black light?

[oceanbound]

hey has anyone heard of a blacklight being used as lighting to avoid frightening the octo. if so does it work???

 

[Colin]

red lighting works really well.

Blacklights can give off harmfull UV light depending on the bulb.

 

[oceanbound]

are their types of blacklights that dont give off uv light??

 

[chrono_war01]

I just wrap my normal light in transparent red wrapper, works.

 

[Jean]

are their types of blacklights that dont give off uv light??

Black lights ARE UV lights.........cos we can't see them without filters!

UV can be harmful, especially if you're planning to breed, it can cause mutation in larvae. There was an aquaculture facility here that used UV sterilization of water in their abalone and rock lobster hatchery and they were experiencing fatal mutations in their abalone larvae and hugely increased moult death syndrome in their rock lobster, once the UV was removed the problems more or less dissapeared.

Also I'm sure I read somewhere that octopus MAY be able to see UV so that wouldn't encourage activity!

J

 

[William Tyson]

this is a very stupid question, and i knew the answer to it, but what percentage of acentic light is uv, and would all acentic be harmful?

 

[Colin]

this is a very stupid question, and i knew the answer to it, but what percentage of acentic light is uv, and would all acentic be harmful?

What a strange way to ask a question LOL

If you mean 'actinic' then it is a catch all name which doesn't have a specific type. There are lots of different makes and some have more UV than others but the tubes sold for aquarium use will not have a UV level which will harm the tank inhabitants.

Probably best not to stare at it for any length of time though

 

[main_board]

UV can be harmful, especially if you're planning to breed, it can cause mutation in larvae. There was an aquaculture facility here that used UV sterilization of water in their abalone and rock lobster hatchery and they were experiencing fatal mutations in their abalone larvae and hugely increased moult death syndrome in their rock lobster, once the UV was removed the problems more or less dissapeared.

UV sterilization is actually a really effective and environmentally friendly way to sterilize vast amounts of water. I wonder if they experienced problems because the lights weren't housed correctly and UV radiation was allowed to leak out. I was just curious as I'd hate it if people got the impression that using chemicals and the like to treat water instead of UV is a better alternative, because I don't believe it is.

Cheers!

 

[joefish84]

also just a fact... since most of us octo keepers use glass tops on our tanks this poses a problem... black light barely passes through glass! bet you didnt know that! also its the same with water so glass and water cut down on the effects of black lights tremendously. try putting a glow in the dark object under a black light and then put it in a glass box or an aquarium and youll see a huge difference out of the glass or water it glows brightly and in it will barely glow.

 

[Colin]

I use UV lights for some of my reptiles and that's why the bulbs have to be in the tank not sitting on top of the tank through glass.


Even with no glass in between the reptile bulbs are normally only effective within about 12" of the animal

 

[Feelers]

You can get blacklight LED's, and these arent dangerous I think. Also, if you get a "party" blacklight, its safer than just a normal one.

 

[oceanbound]

so is the consensus then not to purchase a blacklight because it is useless or am i missing something? so why do they even sell blacklight leds for aquariums if they are useless?

 

[TidePool Geek]

so why do they even sell blacklight leds for aquariums if they are useless?

Hi OB,

IMHO: It's not necessarily that black-lights are "useless", just that they're not the right thing for an octo tank. As several folks have mentioned, the generally accepted color for an aquarium 'night light' is red.

If I understand things correctly black-lights are used because they cause certain corals and other animals to fluoresce.

OTOH: This wouldn't be the first time that somebody marketed a useless product to the aquarium (or any other) hobby

Luminescently yours,

Alex

 

[oceanbound]

ah i see...so are blacklights useful for any type of aquarium or would you just stick with the red ones?

 

[Jean]

UV sterilization is actually a really effective and environmentally friendly way to sterilize vast amounts of water. I wonder if they experienced problems because the lights weren't housed correctly and UV radiation was allowed to leak out. I was just curious as I'd hate it if people got the impression that using chemicals and the like to treat water instead of UV is a better alternative, because I don't believe it is.

Cheers!

No, they were housed correctly, this was an outfit doing everything by the book....You just can't use UV to sterilize if you are breeding.........and MB surely the point of UV sterilization is that the UV radiation kills harmful bacteria..........so SOME by definition must get out!! (also I believe that sunbeds rely on UV radiation to give you a tan! )

J