blacklight for aquariums?

[ick sucks]

does anyone know if a blacklight would be harmfull to corals or fish. i want to try one out to bring out florecent colors maybee it would look cool. any advice. thanx

[Ninong]

Blacklight is UV-A. Why add more ultraviolet light to your aquarium? Whether it is harmful or not depends on the intensity, the exact wavelength (UV-A ranges from 400 nm to 315 nm) and the total length of time you run it every day.

If it is a single low wattage fluorescent lamp at a relatively long ultraviolet wavelength, then I don't believe it will do any harm but it doesn't seem like something worthwhile doing.

[ick sucks]

i thought of going to the bar. when u are there and u walk under a black light with a white t-shirt you glow; it looks cool.
Maybee using one as a moon light at night would make the sand and white rocks glow too.if they are low wattage then it might be a good bed time light for the fish,and pleasing to the eye?You can buy one for like 20 bucks at wal-mart in canada so......who knows maybee ill try one,i have to think about it.;;

O ya and also i thought about those japanese tanks with their different colored metal halides-maybe a black light will do somthing?

[Ninong]

There are lots of things you could do that would make your tank glow. That doesn't mean you should try them. :eek3:

What's wrong with regular actinic lamps? Their output is concentrated around 420-450 nm. Why do you want to use something whose output is entirely below 400 nm? A little UV-A is harmless but too much UV-A is harmful to corals. Exactly how much is too much depends on the species.

If all you are talking about is a single 15w lamp, then I'm sure it won't do any damage but the question is, why??? I guess you could always get a circular blacklight, mount it on a stick, hook it up to a battery pack and walk around with it over your head. That would be cool, eh? You could even get a T-shirt that reads: "I survived 3-mile Island." Or simply: "Chernobyl."

[samsreef]

There are lots of things you could do that would make your tank glow. That doesn't mean you should try them. :eek3:

What's wrong with regular actinic lamps? Their output is concentrated around 420-450 nm. Why do you want to use something whose output is entirely below 400 nm? A little UV-A is harmless but too much UV-A is harmful to corals. Exactly how much is too much depends on the species.

If all you are talking about is a single 15w lamp, then I'm sure it won't do any damage but the question is, why??? I guess you could always get a circular blacklight, mount it on a stick, hook it up to a battery pack and walk around with it over your head. That would be cool, eh? You could even get a T-shirt that reads: "I survived 3-mile Island." Or simply: "Chernobyl."

Why not use a marine blue actinic as a night time lamp (as Ninong sugested)

I would like to see what it looks like though if you do try it, and also keep us informed of the effects it has on your corals. It could be interesting...

Ninong I think it would be a little stupid to walk around with one over you head! (jk)

[Ninong]

Ninong I think it would be a little stupid to walk around with one over you head! (jk)

Yeah, but that way you wouldn't have to walk around in bars looking for blacklights to walk under. You would have your very own.



P.S. -- OK, so I haven't been in a bar in at least 25 years but didn't blacklights go out about 35 years ago? Maybe they're making a comeback?

[Samper]

Black lights are the mood light of choice by the teenage boys of today, was a time when I had a couple with great results.

[ick sucks]

lol how old are u guys im only 23 lol.

[Ninong]

lol how old are u guys im only 23 lol.

I'm old enough to be your grandfather! I'll turn 67 next month! :eek3:

[samsreef]

lol how old are u guys im only 23 lol.

Looks like im the youngest at only 17

[Ninong]

I have clothes older than both of you guys!

[sambo]

Looks like im the youngest at only 17

Just turned 16 earlier this week

[SPasse]

Ninong,

Among teenagers, Black Lights have defiantly made a comeback. Lava lamps also.

Going along with this is florescent body paints. ;)

Here is a store that sells a lot of this kind of thing.

http://www.blacklight.com/

I have a 13 year old son; this is a scary time to be a parent.

And that is coming from someone who grew up in the seventies

Regards,

Scott

[BubbaWPB]

Black lights are the mood light of choice by the teenage boys of today, was a time when I had a couple with great results.

...they were the mood light of choice by teenage boys of the 1970's, too...

[Poseidon]

Geesh I guess I am getting OLD too, I'll be 33 in April! ;)

Only thing about black lights as moon lights.... You've HAVE to change the SHEETS! EWWWWWW!