night light in reef
 

Hi Guys,

I just installed a rope light (blue) in my canopy. The blue color is very nice on the reef tank at night, but I'm wondering if it could be too much light for the night time. Can it affect the corals in any way...how can I know f it is too much light?????

By the way, someone else is using these rope light on their reef...for the moonlight effect..

thanks

Marco

Salut!

It's an interesting topic...

Any fish in your tank? I read somewhere...fish sleep and need some darkness....but also some light (like the moonlight) for orientation and for any "attack" detection...

What i do, I leave the curtain slighthy open (never close)...or a small 4 watts light in the electric outlet...close to the aquarium...

I believe, the coral photosynthesis require some rest....like in nature!

Pierre
from Montreal
(Sorry of any english mispelling)

Well just for something to do, I will express the feeling that moonlight is very weak, and would not penetrate very far into water. So anything you do to simulate actual conditions is more for your own gratification. I don't believe the fish or corals will derive any benefits. But as usual that is only my feeling on the matter, and since we are unable to interview the ocean's residents, it will remain proofless opinion. :D :wink:

Other than the many documented spawning events in nature that happen at the exact same time of the lunar cycle each year, I'd agree with Bob :P .

We were thinking of adding a small light for moonlight... I thought it would be a good thing to add.
Of course, the light would make it a little hard to send the hubby to the couch when he snores.. ;) hehe

************
In Aquarium Corals book (page 334) from Eric H. Borneman, he mention:

"It is rarely totally dark on coral reefs, and the light produced by a full moon in a clear tropical water is substantial enough for divers to see fairly clearly...The installation of a low-wattage blue or blue-white incandescent or actinic type bulbs may be a natural and aesthetically pleasant addition to lighting system. It is also likely to be quite beneficial to the health of corals, if only in normalizing diurnal patterns...."

Pierre

I was just going to pull out my new book I got for Christmas (the one mentioned above) and quote that exact same line Pierre, good one! :D

You might notice the two operative words "may", and "likely"

In other words he is guessing. I can guesss also, but my guess is that it pleases us to have a nightlight, and the corals derive no benefit.

My guess is as valid as that of an author of a book. :wink: :roll:

Bob, .. it is well documented that moon light influences the spawn of fish (both fresh and salt) why do you refuse to belive that it might have somthing to do with coral spawning also?

you know I have to put up with people like you who can;t belive that something new can be right.. get over it and open up to new ideas.. the might not be right but then again they might be.... and sence the Moon influences so many other things in nature.. I am tempted to believe that it might also influence the spawning of corals.. remember no one has said that it is the only cause.. just that it is one of the factors that infulence it..


Steve

Exactly right, you have to put up with my beliefs, just like I put up with yours. That is what it all about. Get over it. :wink:

Everyone has opinions. It is your choice whether or not you agree. If you don't agree, you need to provide a logical argument why you don't. Then leave it at that. Don't flame someone you disagree with. :roll: :roll:

never mind...

Do fish and corals just sense the moon phase or do the sit in their watery beds staring up at the moon so they know when to spawn?

We can't talk to them, so it will remain a guess (educated, or not) There are numerous documented cases of educated conclusions being totally out in left field. Thus as I said my guess is as valid as the next guy's. I can express this opinion without someone being mad at me. I read numerous posts that I consider silly, but I don't get confrontational about it. I just write the remarks off as silly. It is an exchange of ideas after all. :wink:

Now now, be nice, everyone. 8) (Flame sheilds raised :) )

Bob has a point in that the wording in the book points it to be an "educated guess." I of course trust Eric Borneman's guesses over any of my own. Troy hit the nail on the head: we do know that lunar cycles play SOME kind of role in many events such as mass spawnings. But as far as putting a lunar cycle onto your tank, it is quite possible you do that more for yourself than you do for your captive reef. For one, how do you know that the intensity of light matches that of the intensity of real moonlight over the RealReef(tm)? How do you know that your moonrise/moonset doesn't play a more important role than the 28-day cycle of intensity variation? How do you know that it isn't something indirectly related to the moon cycle (tides, for example), that is more instrumental in these events?

With all that said .... I do beleive that the moonlight intensity does play some role, because I have heard of cases of coral spawns in people's tanks who have some kind of lunar cycle simulation. Or tanks that are affected by outside lighting conditions (Ron Shimek's carpet anemone, for example, is said to to spawn every year and the tank is near a window so IS affected by the "real" lunar cycle).

And so on and so on. Almost irrefutable fact that lunar cycle plays a ROLE, but as to putting a moonlight over your tank, unless you take into account the amount of intensity, and the moonrise/moonset times, and tides, then it is possibly arguable that all we're doing is putting a night viewing light on there for own own viewing interest.

Just my $0.02 .....

I had to correct a spelling error in my last post before someone caught it. With that done, I have no further opnions. :shock:

oh brother - never mind...

