Black light

[KRAKEN]

Could I use a black light as a moon light for night time viewing? Like as I turn my canopy off turn my black light on and then in the morning turn the black light off and the canopy off? Any ideas? Thanks
This is for my Oscar and jack dempsey tank

 

[DJNut]

I just use blue LED's they are timed to come on about 20mins before the main lights go off and stay on 20 mins after they come back on in the morning. Gives a nice look.

 

[mohican]

I'm gonna say "no" but you'd have to check lighting spectrum as it could induce algae. Would be cool tho.

 

[Freakgecko91]

From the research I have done, it's harmful to fish in the same way it is to humans, so I would say no. I agree on the blue LEDs, I have a marine land one that sits behind m day lighting and comes on right when the day lights shut off, it looks great and let's me view at night, although the light doesn't quite reach the bottom of my tank (24 3/4 inches deep though)

 

[Botanica]

Do the blue led lights cause algae like the blue florescent bulbs do?? The coat of algae when the kids started turning on the blue lights at night in my brothers big tank was awful!! I'm babysitting his 240gallon tank and don't really know much...but I learn fast...no blue lights! Are black lights the same then?

 

[Freakgecko91]

No, they are very different! Having a blue fluorescent bulb on at night is like having a normal daylight bulb on 24/7 basically haha the LEDs don't produce the same type of light, I have had mine on at night every day for a week and no algae thus far whatsoever! *knock on wood* just in case

 

[Botanica]

Oh that's great! Thanks...I love the look but boy do I hate dealing with the algae! I didn't realize at first how bad it effects the whole system! So are black lights the same as the regular and blue florescent bulbs? I'm only asking because my 10year old niece wants to know...lol.

 

[jetajockey]

I think the concern is a bit overrated but I have not done any real research on it personally.

I know they make some 'glofish kits' that have blacklights in them. Even the glofish site says not to leave it on all night, though. And the welfare of the fish is questionable by just the size of the tanks that are usually labeled as 'glofish' tanks, its all novelty to the sellers.

 

[Freakgecko91]

That's a great point! Forgot about those freaks of the science lab haha zebra danios whose DNA has been spliced with that of jellyfish haha how bizarre!

 

[Freakgecko91]

Yes, they basically are...I think haha