is it safe to use black lights for night time viewing?

[Morg591]

I was wondering... is it safe to use black lighting for viewing the tank at night? This is not something that I would want to leave on everynight but for once in a while fun?

 

[KanUCme]

I thought this same question. I have been told that it can make your fish blind.

 

[DontYouJustWish]

^^

 

[Anonymous]

I think a blacklight for nighttime viewing is a very bad idea. Blacklights aren't much hotter than actinics which many marine animals perceive as clear light. So, you'd have the same effect on the animals using a 12K of the same wattage.

If you want nightlights, I'd suggest using a moonlight --something bluish with a wattage under 1% of your daytime lights. Or if you insist, use a dark, dull red bulb of low wattage, say 15-25, for brief periods of time since many/most marine animals don't perceive very much red.

 

[lawndoctor]

What is a "moon light"? I'm using two 15W incandescent "Reptile Night Lights" with a Solar 1000 dimmer over a 75 gallon reef with 570W of daytime lighting. Coralife says the bulbs are made to simulate moonlight, but to me they look just like black bulbs.

 

[toptank]

That is what I use, a moon light. I have a 15watt light in the center of my 180. The bulb is blue and I can see in the tank very well. It works for me.

Barry