UV light for Plants in Tank

[Phish Sticks]

How long does the UV light have to stay on to keep my plants in the tank alive!?

 

[Byron]

Do you really mean UV? This is harmful to fish and plants.

 

[Phish Sticks]

Do you really mean UV? This is harmful to fish and plants.

Yes it is UV light, but why would Fluval make UV light for a fish tank if it was dangerous?

 

[Rocky998]

Yes it is UV light, but why would Fluval make UV light for a fish tank if it was dangerous?

That could be salt water?... I know that some saltwater setups need a type of blue light.

But a UV light kills bacteria. Is the light you mention blue when lit up?

 

[Rocky998]

Most people use L.E.D lights. Their cheaper and more energy efficient

 

[Phish Sticks]

That could be salt water?... I know that some saltwater setups need a type of blue light.

But a UV light kills bacteria. Is the light you mention blue when lit up?

I have a fresh water tank. Yes it is blue when it lights up! Should I stop using it?

 

[Rocky998]

I have a fresh water tank. Yes it is blue when it lights up! Should I stop using it?

Yes. Immediately.
I so searched "fluval UV aquarium light" and found nothing that was of the fluval brand that used UV lights.
So I don't know what you have but it's not fluval.
And I believe I was wrong about saltwater and UV.
Don't use it in aquariums unless you know what you're doing.
Some people know how to use it in UV filtration systems where it kills off certain algae and diseases.
I would not recommend for beginners as they are usually just getting started and need to know the basics. That's just my opinion

 

[Phish Sticks]

Yes. Immediately.
I so searched "fluval UV aquarium light" and found nothing that was of the fluval brand that used UV lights.
So I don't know what you have but it's not fluval.
And I believe I was wrong about saltwater and UV.
Don't use it in aquariums unless you know what you're doing.
Some people know how to use it in UV filtration systems where it kills off certain algae and diseases.
I would not recommend for beginners as they are usually just getting started and need to know the basics. That's just my opinion

So I do have a fluval tank, so what would the blue light be then?

 

[Rocky998]

So I do have a fluval tank, so what would the blue light be then?

Don't use blue light at all.
Stresses fish

 

[Byron]

It would help to pin down exactly what is going on here. First, UV (Ultra Violet) light is sometimes recommended as a filtration tool, because it will kill all bacteria and algae in the water. But this is not as a "light" over the fish tank, but as a light inserted in the filter apparatus so the water passes through this light. Its benefit in freshwater is not much, it is of more use in marine (salt water) tanks.

If the light over the tank is blue in colour, it is probably just cool white light. White light is composed of colour wavelengths--what we see in a rainbow or through a spectrum that separates the wavelengths. Blue light is not all that good if you have plants, because red light which is necessary for photosynthesis (along with blue) is missing, or very minimal. There is another whole story on light spectrum. At this point, we need to make sure we are on the same "wavelength" so to speak.

 

[Rocky998]

The light I use has the colors red, white, green, and I believe blue but very little if so.

 

[Essjay]

Can you post a photo of the light including any writing on it.

Marine tanks often have blue lights. Some LEDs marketed for freshwater have an option for only blue or mixed blue and white. This is not the same as UV light.

If it really is UV, you shouldn't look at it as UV is not good for eyes.

 

[Colin_T]

can you post a picture of the light and light unit, and provide us with the details of the light?

 

[Sgooosh]

Can you post a photo of the light including any writing on it.

Marine tanks often have blue lights. Some LEDs marketed for freshwater have an option for only blue or mixed blue and white. This is not the same as UV light.

If it really is UV, you shouldn't look at it as UV is not good for eyes.

I agree, it is probably just the blue option of the light.
the blue option is not good for fish either.

It would help to pin down exactly what is going on here. First, UV (Ultra Violet) light is sometimes recommended as a filtration tool, because it will kill all bacteria and algae in the water. But this is not as a "light" over the fish tank, but as a light inserted in the filter apparatus so the water passes through this light. Its benefit in freshwater is not much, it is of more use in marine (salt water) tanks.

If the light over the tank is blue in colour, it is probably just cool white light. White light is composed of colour wavelengths--what we see in a rainbow or through a spectrum that separates the wavelengths. Blue light is not all that good if you have plants, because red light which is necessary for photosynthesis (along with blue) is missing, or very minimal. There is another whole story on light spectrum. At this point, we need to make sure we are on the same "wavelength" so to speak.

sometimes UV is used to treat bacterial and communicable fish diseases i think

 

[Lynnzer]

I have a UV light that I plonk into my rainwater collection barrel whenever there's been a rainfall. It's there to kill any bacteria that may have been flushed into the tank, such as in bird droppings.