The Moonlight

Adding moonlighting to any system with a suspended HQI pendant can be a difficult issue. Although some may argue the "nightlife stimulus effect" is essential to any reef ecosystem, the actual beneficial properties of LED moonlights is very unclear to aquarists, and is heavily debated. With this in mind the choice to subtly light this Nano system throughout the night was purely based on aesthetic preference while catering to the practicality and desire of late-night marine observation.

Making a choice purely based on aesthetic preference then poses the problem of how to make such an addition to the system while keeping the equiptment placement discrete, simplistic and visually appealing.

To solve this problem a single coralife 1 watt LED moonlight was mounted directly to the hanging Metal Halide Pendant with a 125 degree bracket. The bracket was mounted to the pendant with the stock screw which was already in place holding the Halide light's framework together. The slight angle creates a diagonal beam that falls on the aquarium contents much like a beam of moonlight from a single direction in the sky.

By mounting this light to the rear of the pendant it is undetectable from the front of the system completing the requirements for a discrete equipment modification. This add-on now enables the contents of the Nano system be seen all night in a distinct blueish glow.

Regardless of whether or not these LED choices will encourage coral spawning and growth while stimulating nocturnal species, the addition of a LED moonlight is essentially a welcomed perk as the 29 Gallon Cube now has a visual pop during the late night twilight and into the early hours of the morning.