Will infrared light affect coral growth?

[Pard62]

Wondering if my webcam that uses infrared light could be harmful to my corals and even fish and inverts in any way.

 

[That Crusso Kid]

Wondering if my webcam that uses infrared light could be harmful to my corals and even fish and inverts in any way.

I do not know the answer to your question and I do not know that anyone really will as studies/tests have not been run using IR light from a webcam. However, I believe @Dana Riddle recently began testing a custom built Orphek with UV and IR. You also may want to post your question in the aquarium lighting forum found in the link below. Good luck!

https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/aquarium-lighting-by-dana-riddle.956/

 

[Dana Riddle]

Wondering if my webcam that uses infrared light could be harmful to my corals and even fish and inverts in any way.

I'm guessing your webcam uses a LED with radiation peaking at 840nm. By itself, 840nm causes the electron transport rate in zooxanthellae photosynthesis to become erratic, although I am uncertain why. The erratic rate stops and becomes normal when 840nm is blended with other wavelengths. As for effects of IR on fishes, that's outside my scope of studies.

 

[ZoWhat]

Listen to @Dana Riddle

The man is a genius

 

[That Crusso Kid]

I'm guessing your webcam uses a LED with radiation peaking at 840nm. By itself, 840nm causes the electron transport rate in zooxanthellae photosynthesis to become erratic, although I am uncertain why. The erratic rate stops and becomes normal when 840nm is blended with other wavelengths. As for effects of IR on fishes, that's outside my scope of studies.

Thanks for that prompt reply @Dana Riddle !

 

[Dana Riddle]

Listen to @Dana Riddle

The man is a genius

You are much too generous. But thank you.

 

[Dana Riddle]

Thanks for that prompt reply @Dana Riddle !

I have a tentative trip to Texas this Spring and will meet with a bioengineer. I'll bring this subject up and will post results of our conversations when I have them.

 

[eag]

Thanks for the insights @Dana Riddle! Any updates? One key difference between a normal IR question and the webcam case is that with webcams, the IR is emitted overnight (in addition to possible daytime emission)

 

[Victor_C3]

It’s been a while since I sat in a chemistry classroom, but doesn’t water absorb light in the IR range?

If my memory serves me right, you can’t do IR spectrometry if the sample has water in it for this reason.

So, with that in mind, wouldn’t IR light be absorbed by water before it ever reaches corals?

 

[eag]

The IR from my webcam definitely penetrates, but not well. I can clearly see acros being illuminated by it. The visibility falls off about 8-12 inches into the tank.

 

[Dana Riddle]

I've got a chart showing IR transmission. It's on the lab computer I think. Let me find it.

 

[Victor_C3]

I've got a chart showing IR transmission. It's on the lab computer I think. Let me find it.

Just for the sake of conversation, what area of chemistry is your background in?

I used to work as a chemist for the Department if Treasury, but I was mostly a glorified bench chemist. Interestingly enough, I was one of two chemists who tested all of the precious metal that went into bullion for the US government for a number of years. So outside of how chemistry pertains to gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, I know little to nothing. The last time I dealt with anything organic was 20 years ago, when I was in college.

So please go easy on me!

 

[Dana Riddle]

Just for the sake of conversation, what area of chemistry is your background in?

I used to work as a chemist for the Department if Treasury, but I was mostly a glorified bench chemist. Interestingly enough, I was one of two chemists who tested all of the precious metal that went into bullion for the US government for a number of years. So outside of how chemistry pertains to gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, I know little to nothing. The last time I dealt with anything organic was 20 years ago, when I was in college.

So please go easy on me!

I'm not a chemist in the classic sense, although I held a water analyses/laboratory license issued by the State of Georgia years ago. Worked with Pradip Shah (smartest guy I ever met) and he trained me on atomic absorption work along with a lot of other equipment (but he wouldn't let me touch the mass spec -LOL.) Later, managed two wet labs in Hawaii. As far as light analyses, I was tutored by the best - Charlie Mazel for spectroscopy work/coral fluorescence and Miguel Oliazola (who worked with Falkowski and jointly discovered the xanthophyll cycle.) Miguel trained me on use of a PAM fluorometer and explained what all those wiggly lines meant. I have been very fortunate to have worked with these guys.

 

[GrouperBait]

I'm guessing your webcam uses a LED with radiation peaking at 840nm. By itself, 840nm causes the electron transport rate in zooxanthellae photosynthesis to become erratic, although I am uncertain why. The erratic rate stops and becomes normal when 840nm is blended with other wavelengths. As for effects of IR on fishes, that's outside my scope of studies.

Do you know if there is any benefit to adding IR 840nm LED’s to a strip light or is this bad? Thanks!

 

[Dana Riddle]

Do you know if there is any benefit to adding IR 840nm LED’s to a strip light or is this bad? Thanks!

Let me look at Jeffries' phytoplankton book. Off the top of my head, no advantage to use of 840nm LED. 740nm, yes.