Glow in the Dark Setups

[antimony]

I was wondering if any of you have experience setting up glow in the dark setups. I came across a tank awhile back ago at a store and they had gravel and plants glowing in broad daylight.

I looked at the lights and as I recall I think they used actinic lights? Can you make glow in the dark plants and fluorescent gravel to glow under actinic or does it have to be a blacklight?

 

[nfored]

Please ignore me I am a naturalist, I like only natural objects in my tanks.

However with that being said ask and receive.

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[BenSow]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvVsvB_wrVs

 

[BenSow]

glow in the dark is very unnatural and may disorient the fish because they'll think why the heck is light coming from below me??

 

[knifegill]

Fluorescing under a black light is not glowing in the dark. Most likely, the effect you're looking for is the blacklight tank. You'll want those toxic-looking glofish danios, some osha safety colored plants (as above) and probably the neon yellow or pink gravel that most of us throw away after our first tank. Most black lights will work fine, but they shouldn't be used constantly as they emit harmful wavelengths that are fine for an hour or two here and there, but can add up over time. I don't think you'll be happy at all with actinic lighting.

 

[epond83]

If you look at saltwater reef tanks with the actinic lights there corals seem to glow a bit. The color they put out is close to the black lights. I think if you used a black light it would be to strong of a glow and reallt confuse the fish as mentioned, where as the actinic lights provide a softer glow and a cool blue moon light type look.

 

[Zander_The_RBP]

Actinics do make things glow a bit (in fact that is what actinic light means and technically anything between the green spectrum and the deep ultraviolet spectrum is actinic) actinic in aqauriums are usualy 420 nm or 460 nm both of these will make certain rocks and decorations glow. Alot of aqaurium decorations have a flourescent pigment on them that will glow under this light.


Blacklights will harm the eyes of your fish so don't use them.

 

[antimony]

thx for the replies...i didn't think it was a blacklight because they are very harmful. i don't plan on doing a weird setup...but maybe an actinic light with a clay pot of fluprescent gravel and a gitd plastic plant so they will fluoresce.

 

[SpeshulEd]

Just get light colored sand. It will light up nicely. If you want some nice mood lightly, get some blue led and cold white led christmas lights. They're cheap and will give the water the nice moon light look. The you can also see the ripples from the water on the bottom of the tank using the led's. The white sand will reflect them well.