Flashing light

[Shooter7]

Every morning as I'm getting ready to leave for work, I go down to the basement and do a quick check on my tank...well, actually, I check on the sump area in the room behind because I have a light on back there and can actually see something. I check to make sure that water is topped off and the water flowing through is looking ok, etc etc etc. Then occasionally I'll go to the tank itself and open the cabinet door and check the ACjr's readout for temp and pH just to make sure that's staying in line. You can't see anything in the tank because it is pitch black down there in the early morning when I'm down there and I have not gotten my moonlights installed since changing my lighting around. So, I go over to open the cabinet door this morning and as I'm bending down I have my face nearly up against the glass peering in just for the heck of it when all of the sudden..... *green flash!* What the heck was that? I stared for a few minutes more and didn't see it again and had to leave for work, but it was it was there without a doubt. I have heard of people spotting bioluminescent flashes in their tanks before on here, just very cool to have actually seen one myself. Was just like a greenish colored lightening bug, only kind of a more intense and quicker flash.

 

[saltyunderground]

You are a brave man for posting this thread. I'd start with the free help options. Does your work offer an 800# to call for completely confidential mental health assistance?

 

[Shooter7]

Sure, I'll check into it.

Actually, from what I've seen posted on this, folks like Shimek and Calfo say that it isn't all that uncommon. There's a couple of people who have posted videos of it in their tanks. And I don't see what else it could have been. It is literally pitch black down there at night, no lights or other things that could have caused a reflection...and I haven't had any other occurrences of flashing lights before my eyes. If someone doubts me, I have no way of proving anything. I just thought it was kind of a cool thing and decided to share. Tank's been up nearly a year and I hadn't seen it before and may never see it again.

 

[superfirefly]

I have seen the exact same thing in my tank only there was more than one flash. It flashed pretty intensly several times. By the time I had gotten my little red light on it the flashing had stoped and all I saw was my emerald crab eating some type of little worm looking thing. Almost like a peanut worm. I have not seen any green flashes since.

 

[saltyunderground]

Sounds cool, and I believe you Dave. My guess is its a bioluminescent organism.

We did a night kayak and swim in Bioluminescent Bay in Vieques, Puerto Rico. The water literally lit up with bioluminescent dinoflagellates as we moved water with our paddles or bodies. It looked as if we were glowing while we were swimming. It was sort of like being surrounded by millions of small fire flies that lit up only when the water was moved. It was amazing and one of the special "moments" I've had in my life. We were told there are only 6 places in the world with these same bioluminescent organisms in them.

Here's a link to read more. It may explain your flash.

http://www.elenas-vieques.com/bioluminescent.html

 

[inwall75]

If you have an empty nano tank, you can culture the bioluminescent dinoflagellates.

http://www.lifesci.ucsb.edu/~biolum/organism/dinohome.html
http://seafarms.com/html/products.html

BTW, many copepods are bioluminescent as well as many hydroid medusas.

http://www.reefs.org/library/aquarium_net/1097/1097_2.html