Concerned over blue light and our eye health

Chrisv.

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People don't want to know the truth because we love reefing and it is scary.

This. People don't want to acknowledge that this is a concern, so they equate it to screen time. They equate it to being outside. It's willful ignorance rather than just taking measures to reduce exposure.
 

kittenbritches

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I can only speak to my own experience, but one of my kids has been exposed to reef tanks and the associated lighting spectrum(s) since birth, and the other two since four years old. They have never stared directly at the lights — they just watch the tank and its critters. The light they're exposed to is refracted by a lid, the water, and the glass, and absorbed by the tank contents.

Of course, I'm also the mom who tells my kids not to do something because WORST CASE SCENARIO could happen. ;Dead They listen, and they're appropriately cautious where needed and fearless when life calls for it.

Shade your lights if your kids stare at them. All but one of my children are practically ancient now, and they all have healthy eyes.

YMMV, void where prohibited, look under the cap to see if you've won. Please reef responsibly.
 

snorklr

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the blue spectrum is still present in a halide...you just see it as white light because the other colors are present too
 

Harold999

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Yeah, it's a stubborn misunderstanding. People don't see blue light so they think it isn't there. A halid or T5 bulb has as much blue as an LED with only the blue's on.

A child won't stare directly into tank light for too long because his brain/eyes will automatically warn them not to do this (it causes discomfort).
Just like when playing outside they don't stare at the sun. You don't have to tell them, it's in their dna.
 

|Tom the Bomb|

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this is where I start to wish I did a macro tank, although... I do have a canopy over the tank that covers all the way to the glass and diffusers on the radions but you can still see the light at the waterline and above since its a rimless tank, wondering if I should wrap that area with black tape so its like a fake rim
 

Uzidaisies

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Yeah, it's a stubborn misunderstanding. People don't see blue light so they think it isn't there. A halid or T5 bulb has as much blue as an LED with only the blue's on.

A child won't stare directly into tank light for too long because his brain/eyes will automatically warn them not to do this (it causes discomfort).
Just like when playing outside they don't stare at the sun. You don't have to tell them, it's in their dna.
The problem is, our eyes don't detect that part of the spectrum as being bright, in combination with blue light penetrating our eyes easier/deeper.
 

flourishofmediocrity

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Either the lights over our tanks with dramatically lower intensity and spectrum than the sun causes more damage to our eyes, OR somebody’s doctor wife just wants the tank out of the house XD

DISCLAIMER just in case the crying laughing emoji didn’t give it away… THIS IS A JOKE
 

Tamberav

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T5 does not seem to bother the eyes like LED does. Look directly at a led and you will see spots. Look at a T5 and nothing, especially after it’s up on the tank and the acrylic shield is covered in salt spray. It may have blue but it’s just not intense like LEDs and diffuse light instead.

I have a ATI sunpower over a IM25g so similar size tank as the OP and it can grow wondrous corals :) It is in my bedroom but I sleep well all the same.

I would say, get some sort of canopy, change lights, or change to a biocube.
 

Big Smelly fish

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I don't think this is really a problem nowadays, in the early days I would go to a medical supply house and buy Philips true actinic bulbs that could be harmful to stare into. but the lights these day I don't think put out the same wavelengths as the early actinic bulbs. especially the LEDs
 

Harold999

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The problem is, our eyes don't detect that part of the spectrum as being bright, in combination with blue light penetrating our eyes easier/deeper.
I currently run mainly blue with a Kessil (combatting dino's) but can't stare longer than half a second straight in it without feeling extremely discomfort. It still feels bright as hell.

I would worry more about my child looking straight at bright smartphone/computer screens half the day.
 

fcmatt

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Run less blue! Lol. Sacrilege now days around here. 10-14k is perfect. 20k plus is goofy. Yea I said it.
 

Theulli

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I know this is a topic that we all want to ignore. But I am officially concerned over my tank lights having a negative impact on my and my family’s (2 small children) eye health. I had concerns over this topic before getting in to the hobby… but always ignored/silenced that tiny voice in my head saying it was too risky—especially for my kids.
So, I am left at a crossroads of if I need to get rid of my tank or if I can find ways to ease my concerns.
My tank is small, just a IM nuvo fusion 20 gallon.
I have considered doing a custom built canopy to block out the excess light. This seems like a somewhat difficult project.
An extreme idea I had was to alter the light schedule so that the blue lights were coming on when my kids were asleep… say, from 7pm-12am, then dark from 12am-sunrise, roughly 6 hours of dark?
The tank is in our family room/kitchen area, where we spend most of our time. We LOVE the tank and watching our fish/corals. So I don’t want to move it to another room… though I guess that’s better than getting rid of it all together.
I need to do something but I am not sure what. Does anyone have any input on this issue? Thank you!

those led lights going straight into your eyes can’t be good, which is why for my ai prime I got a 3D printed addon that prevents light leakage outside the tank.

now, indirect light from just looking at the tank, I am much, much less worried about.
 
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tippytango

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those led lights going straight into your eyes can’t be good, which is why for my ai prime I got a 3D printed addon that prevents light leakage outside the tank.

now, indirect light from just looking at the tank, I am much, much less worried about.
Where did you get the add on? My current shade/diffuser does not block out the leakage. Thank you!
 
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tippytango

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Run less blue! Lol. Sacrilege now days around here. 10-14k is perfect. 20k plus is goofy. Yea I said it.
See this is what I don’t understand. Everything I read is that corals/anemones need need need blue light above anything… I just don’t fully understand what settings to run on my ai prime (16hd) with lower blue but will still be sufficient.
 

paintman

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I love this thread. Same people worried about blue light from their fish tanks, are sitting around smoking cigs drinking beer.
 
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Freakmachine01

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I just purchased a blue light filter window tint film to go over my aquarium. I got the idea from looking through my refueling sunglasses which made all my corals pop and stand out. Now I can put it over my entire tank
 

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Rohirrimus

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I just purchased a blue light filter window tint film to go over my aquarium. I got the idea from looking through my refueling sunglasses which made all my corals pop and stand out. Now I can put it over my entire tank
Can I please ask what tint did you purchase? I am thinking of doing the same thing, but it's hard to find a proper one.
 

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