# LED moonlight that actually LOOKS like moonlight UPDATED with video



## jbrady33 (Jun 7, 2012)

Got a better phone (Nokia 1020) so a little better video:

http://youtu.be/RIfAIUemeVI

Completely re-did this setup, using these:








led bubble wands


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Love LED lights, but have always thought the blue LED moonlights looked pretty ridiculousness. I know that no aquarium is 'natural' but that nice green natural look just doesn't go well with psychedelic blue lights.

First - the result! Pic below was taken on a *10 second exposure* - the bright orange light is the 'on' light from my heater. That gives you an idea how dim this is, with a cell phone the pic is just black. In person you barely notice any light in the tank if there is any other light source in the room - even just a TV. But if all the lights are out in the room the tank glows like full moonlight through a window - very cool effect! The LED 'shimmer' is even more pronounced than when the brights are on during the day 

If you are up and night a lot or sleep with the tank in the same room, this would be a cool option. This is with just 2 low output LEDs, a purpose made light bar with several more would be a cool idea. (view this pic full size to really get the effect!)











*UPDATE! Video *- keep in mind this is the best my camera can do. You can really get the idea and see the shimmer, but the whole interior of the tank has a slight 'glow' that you can't see here. Really cool effect, and just bright enough to shimmer the floor under the tank if the room is dark:

http://youtu.be/zYJ4MWjJcAQ 

How I got here:

So I started my quest for more natural looking moonlights - cheap if possible! My first attempt worked nicely, but only lasts for a few hours and has it's own issues. I didn' get a pic, but basically I cut all the plastic away from an outdoor solar sidewalk type light and was left with a rechargeable AA battery wired to a little circuit board an an LED. Positioned it so the led ponted down and the solar panel was on the brace in the middle of the tank pointing up - tank light chaged the battery, little dim led came on when the light went out. looked good!

So, proof of concept out of the way, here is the final product. Needed 2 LED nightlight form the dollar store, and I mounted mine to the hollow shell that used to be my florescent hood (with wiring, wire nuts and strain relief left over from the light) In pics:

Crappy dollar store LED nightlight, 2 pack for under $4









Disassemble, heat solder on prongs and pull out prongs. Reheat solder and solder on the ends of the wire where the prongs used to be









Also cut case to let the wire 'out', little wire-ties for strain relief.









Double sided sticky tape into old hood shell. (this shell covers my fugeray, plenty of room in hood "window" for both the Fugeray and the nightlights to point into the tank)


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## wastewater (Apr 5, 2010)

Looks very natural. A creative DIY project!


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## Lowe (Nov 11, 2011)

Man that sure is nice. I just may have to create something similar! I really do like that effect. You just topped yourself again, Macgyver. lol


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## jbrady33 (Jun 7, 2012)

Thanks! :smile: I wish the picture really showed how it kind of glows rather than 'lights up'

Lowe - how about an add on bar that slides into the rail on one side of a FugeRay/Ray2!


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## Lowe (Nov 11, 2011)

Already sent your thread to some of the guys here . We'll see if it's doable. You better hurry up with that patent paperwork!


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## Neatfish (Jun 22, 2012)

Pretty cool idea. I might try that out but don't think it will light up a 29g.


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## jbrady33 (Jun 7, 2012)

Neatfish said:


> Pretty cool idea. I might try that out but don't think it will light up a 29g.


That's a 36 gallon in the pics . More in my sig


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## Neatfish (Jun 22, 2012)

Hey pretty cool. did the package say what color the bulb is?


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## urbguy (Sep 24, 2009)

I'm super excited to try this out!


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## jbrady33 (Jun 7, 2012)

Neatfish said:


> Hey pretty cool. did the package say what color the bulb is?


No, super cheap import dollar store stuff. Looks slightly warm maybe 7k. Would love to see one of the LED guys do it right, maybe in 10k - 'cold' moonlight


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## Neatfish (Jun 22, 2012)

I was going to do this but I might just order this kit better. 

http://www.rapidled.com/4-led-solderless-moonlight-kit/


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## jbrady33 (Jun 7, 2012)

Neatfish said:


> I was going to do this but I might just order this kit better.
> 
> http://www.rapidled.com/4-led-solderless-moonlight-kit/


Those are going to he neon blue and fairly bright, I'm going for white and dim.


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## Neatfish (Jun 22, 2012)

jbrady33 said:


> Those are going to he neon blue and fairly bright, I'm going for white and dim.



hmm I didn't know that.


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## Neatfish (Jun 22, 2012)

i think this is the video of them. they are kind of bright but it's not like I'm sleeping in that room. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvZfeXSmPko


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## StraightAddicted (May 20, 2012)

Very cool and somewhat easy DIY project. I would like to do this for one of my tanks and see how it comes out. Thanks for nice easy to see/read pics and details.


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## StraightAddicted (May 20, 2012)

Very cool and somewhat easy DIY project. I would like to do this for one of my tanks and see how it comes out. Thanks for nice easy to see/read pics and details.


