Mooonlight mode. Good or bad?

[2021 reefer]

I do not know if I should keep moonlight on because my sunny d zoa is open fully all the time. Is that bad for the coral?

 

[Oscar47f]

It shouldn’t be bad... moon cycle emulations can promote spawning of certain corals and fish, haven’t seen that ever happen with zoas but it shouldn’t be hurtful

 

[JohnTheReefer]

I do not know if I should keep moonlight on because my sunny d zoa is open fully all the time. Is that bad for the coral?

I would not say it is bad for the coral because they are exposed to moonlight in the wild. Some corals are more active at night due to their feeding habits. Even some fish rely on the lunar cycle to spawn.

 

[2021 reefer]

It shouldn’t be bad... moon cycle emulations can promote spawning of certain corals and fish, haven’t seen that ever happen with zoas but it shouldn’t be hurtful

Ok thank you I’ll take a picture later

 

[Garf]

Ran a moonlight on my old tank, no problems. Don’t bother on my new one.

 

[2021 reefer]

I would not say it is bad for the coral because they are exposed to moonlight in the wild. Some corals are more active at night due to their feeding habits. Even some fish rely on the lunar cycle to spawn.

Thanks for the info

 

[musaabi]

I don’t think it produces enough energy to really matter but that depends on the light. From my understanding you want to limit the photosynthetic period which is main lights.

 

[SoggyNW]

It shouldn’t be bad... moon cycle emulations can promote spawning of certain corals and fish, haven’t seen that ever happen with zoas but it shouldn’t be hurtful

I've wondered though if promoting spawning could be a negative in the reef aquarium. Spawning in our tanks seems like a waste if energy on the corals part and also a release of organic matter which could then throw off our parameters. I think I've read a thread where a large clam spawning single handedly crashed a well established tank.

 

[PanchoG]

I am also trying moonlights, not a lot of info though. I am trying 3% in my royal blue and blue channels from 9PM to 11PM. However the moonlight mode is adjusting the lights from 8PM.

 

[Reefing_addiction]

Moonlight at night let you see things in your tank come out at night. Also allows you to feel your curls easier at night that like to eat at night which many do. I run my moon lights for a couple hours after my tank lights go out. But I have AI prime lights so my light intensity on my moonlight changes with the moon cycle. I haven’t seen any damage or any harm from it. I don’t think spawning generally causes issues in reef tanks.
And if I could get my hammers or any of my euphyllia to spawn I’d be happy!

 

[2021 reefer]

I'm running 1% for the whole night and it varies depending on the moon cycle.

 

[Z-man]

Legit question here...Can the new LEDs be scheduled to match the moon phases? I mean can it be ramped up from a new moon to a full moon? I don't run my moonlights because they are the same all the time. If I could do a program that matches the moon phases, I would use it. My lights are not programmable, T-5's with the LED moonlights.

 

[Oscar47f]

Legit question here...Can the new LEDs be scheduled to match the moon phases? I mean can it be ramped up from a new moon to a full moon? I don't run my moonlights because they are the same all the time. If I could do a program that matches the moon phases, I would use it. My lights are not programmable, T-5's with the LED moonlights.

My AI prime hd has a function like that yes... goes through the same cycle as the moon... I don’t have any of the new model lights so I’m not sure if they modified it but they added a moonlight channel I assume it can still be programmed in the same way

 

[PanchoG]

Legit question here...Can the new LEDs be scheduled to match the moon phases? I mean can it be ramped up from a new moon to a full moon? I don't run my moonlights because they are the same all the time. If I could do a program that matches the moon phases, I would use it. My lights are not programmable, T-5's with the LED moonlights.

You would need a controller to adjust them to the moon cycles.

 

[Oscar47f]

I've wondered though if promoting spawning could be a negative in the reef aquarium. Spawning in our tanks seems like a waste if energy on the corals part and also a release of organic matter which could then throw off our parameters. I think I've read a thread where a large clam spawning single handedly crashed a well established tank.

I feel as though it’s subjective... if I had a kick butt skimmer and nutrient export system I would love for corals to spawn that’s a free feeding for all my tank inhabitants and the possibility of new corals popping up along the rock work is cool ... I run my tanks with nothing but the bacteria on the rock so the added nutrients would suck for me personally lol

 

[PanchoG]

My AI prime hd has a function like that yes... goes through the same cycle as the moon... I don’t have any of the new model lights so I’m not sure if they modified it but they added a moonlight channel I assume it can still be programmed in the same way

Cool, I run 3 Hydras 26HD, how much light did you set up for your moonlights?

 

[PanchoG]

I feel as though it’s subjective... if I had a kick butt skimmer and nutrient export system I would love for corals to spawn that’s a free feeding for all my tank inhabitants and the possibility of new corals popping up along the rock work is cool ... I run my tanks with nothing but the bacteria on the rock so the added nutrients would suck for me personally lol

I have never heard of a tank crashing due to corals spawning. In fact spawning is the confirmation you are doing things right.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Real questions is....white or blue moonlights? Lol
D

 

[JohnTheReefer]

I've wondered though if promoting spawning could be a negative in the reef aquarium. Spawning in our tanks seems like a waste if energy on the corals part and also a release of organic matter which could then throw off our parameters. I think I've read a thread where a large clam spawning single handedly crashed a well established tank.

I've heard of this as well. A large clam spawning is more of a concern than corals or nems spawning. Clams output much, much more.

 

[Oscar47f]

Cool, I run 3 Hydras 26HD, how much light did you set up for your moonlights?

mine are set to like 15% on my 50 lagoon I don’t have a dedicated moonlight channel mine uses my blues