Lights for aquascaping

[Atitagain]

I love playing around with lights for different affects in my scaping. I have been redoing a 55G and was intending to do a opaque background with a light behind, I’ve seen plenty of these set ups and I like the look. But as I was getting ready to remove the background I have on there i came up with a different idea. I have a store bought dark at the bottom to lighter at top blue background. It also has a layer of black poster board to keep out sunlight from the window behind the tank. What I did was remove a portion of the black poster board, it took a few goes to make it appear as a cave opening in the distance. I placed a backlight and found this to be super cool. First pic is just the backlight on,

I have some paper tore completely through the some I purposely left the tear thin to give it a fading/ Smokey affect.

this is not the final product I’m testing some different light and even color’s. Hardscape will remain mostly as is but the plants and stocking will change.

I’ve also used lighting more as spotlights to create a much better look in my darkwater tank.sorry for the reflections

then I’ve also done my “hulks escape” tank with lighting affects.

What type of lighting affects have you experimented with?

[Fish Folk]

Lovely! I really enjoy your setups. The longer we get into the hobby, the harder it can be to rekindle excitement. Keep going.

But IMHO, the best thing of all from your photos is this... 🤩

[Patrick_G]

I’ve been considering a blue gradient background for a high tech scape. Putting a light behind it like this would be cool. Good idea! 
 

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

I think DIY light screen is doable with all the LED stuff available. I still haven't seen an affordable one so this makes sense to me. 

[Atitagain]

I was listening to Cory on a live stream and he was saying how lights are generally kept towards the middle/ back of most aquariums. Then with light spread how the very top where fish collect when feeding/ viewing light is not hitting fish as they collect at top front glass so this darkens the fish out. He suggested to keep lights towards the front, this does make such a difference. I moved all my lights forward that I could, it will make feedings a little more difficult but IMO well worth the trouble.

[nabokovfan87]

On 7/7/2022 at 2:12 PM, Beardedbillygoat1975 said:

I think DIY light screen is doable with all the LED stuff available. I still haven't seen an affordable one so this makes sense to me. 

Have you seen this one?
 

https://www.amazon.com/Current-USA-Accessory-Background-Controller/dp/B08BW4J3KL/ref=sr_1_10?keywords=serene+aquarium+light&qid=1657340306&sprefix=aquarium+seren%2Caps%2C174&sr=8-10

I think the easiest way to achieve this is probably a polarized/opaque film for the back of the tank and then using this light strip.

https://www.amazon.com/Kasa-Smart-KL430-Brightness-Warranty/dp/B07Z4HGPYT/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=kasa+led+strip+lights&qid=1657340243&sprefix=kasa+led%2Caps%2C212&sr=8-3

Depending on price, seems "doable" especially if someone wanted to make kits or something.

Edited July 9, 2022 by nabokovfan87