Moving moonlights

[hookedonreefs]

I just talked to a guy at a LFS about moonlighting. He told me he wad rigged some lighting to move across a track on a timer to simulate the moon's movement. I asked how he rigged it and he said he didn't want to get into it with a novice over the phone ERRRRRRR
Does anyone have any thoughts on how the heck you would set this up. Sounds like a neat project with cool effects on a tank.

 

[fulcrum]

I dont mean to be a party pooper, but it really would be nothing more that over engineering and something else to maintain. There is no way you can simulate moonlight for any "real" lighting benefit beyond what a stationary moonlight would provide. Even then I dont think there is any consensus that moonlights are "beneficial" to the tank. They are cool looking, and I have consdiered buying a set.
What about moon phases? Would you also simulate the change in intensity with the 28 day waxing and waning cycle of the moon?
I agree that its a neat concept, but I think its a pretty big headache for no real benefit.

 

[c_bell]

I have to agree....besides did he rig up anything to simulate the suns movment on his reg lighting???

 

[gatorcsm]

Possible he was just trying to be cool??? I don't see why he wouldn't tell you how he did it...

 

[zeppelin]

Not that I see ANY benefit to doing it, but you can get that track and motor at any place that deals with horticulture, especially indoor growing. Its just an I-Beam track with a little motor with a wheel. It "rides" on the track very slowly. When it gets to one end, it hits a stop that switches the motor and off it goes the other way. A light hangs from a hook under the motor. Its mainly used to run MH or HPS lights across a length of plants, and back again, and again, and again, etc.
Larry

 

[hookedonreefs]

Thanks zepplin. I'll check out a horticulture store.
GatorCSM you're right he was probably trying to just be cool I think he's an a$$ for not telling me how he did it. I visited his store this weekend, and he's charging $9/lb. for LR. It doesn't even look good.
fulcrum, on my current 75gal. it would be overkill, and no, I wouldn't move the reg. lighting. (I would simulate moon phases) I just wanted to play around with it 'cause it would be REALLY cool to make most of the moon & reg. lighting move if you had a big tank like 500gal. or more. That's my eventual goal, I'm just starting out smaller and a little cheaper.
Thanks all.

 

[fulcrum]

More power to ya.
If you have time and energy to keep up with all of that it would be pretty nifty. I personally only have enough time to keep my tank clean and my water chemistry right and my fish healthy.
Good luck.