UV light - marine glo What can i use this with?

[Plecostrum]

I have purchased a tank with two marine glow tubes and love the colour it makes my tank very clear looking but I am having a tank to house just an oscar and a plec and just need to know if this will upset him ???

Can i use a uv light ??

What does it mean to use UV ?? I know these are marine tubes so what do they mean to the water not sure this will do to the few crypts i am putting in there (yes i know the oscars dont like plants but he is 1" and the tank is huge for him to start in so he might just ignore them yes i hear the scoff scoff lolol We will see!!)

 

[smithrc]

Why would you want to use a UV bulb...
Especially if you dont even know what UV is???

if your not going to be growing plants then any bulb you find in your local store will be fine...

There are a few threads on here about UV bulbs if you use the search function - the outcome was not a good idea.

 

[Plecostrum]

I was given the 2 Marine bulbs with the tank but nothing else and when i tried the lighting i use grolux for my planted tank it made it look dull and the plastic tank a little browny and then i thought i would try the UV and it made the water and tank look so blue and clear so looked alot nicer shining on the sand as i am presuming thats why marine specs use it and bringing out the colour of the fish.

I am having a baby orange and grey oscar and a common plec from my other tank so nothing spectacular and a few crypts and if the UV has no affect on them it does look better

I have a bogwood in there but it was a nice piece big as i could afford but after 3days it still floating arrgghhh

I did only try a 30" tube so if i can get my hands on a 4ft then i will send pics in see what u think??

 

[Rubicon]

The only kind of UV light I'm familiar with is the light that's in my sterylizer, which is used for purifying the tank water. The light itself is housed within a tube which water is pumped through by means of a canister filter/water pump, and the light is not shone into the tank or on the fish. The effect of the UV light in my case basicly kills any organic matter that floats through the housing tube, mainly algae and bacteria. I've never spent much time looking at extra lights so I wouldn't know if theres a UV tank light. Strikes me as strange though... I thought direct UV light was damaging to just about anything organic/alive.

 

[Barday]

Hi Plecostrum,

Maybe you should ask a few of the peeps in the marine section. They will probably know the pros/cons of using a marine light!

I doubt it will kill off your fish though, IMO as smith said, If you are not growing plants you can probably use most light bulbs

 

[fraservet]

I think you are a bit confused by terminology here.

Marine tanks use Actinic Blue tubes which give the water a nice blue look.

UV or Black Lights are the ones that make various objects glow in the dark.

As far as I know, using actinics wont harm your fish, but live plants won't grow.

Do not use a UV light, as this can be very harmful to fish.