Black light!? Yey or Nay?!

[NiTeC]

any negatives to using a black light in a nano?! would it hurt anybody!? anybody done it and have pics?!

[greddy]

I dont think there would be any issues.  Im pretty sure a blacklight is almost the same as the pure actinics used on many reef tanks..

[BigDaddy]

I have read stories of some fish freaking out with them (behavioural obversations).

Haven't got any first hand experience though...

[redbelly]

I dont know about sw fish but my piranha really did not like black light on the tank.

[az]

I have read stories of some fish freaking out with them (behavioural obversations).

Haven't got any first hand experience though...

this is true, tried on both SW and FW!

so, Nay!

[Tsukiyomi-sakura]

Blacklights are just as bad for humans as they are fish, It is ultraviolet light, it gives off slight radiation, a blacklight can damage your eyes without proper protection, even short exposure can cause them to hurt (trust me I know)

A black light is also very dangerous if it breaks, it contains a large amount of mercury and other harmful substances.

It does look cool, but the overall light would freak your fish out and, Not many SW or FW fish have the properties to glow. Your just going to end up Eradicating your fishes eyes if not them entirely.

Definitely a Nay.

Its also odd that you can buy such a dangerous product with a fixture at walmart for 15$ 


Bottom point, Unless your going to invent mini sunglasses for your fish and inverts don't try it. also, The water might glow obstruct your view because of the nutrients in it.

[Severum]

That will make me think twice about going cosmic bowling...

[Saltcreep]

That will make me think twice about going cosmic bowling...

Nicked the following off Wikepedia - not to say their use doesn't warrant caution - but I wouldn't go out of my way to avoid it. I expect the UV bulbs most of us refer to are, in fact 'blacklight-blue' bulbs which are more of a filter using coloured glass. Of course, there is always that caveat regarding Wiki.

While "black lights" do produce light in the UV range, their spectrum is confined to the longwave UVA region. UVA is considered the safest of the three spectra of UV light. It is the higher energy (shortwave) light in the UVB and UVC range that is responsible for the DNA damage that leads to skin cancer. UVA light is much lower in energy and does not cause sunburn. UVA is capable of causing damage to collagen fibers, so it does have the potential to accelerate skin aging and cause wrinkles. UVA can also destroy vitamin A in the skin.

UVA light can cause DNA damage, but not directly like UVB and UVC, it does so indirectly by producing reactive chemical intermediates, such as hydroxyl and oxygen radicals, which in turn can damage DNA. The strength of a black light in comparison to sunlight is minuscule, so it is doubtful that UVA light poses any significant health risks. The weak output of black lights should not cause DNA damage or cellular mutations the way sunlight can.

[Tsukiyomi-sakura]

UVA is considered the safest of the three spectra of UV light.

Yes But It's considered the safest, Safest of all radiation? And when Is a certain dose truly 'safe'?

Just wondering