How to use timer for JBJ's Nano Cubes?

[anglfish]

I was wondering whether anyone has/had the same problem.
Both the lunar and PC light are connected to the same Remote Ballast. Is there any way in controlling the two with seperate timers?
Do I have to add additional lunar lights (with seperate cable) in order to have them controlled with a timer?

And here a more general question, should lunar lights run on a regular schedule and can they be used "ad-hoc" (whenever for however long). Do fish/corals need lunar light?

Many thanks for any advice you can help - I'm just a Baby-Reefist.... or is it Reefanier? Reefist? Reefologist? Reefer? hahaha now I'm just being silly.

Ang

[Ruth]

I just leave the lunar lights on all the time. They are LCD bulbs so will last a long time.

[reeferaddict]

Ang,

Lunar lights in recent years have become more of a novelty for hobbyists than for practical use. Let's face it, life in our tanks can be so interesting we desire a 24 hour a day view! :mrgreen:

In nature, coral spawning has been linked to spring/fall tides and lunar events. Corals of varying species and genera are triggered to spawn all at the same time making the ocean a soup of gametes and zygotes that develop into free swimming larvae that get swept away by currents to settle and form new coral colonies. Sometimes this happens in hobbyists systems and the result is the necessity for large scale water changes as the reproductive material fouls the water quickly in such small confines.

I actually have a lighting controller on my system that mimics clouds and storm cycles along with lunar cycles. It's kinda eerie to go outside and see what is going on with the moon and having that reflect in your tank. As the moon goes through it's phases the "night light" in my tank gets dimmer or brighter to exactly match that of the moon. This system is brighter than LED moonlighting and I am able to observe very different behaviour from all my livestock at the various stages of the light cycle - kinda neat...:mrgreen:

Anyways... you can leave the LED's on all the time like Ruth says... and not having them controlled on a timer should have no adverse affects on your animals. Happy reefing!