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## biogenetic40379 (Jan 19, 2012)

Think this would work hanging from my suspended light? (light is 18" off substrate)


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## plantednano (Jul 15, 2012)

So glad i found this thread! Have been looking for something to give me a "moonlight" effect. Kits/lights aren't doing it for me. Thought about making my own circuit but even after 2 semesters of electrical engineering class i still can't design a circuit from scratch. (hate eletrical engineering lol)

If i can find an led nighlate in a dollar store near me i have a few ideas to add to this roud:


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## jbrady33 (Jun 7, 2012)

Updated! Video added to first post, and here:
http://youtu.be/zYJ4MWjJcAQ


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

man before u took all that apart.. i could have made ur life a lot easier

sticky smd leds are a snap to work with.. i DIY my nightlight in 15 minutes..
and of course they are white

i wish i could take a decent picture of my tank with my moonlight on, but alas its a phone, and has no exposure settigns worth a flip


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## sowNreap (Jun 10, 2012)

So would the "cool" white (blueish tint) LED be better to use than a blue one or warm white?

I'm thinking of getting some of the micro LED battery operated Christmas lights to use on my 75 gal or even the button sized LEDs. 

And then I came across an RGB 40" flexible light strip on ebay (Item # 140800833119). I like that I can make it all blue or all yellow or blue/white, etc. Plus it has brightness control to dim the lights. What does anyone think of this product? I know this one is non-waterproof but I'd attach it to my light fixture which is well above the water. Would that be alright or would the moisture be too much for it?

I'm still trying to figure out the best way to go for the least amount of money & which color is best. I want mine to be a bit brighter than shown in the video so I can see my fish just a bit more.


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## jbrady33 (Jun 7, 2012)

In person it is quite a bit brighter than the video, if the room is dark i can see the whole tank. If there are any lights on in the room, it looks like the video

I would go with any white led, blue night lights look horrible


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## STS_1OO (Nov 28, 2012)

HD Blazingwolf said:


> man before u took all that apart.. i could have made ur life a lot easier
> 
> sticky smd leds are a snap to work with.. i DIY my nightlight in 15 minutes..
> and of course they are white
> ...



Can you be more specific and let us know where you get these sticky smd LEDS?

To the OP, brilliant idea! I too hate the "moonlight" blue lights. Make the tank less appealing to look at. I only turn them on with my normal leds for a slightly different look.


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## sowNreap (Jun 10, 2012)

jbrady33 said:


> In person it is quite a bit brighter than the video, if the room is dark i can see the whole tank. If there are any lights on in the room, it looks like the video
> 
> I would go with any white led, blue night lights look horrible


Thanks ... full moon nights don't look blue to me but everywhere I looked at moonlights that's the color they used so wondered about that. 

My tank is in the same room as my computer monitor/TV so there's a bit of light that comes from that. At night I change my browser color to black to cut down on the ambient light coming from it but not every page shows up right that way. The things we do for our fish. LOL


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## armenhamer (Dec 17, 2012)

*diy moonlights*

Tank looks great I made a simular set up awhile back out of wallmart night lights. I completly disasembled them and then wired 6 together. I cut the concave bottem out of 6 soda cans, drilled out the centers and glued them to each light holder.( Like a flashlight reflecter) the effect is awesome and one great aspect is that they go on automaticly when the room gets dark Mark


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## sowNreap (Jun 10, 2012)

armenhamer said:


> Tank looks great I made a simular set up awhile back out of wallmart night lights. I completly disasembled them and then wired 6 together. I cut the concave bottem out of 6 soda cans, drilled out the centers and glued them to each light holder.( Like a flashlight reflecter) the effect is awesome and one great aspect is that they go on automaticly when the room gets dark Mark


Another really cool idea. Thanks for the idea.


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## jbrady33 (Jun 7, 2012)

Update on front page


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## chocological (Nov 13, 2012)

The effect is really awesome. Gives me some ideas!


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## scapegoat (Jun 3, 2010)

sowNreap said:


> Thanks ... full moon nights don't look blue to me but everywhere I looked at moonlights that's the color they used so wondered about that.


it's blue because fish will still sleep well under a blue light while allowing the tank to still be viewed by a human


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## Steve001 (Feb 26, 2011)

scapegoat said:


> it's blue because fish will still sleep well under a blue light while allowing the tank to still be viewed by a human


That's true? But is blue light at _supposed_ moonlight intensity enough drive photosynthesis beyond the normal photoperiod? This is a planted tank forum not a fish tank forum.


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## Steve001 (Feb 26, 2011)

jbrady33 said:


> No, super cheap import dollar store stuff. Looks slightly warm maybe 7k. Would love to see one of the LED guys do it right, maybe in 10k - 'cold' moonlight


The same thing could be done with the Dollar Store stick in the ground solar lights. they use cool white leds.


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