Since walmart started carrying led xmas lights I have been looking for the right set to use for 75 gallon moonlights. This year they had the Holiday Time- LED teeny light set. It is supposed to use 3 C batteries which is 4.5 volts. I pulled it apart and Wired it to a 3volt adapter(kept the in line resistor). $8 and it is almost too much.
Moon light
- Thread starter spstimie
- Start date
Here's what I did and they work great. They're in the automotive section at Walmart. I just shot them into my Lumenarcs. Here's a link to the guy that found them.
http://www.thescmas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3506
Here's a more custom option that one the SCMAS members helped the club with.
http://www.thescmas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3332
http://www.thescmas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3506
Here's a more custom option that one the SCMAS members helped the club with.
http://www.thescmas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3332
do the led's flash really fast (60hz or so)? i was toying with the holiday led lights a couple years ago and the flashing they did was too annoying for me. these lights were not sold as flashing lights. they are on "solid" but they flash at the ac current speed of 60hz. you cant really notice until you turn your head or move your eyes and you can subtly pick up the flashing.
led lighting uses dc voltage. to control the intensity of the led you have to change the resistor to lower the output of the led. if you have a a/c to d/c rectifier such as a universal variable power pack. and a adjustable resistor you can eliminate the flicker and control the intensity of the led output. i bought the 3/4 watt moon light that mounts to the coralife lights for about 15.00 at fish palace on Yale between Havana and Parker road. by the time you get all the parts together and assemble with all the time effort and trial and error it seemed cheaper to me just to by one and be done with it. dont get me wrong i am all for the diy but you have to weigh time and parts vs. off the shelf items. as a rule for myself if it costs less the 30 to buy outright i just buy it beacuse searching for part for half an afternoon can cost that much to me in time
Thanks for the tips guys. I'm new to the hobby and I was looking for a cheep way to make some moonlights. I'm going to try out the Christmas lights idea, I never would have thought of it on my own! Now I just have to figure out how to mount them... 
All I have atm is a dual T5 36" strip. I think it's from Coralife. I'm picking up some egg crate today and I was considering building a hood anyway to keep my two-year old son from sharing his toys and food with the fishies. Anyone know how much a basic wooden hood would cost to make? I was thinking about just using 2x6s or 1x6s and making a box around the outside. Then having it mostly open on the top.
All I have atm is a dual T5 36" strip. I think it's from Coralife. I'm picking up some egg crate today and I was considering building a hood anyway to keep my two-year old son from sharing his toys and food with the fishies. Anyone know how much a basic wooden hood would cost to make? I was thinking about just using 2x6s or 1x6s and making a box around the outside. Then having it mostly open on the top.