The Planted Tank Forum banner

DIY Moonlights

2K views 13 replies 6 participants last post by  kahoproductionz 
#1 ·
Just found a nifty little light up on some moonlight LED setup. I seem to read everywhere that on a light of light fixtures the moonlights burn out rather quickly.

http://www.kaotica.com/frag/diy/moonlight/

also here is a good link for more LED's and they have a very large supply of transformers to take 120/220 and convert it to DC.

www.superbrightleds.com
 
#2 ·
I bought a bunch of cheap solar pathway/walkway garden lights on Amazon and ripped them apart. So cheap, in fact, that I could have purchased two more packages of eight for cheaper than a single moonlight kit elsewhere.

Placed the solar cell beneath my lighting (actually atop the HOB filter in my small 2.5gal tanks) and attached the LED at the top or the back of the tank.

When the lights go out, the moon light kicks on and stays on for a few hours/til the battery runs outta juice.
 
#3 ·
I bought a bunch of cheap solar pathway/walkway garden lights on Amazon and ripped them apart. So cheap, in fact, that I could have purchased two more packages of eight for cheaper than a single moonlight kit elsewhere.

Placed the solar cell beneath my lighting (actually atop the HOB filter in my small 2.5gal tanks) and attached the LED at the top or the back of the tank.

When the lights go out, the moon light kicks on and stays on for a few hours/til the battery runs outta juice.

now thats thinking green!
 
#7 ·
Cheap and easy: search ebay for LED strip. You want the ones that look like actual LEDs encased in rubber, not the semi-led strips. Should cost around $1 shipped for a 12" strip. It comes with two bare wires sticking out of one end. Find an old 12v cell charger of 1 amp or less and wire it up. I don't think it matters which wire goes where. Plug it in. I did that on my reef tank and it lit the tank very nicely for several years and it was even exposed to salt water splashes. I just left it on all the time so no need for a timer either.
 
#13 ·
You can also buy all sorts of 12v LED lights for cars that you can splice in a cheap 12v transformer and power.

A LOT of the white overhead/dome lights do a very good job of this.

If it's too bright you can also try running them on a 6v or 9v power supply. Several of the ones I have will run perfectly on a 6v supply at a nice, low light level.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top