black lights

[snuggle2me]

I was wondering if anyone has any info on using black lights to light up an aquarium during the evening hours. Will the light spectrum harm the fish or coral? I have seen some tank shots with black lights used and think it makes it look really pretty but didnt want to use them until i got some safe info on them first. If they are not safe please let me know and ill get the moon lights instead. I just liked the way that the black lights makes the corals glow. Thanks and all opinions are welcomed.

 

[dragon_slayer]

what you seen were tanks with Actinic O3 lighting, not black light.

kc

 

[uyenk]

light cannot be black, use actinic, or maybe moonlight

 

[snuggle2me]

dragon_slayer the picture im talking about says its a black light and not actinic 03 light
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=176368&papass=&sort=1&thecat=500

uyenk, are you saying light cannot be black and should not use it for safety reason or are you saying that a black light doesnt exist.

Sorry i am being specific. I want to use it purely for looks and not for benefiting the coral or fish. Can you tell me why it cant be used versus just saying not to use it because its not the normal use like a moon light is the normal thing to do at the moment. Sorry if this sounds argumentive but i really would like to find the reason why it should or should not be used. Any body else have an opinion about using a black light fixture?

 

[Frick-n-Frags]

[i'm assuming decorative]black light is lower output so there is noting useful for the corals.

for viewing do whatever the heck you want. It's your tank and the animals don't care about long-UV at all. so it is totally safe for them.

 

[snuggle2me]

Frick-n-Frags thanks. Thats what i was trying to find out if its safe or not. Im not trying to use it to stimulate corals or anything like that. Its just for my viewing pleasure I was just worried about the uv thing as far as harming corals and such. My regular lights take care of my corals needs and they seems to be doing well. I just didnt want to add lighting that could be harmful just because its pretty.

 

[Frick-n-Frags]

FWIW, the two frequencies of light that penetrate deepest into the ocean are actinic blue and long-UV, so all corals evolved in a major % of exactly that light.

 

[Scoobydude825]

I don't know if it is safe or not but I personally don't like the was it looks in that picture. I prefer my actinics.

 

[wizzbane15]

Black lights are very bad. The spectrum emitted by them is not useable by anyhting other than algae.

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

There are many threads about this on Reef Central. Most notably there is one in the Advanced Topics forum that covers it really well. I haven't been able to find it though.

 

[G.SMITHII]

Actinics or blue LEDs look way better IMO.

but thats just like my opinion man.