# Will this LED light disrupt my fish's and plant's sleep cycles?



## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

Moonlight lighting maybe. anyways. My fish tank is next to my bed, And I would greatly enjoy seeing them at night. But I don't want to disturb their, or my plants, sleep cycles. At Petsmart a little LED was on sale for $3. So I got it. Its one single LED mounted on a ball attached to a suction cup. Closer to my tank it sends down a solid beam of soft white light. But when I raise it up a couple inches, around 4. It creates soft rippled light all over the floor of the tank. Kinda like moonlight in the bottom of a pool. It didn't seem to disturb them while I was playing with it. They went right on sleeping.
Do you think that this LED light will disturb my fish and plants during the night?


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

Should be fine. Heres a few pics of my tank at night


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## sink (Jun 11, 2011)

Eldachleich said:


> Moonlight lighting maybe. anyways. My fish tank is next to my bed, And I would greatly enjoy seeing them at night. But I don't want to disturb their, or my plants, sleep cycles. At Petsmart a little LED was on sale for $3. So I got it. Its one single LED mounted on a ball attached to a suction cup. Closer to my tank it sends down a solid beam of soft white light. But when I raise it up a couple inches, around 4. It creates soft rippled light all over the floor of the tank. Kinda like moonlight in the bottom of a pool. It didn't seem to disturb them while I was playing with it. They went right on sleeping.
> Do you think that this LED light will disturb my fish and plants during the night?


I would think not a problem, but the best way to know is just pay attention to the critters' behavior. If everybody does what they normally do at night it is probably fine. I'm new to aquatic plants, but if they're anything like terrestrial plants there is no way that light is bright enough to mess with their day/night cycle.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

sink said:


> I would think not a problem, but the best way to know is just pay attention to the critters' behavior. If everybody does what they normally do at night it is probably fine. I'm new to aquatic plants, but if they're anything like terrestrial plants there is no way that light is bright enough to mess with their day/night cycle.


No one seemed to notice last night... its pretty soft. Literally only able to see it when its pitch black..


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

Yeah they'll be fine. 

I have seen people take sandpaper (something fine grit like 320) and gently scuff the surface of the LED to mute down the brightness, and you can probably do the same by swabbing some acetone onto the lens to etch it a little, but there is no return once you've done this lol!


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

redfishsc said:


> Yeah they'll be fine.
> 
> I have seen people take sandpaper (something fine grit like 320) and gently scuff the surface of the LED to mute down the brightness, and you can probably do the same by swabbing some acetone onto the lens to etch it a little, but there is no return once you've done this lol!


Good tip! thankyou!!


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## TakeTheCann0lis (Jul 21, 2011)

Can you take a photo of your fixture, and describe the electronics behind it?


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

TakeTheCann0lis said:


> Can you take a photo of your fixture, and describe the electronics behind it?


Me or the guy with the fancy lights lol?


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## TakeTheCann0lis (Jul 21, 2011)

Well I was hoping for fancy lights, but if you've got an LED setup I'd enjoy looking at it as well.


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## irine (Aug 7, 2011)

GeToChKn said:


> Should be fine. Heres a few pics of my tank at night


this is awesome roud:


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

irine said:


> this is awesome roud:


All that is, is one of the marineland led bubble wands 

http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=19788

positioned over the tank out of the water and not using the bubble wand portion. The little bubbles in the pic are actually just a bit of air in the canister filter because I had just set it up and it wasn't on a level surface, so air shot out just as I took the pic.

Nothing fancy. lol.


All the rest of my tanks are just a cutable blue LED strip like this 

http://www.ledlightsworld.com/smd-3...ds-p-90.html?zenid=oc9te60mhiqoin9ar2h6d2t3k7

that I cut into small 3 or 6 blue LED's and solder on a power adapter, a fan for summer time cooling and position over the tank.


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## TakeTheCann0lis (Jul 21, 2011)

Do you know what amperage/voltage the power supply is? I have so many laying around. I wouldn't want to buy one if I already have one I can splice in.


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## specks (Dec 25, 2010)

Why does everyone seem to use blue LEDs for moonlight. I use white ones because for me natural moonlight is more like white and not blue. I use two white ones for my 20g juiced by AA batteries and they last pretty darn long. I did sand them down using 600 grit AFAIK. The results were fantastic. The led gave off a softer, more diffused glow rather than a concentrated beam of light.

Too bad I couldnt get a picture bright enough.


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## specks (Dec 25, 2010)

TakeTheCann0lis said:


> Do you know what amperage/voltage the power supply is? I have so many laying around. I wouldn't want to buy one if I already have one I can splice in.


Read this first:
www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?169831-DIY-LED-Moonlight-Guide


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## TakeTheCann0lis (Jul 21, 2011)

specks said:


> Read this first:
> www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?169831-DIY-LED-Moonlight-Guide


That's awesome! Thanks.:bounce:


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## specks (Dec 25, 2010)

TakeTheCann0lis said:


> That's awesome! Thanks.:bounce:


You're welcome! Glad I could help.

I used that guide when I made my moonlight and I figured that I would with batteries since I would only use a couple LEDs


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