, very cool

 

[PanchoG]

@Hemmdog you mentioned moonlights on my thread. I only run them an hour before and an hour after blues. The tank gets darkness for 10 hours a day. I agree with total dark for some period for tanks and refugiums too.

Caveman do you difference in coral growth/health when you use the moonlights for those short periods?

 

[NY_Caveman]

Caveman do you difference in coral growth/health when you use the moonlights for those short periods?

No clue. Never have not used them. I guess two things, (1) I accept the recommendations of SB Reef Lights as starting guidance and (2) it just makes sense to me, from what I understand about Physics and corals, that starting and ending the day at that spectrum seems natural.

One other thing to note the moonlights stay on during the light cycle and peak at the highest percent of all channels.
(Blue, White, Moon 3x420nm)

 

[tdlawdo]

caryberry anthias - Google Search

www.google.com

These are the anthias my nephew has. He likes them for looks and tank community.

 

[Why-Me]

This is the Tubipora Musica I was referencing yesterday.

PIPE ORGAN CORAL – WYSIWYG – ABOUT 4 INCHES – Kush Corals

kushcorals.com

 

[MnFish1]

Thanks for this. Always was curious about the moonlights. The moon is only full or partially full for part of the month. And the moon doesn’t always hit the ocean directly. So why do corals need it? Plus, LPS mostly close up at night anyway. And how far does the moonlight penetrate through the water anyway? And do corals actually photosynthesize off light at night? And do our lights actually mimic true moonlight. Sorry for the rant. Never understood moon lighting (unless for work).

I have a similar lighting schedule. Sort of like the WWC lighting schedule. I have to say, my tank is happier with that schedule. I run heavy blue with T5/LED.

Edit: similar lighting schedule that Hemmdog mentioned about whites.

The reason I've heard its 'good' - is that the lunar cycle induces spawning events - which can be good or bad depending on the tank. I was in an LFS in Wisconsin where the guy swore by this. (and he had coral growing EVERYWHERE (especially of certain types) - so his were indeed 'spawning'. With my lights (ration) - I can program a lunar cycle that matches whats happening 'on that day'. The problem is - I'm not at all sure what the best 'light spectrum' to use to mimic the moon. Mine is most blue - im not sure thats correct.

 

[tdlawdo]

The reason I've heard its 'good' - is that the lunar cycle induces spawning events - which can be good or bad depending on the tank. I was in an LFS in Wisconsin where the guy swore by this. (and he had coral growing EVERYWHERE (especially of certain types) - so his were indeed 'spawning'. With my lights (ration) - I can program a lunar cycle that matches whats happening 'on that day'. The problem is - I'm not at all sure what the best 'light spectrum' to use to mimic the moon. Mine is most blue - im not sure thats correct.

Would love to know the answer to that one

 

[tdlawdo]

This is the Tubipora Musica I was referencing yesterday.

View attachment 1187587View attachment 1187589

PIPE ORGAN CORAL – WYSIWYG – ABOUT 4 INCHES – Kush Corals

kushcorals.com

Now I’m having “pipe dreams”. Going to be next addition once I get what I have situated.

 

[tdlawdo]

Hey do you cut your frags off the plug before adding to their final resting place or do you just cut the stump off? Not counting those that encrust over them anyway?

 

[Hemmdog]

Hey do you your frags off the plug before adding to their final resting place or do you just cut the stump off? Not counting those that encrust over them anyway?

I take bonecutters to the stem on the plug then glue the now flat plug to the rock once the coral is about to encrust off of it.

If I have a coral that came in on a really small frag plug I will usually remount that plug ontop of a wider plug so it has more room to grow before battling with microfauna on my Liverock. I’ve had better results this way, I’m not sure why exactly.