Well that is somewhat harsh don't you think? I picked up on the fact that the author himself is not claiming that his statements are necessarily fact. He uses the words "may" and "likely, thus allowing the reader to draw his own conclusions. :wink:

That remark has earned you a spot on my "no more mister nice guy" list.

Must be that time of the month...(for everyone) :D

That's one of the points that I like about the book.
Eric B. uses alot of "may" and "might" throughout the book.

Few things a don't like about this book from Eric B (Aquarium Corals)
(or missing)...
1) He as no personnel opinion on anything !!!
2) no advice or trick..."should do" or "never do"
3) no summary...for quick reference....
4) lot of bla bla... at the beginning....
5) no section on clams :(


Pierre

thats why there isn't "clams" in the title :wink:

if it was called "aquatium corals and Clams" I would expect stuff on clams but otherwise not..

Steve

i'm gonna though out an opinion which has no research behind it.

My guess would be lunar light isn't the factor, its gravity or tides or both. Maybe even magnetic fields? Too many factors, we know many animals use the magnetic field to migrate, probably the same /w mating and the tides. Could try having some fun with a large magnet, powered subwoofer or something surround the tank and look for any effects.

I know anenomies split alot aftrer a full moon, but how would it tell from inside unless..

A) its not due to light but someother effect it can feel
or
B) its internal clock is so accurate it can predict the full moon(like those under ground animals that only come up to breed once every 7 years same day on the dot.)

Theorizing is fun weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Dresden, I totaly agree, but also i would like to add that my opinion on light is that it is very rarly totaly dark on reefs and that by adding monlight you are helping to simulate that enviorment.. the earth's magnetic field is going to be felt in your fish tank as well as anywhare else.. it isn't exclusive to the ocean. so maby the light in't nessasarly causing the spawning or such but rather filling in one piece of the puzzle that was missing and throwing them off ballance..

also on the same subject there are a lot of nocternal fish that hunt under the light of moonlight.. I have personaly watched my Bangii under total darkness and he is slow and doesent do to much.. but under a little light (just enuf tomake out shapes.. not enuf to see any detail) he is darting all over hunting.. to me this sugests that there is a difference..

Steve

It's my "suggestion"...He talk about filter...and the title is not "Coral and filter"! Clams are on every picture of is book in the Husbandry section...Few pages on clams or reef complement...will be nice...in the 2 second edition...

Pierre

Pierre
2nd edition, is there going to be one? I agree that it would be nice to have that info but the book is on Coral husbrandry and corals.. so of course there is filter talk as it is very importan in keeping corals.. but clams are not important in keeping corals.. see what I am getting at..

Personaly I would rather buy a seperat book dedicated to clams and there keeping so they are the priority of the book now just a chapter..

I have several books that talk about various things and I rarly look at them now that I am building up a specilized selection of books.. the problem is that in a mixed book you get a bit of info one everything but not enuf info on anything..

Steve

A agree with you...BUT...clam are so nice !!!...do you know any good book about clams ?

About my other comments...I don't change my mind !!! LOL
1) He as no personnel opinion on anything !!!
2) no advices or tricks..."should do" or "never do"...read between the lines...Everything important should be highlighted somehow
3) no summary for quick reference...
4) lot of bla bla at the beginning...


I give a 4.5/5 stars :wink:

Pierre

yes try "Giant Clams" by Daniel Knop.. concidered the "bible of clams" by some

Steve

Thanks...another 55$... :wink:
http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASI...733714-4124836

Bob wrote:



Bob, I think that you meant "opinions" not "opnions"

I don't mean to correct you, but I just want you to realize how annoying it is when you correct other people's spelling in this forum. This goes to show that you aren't perfect either. I believe that this is the opinion many of us here at Canreef. We aren't here to be corrected in our grammer or spelling. We're just here to have fun, learn lots, meet people and try to get info and experience on how to keep our animals thriving.

I know that I speak for at least a few of us here...

This is not a flame, just an opinion that we don't really want to be corrected... we aren't perfect...just here to learn..

Thanks..

Des

grammar police hate me =)

I wholeheartedly agree Dez - and I can be picky about spelling/grammar! But why do it in a public forum? That only makes the environment less fun. And I would be less inclined to help someone who is always correcting me (hope my hubby isn't reading this! hehe). Or take advice he has to offer since he is a know-it-all anyway...

But why is it "Mr I am perfect" (do I need to name names?) that you seem to not want to help anyone, but criticize so much? Like you know it all and want to prove how little we all know. *I* am just starting, so I know I know very little. And you may have been reefing for quite some time, but you make yourself inaccessible because of your mannerisms. I mean, take your sig for instance: it says you don't give a d*m* about anyone else but yourself. I am not trying to be mean at all. Just trying to understand you and enjoy your posts more instead of dreading asking a question that you will knock down and I end up feeling stupid for asking.