Is there a difference?

[EQCM2B]

Is there a difference between the actinic lighting and an ordinary fluorescent black light?

[zoo-a-holic]

There is a BIG differance. By the way, welcome to Captive Reefing! the actinic is actually going to be able to keep corals and the black light wont. There is a lot more to it but i will leave that to someone who REALLY knows their stuff!

[graphixx]

I bieleve the spectrums are quite different. I am sure dakar will chime in here with some info this is where he knows his business is in lighting. But I think the spectrums are quite different.

[dakar]

Big difference... Actinic lighting generally falls into two wavelength ranges 469nm (commonly called Blue +) or 420nm (actinic 03). Blacklights produce small amounts of light at the very end of the violet end of our visible spectrum, the rest is falls into the UltraViolet ranges.

Now small exposures to UV-A for short periods of time are not terribly harmful to us, but not a great thing either. The problem with blacklights is they can produce UV wavelengths in UV-A, UV-B and in extreme cases UV-C ranges (with C being the most harmful tissue damaging type of radiation).

The quality controls in the manufacturing of blacklights is anyone's guess, but I would suspect that they run along the same line as the price tag, from even the little 'el cheapo black light tubes all the way up to the really cool 1000W UV Metal Halide lamps (used in theaters).

In any event they are not generally recommended for aquaria use, **** most aren't recommended for use near people for any length of time (read the warning labels) Since it's the really cool fluorescing colors I'm guessing you want to see, actinic lighting alone will react with the phosphors to make them stand out and be noticed for you without the risk of UV exposure.

[graphixx]

aaahhh haaa I knew you would pop off with some super techie answer. You are like the jedi of lighting I have to start taking notes from you. But you wait I am doing some serious homework so I will be able to understand what you are saying in the future.

[dakar]

Basic stuff there my friend... I know just enough about a few things to be considered 'a potential danger to self or others', think that's a direct quote from the shrink aka witchdoctor.

[graphixx]

well if that is basic then I have a **** of a long way to go to get to the "tricky" stuff. but actually I have learned quite a bit in the past few days. I am going to be bouncing some things off of you just so I can be sure that I retained them in my head correctly and not gotten them all screwed up and backwards. so be warned I have got the biological, chemical, ecological end of this hobby down packed it is just the technical, and electrical that I am lacking in knowledge but I sure am trying.

[jerryc]

The only good use i have fond for black lights is for night fishing...Man Thea make florescent fishing line look like a Rope

[dakar]

Ah-HA... I knew it, Jerry is one of those monofilament kind of guys.

[shovelhead91701]

Jerry is definately more eco-friendly than us Okies! We still go fishing with dynomite and old telephones to shock the fish!