SPS and Uv/blacklights

Mangodude

The Clown Tang Keeper!
I'm looking into adding some uv lights into my lighting array because I like the way the corals pop under them, is there any downsides to uv lighting being on all day/for the sunset period?

Also, if you have pics of sps under blacklights or uv lights please post :)
 
Its not as bright in person I guess my phone picks up color. And this is 50% blue. Cant control them separate because it was a diy set up. I like the uv leds the tank looks black like there are no lights on but green corals glow nicely
 

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Yeah... True UV will burn a coral just like it will burn you or me. That's why MH lamps have a piece of UV shielding glass in front of their bulbs.

What light - exactly - are you referring to? UV is likely not the best description.

If it's LEDs in the 405 to 430 nm range, those are actually violet. And the only downside to the wonderful POP they provide is that you have to use a lot to achieve it. And to your eyes, you won't even be able to see that you are blasting you coral with a lot of light.

Or to put it differently - it takes a lot of light in that frequency to go a little ways.
 
The ones I have were sold as uv purple. I believe they were 405 have had them for months dont see any negative side affects
 
The ones I have were sold as uv purple. I believe they were 405 have had them for months dont see any negative side affects
Well if that's what a vendor called them, your vendor is not describing them correctly. 405 is not UV. But neither is purple for that matter. :)

But that's beyond the point really. 405nm is 405nm. I guess the real point is that though you've seen no problems... That's a good thing. Because if its LED - which are very narrow in frequency range - what you see of 405mn light is only a small fraction of what's hitting your corals.

That's the nature of the human eye. We do not see true UV at all. And we can only barely see 405 nm.
 
Supposedly the ones I'm buying are "true uv" from an american seller. He tooks pics that show them over his scorpion and the critter definitely has the glow on a blacklight/uv bulb can produce.

I'm not looking to take pics under them or anything, I just thought it'd be good to add more range to my led spectrum and possibly achieve better coloration.
 
Well if that's what a vendor called them, your vendor is not describing them correctly. 405 is not UV. But neither is purple for that matter. :)

But that's beyond the point really. 405nm is 405nm. I guess the real point is that though you've seen no problems... That's a good thing. Because if its LED - which are very narrow in frequency range - what you see of 405mn light is only a small fraction of what's hitting your corals.

That's the nature of the human eye. We do not see true UV at all. And we can only barely see 405 nm.

Im sure its not what the seller said. They were a couple bucks for 18 feet off ebay, From china. Bought them just for fun. Is that why pictures come out brighter then what it is in person, because my phone cAN pick up uv light?
 
Well 'supposedly' is the right way to describe it, as 405 nm is just barely above the very, very wide range of frequencys called ultraviolet. Look it up. That's symantecs. Your vendor is disingenuous about his color descriptions. It matters not.

You like the look - I do too!

Just be aware that the light is CLOSE to true UV. And like true UV. There's more light going on than your eye can see. And cooking your corals can result from overexposure to such frequencies.

Bottom like - if done with caution, I'm sure you'll be happy with the results.
 
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