DIY moonlight (attn David G.)

[Louis]

I have had a moonlight on my tank for months, they make a great addition and are fairly cheap compared to whats on the market.

You will need 4 basic parts for building a moonlight (more if you want to build a casing).

Go to radio shack and get yourself Blue LEDs that are as close to 470nm as possible. These work just fine:
468nm (http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CT LG%5F011%5F006%5F002%5F000&product%5Fid=276%2D316)

You will then need to decide what size transformer to buy. LEDs run on very low voltage so you dont need a high voltage transformer. This will dictate the size of resistor you need also. Use this site to calculate the size of resistor you need.

use their kiosk so you dont have to remember everything ;)
http://www.electronics2000.co.uk/

When putting together make sure you solder the red wire to the anode (the long 'leg' of the LED) and solder a resistor to each cathode of the LED. Then solder black wire to the ends of each resistor.

This is the original thread I used when I made my first moonlight.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=205488

HTH

[captexas]

Good instructions and info Louis. I run the lights on my refugium opposite the lights on the tank and a byproduct of doing so provides a little light in the room at night. When I had my 58 set up in the other room I had a regular nightlight plugged into an outlet nearby and it seemed to work. These LED moonlights seem to have become very popular.