Moon Lights

["Gordon Mc Lellan" <gordon2 at dimension-x_net>]

I'm not sure if they simulate the moon accurately or not (and don't really
care), but I'm using a pair of 12 volt cold-cathode neons designed for use
in decorating a car inside the hood of my 29 gal ... got them from Meijer
for ~$20 (a lot imho, maybe cheaper sources online?)

The tubes are about 6", very very small incased inside a tough plastic tube
with molded waterproof ends for screwing into things (waterproof I know,
since they've slipped inside the tank a few times)

They just rest on top the glass canopy, but I'll eventually screw them into
the hood under the regular bulbs. The 'ballast' is a little plastic box at
the end of about 6ft of cable (coming off each light), which is connected to
a 12v wall-wart, connected to an x10 controlled decorative lighting system
that switches various lights around the place with the sun.

The lights come on when it gets 'dark' outside (between 5pm and 10pm) and
then stay on until I shut them off or the sun rises.

They are very blue, but you can get red, green and purple as well.  Fish
don't seem to see very well by the light, since I can walk up to the tank in
a dark room and they don't all rush to greet me ... forget about CRI, the
light is too dim, most everything looks shades of gray, after my eyes
adjust, I can see a slight green of the leaves (so must not be a pure blue
light), but red platys look as dark as black mollies under a blue light ;)

I think they also had 12" and 16" models, for those lucky enough to have
bigger tanks :)

Gordon