Black Light

[LetsBeFriends]

i have a black light just sitting around and i thought about using as sort of "moon lighting" at night for my tank, is this bad? or is not really necessary?

 

[LetsBeFriends]

anyone have any ideas?

 

[LosC519]

I thnk its good to have a moonlight, shouldnt be anything wrong with a black light. You will get to monitor the activity that goes on at night. Works great with catfish since they are most active at night.

 

[Colin_T]

It depends on whether it is a true black light comprising of ultra violet wavelengths, or just a blue marine light.
True black lights (with UV) are not really the best for fish or people. Blue lights from marine tanks are fine and safe to use.

 

[LetsBeFriends]

its a black light that u would see at a night club or something, the kind that "lights up" white clothing, i didnt buy it as a special marine light. i guess that means no then

 

[Colin_T]

sorry haven't been to a nightclub for a while. They were called discos when I last went
Have a look on the actual globe and see if it mentions anything about UVA or UVB

 

[OldMan47]

A blacklight like you might see in a club is exactly what Colin was cautioning against. It only looks dark and poorly lit because people's eyes are not sensitive to the dominant light waves that it emits. It is just as bright as a cool white bulb but not in a wavelength that we can see. Who knows what it looks like to a fish but it is not a pale washed out light to lots of the animals around us like for instance dogs who can see into what we call ultraviolet and infrared wavelengths. I'm sorry but you are talking about a bright light that we are just blind to.

 

[J1mbo]

i thought red was a better colout light for plecos and nocturnial fish