Ultraviolet Night Diving

General banter about diving and why we love it.
LarsB
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Re: Ultraviolet Night Diving

Post by LarsB »

P.S.: If you are interested in bio-luminescence, then have a look at this video: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/q6nhp5girta4vnq/tdHZj99n6I

They used starlight cameras (normally used by astronomers for their observations) which are extremely sensitive to light, in order to discover the giant squid in the deep sea. They did not quite succeed, even though there is a faint something which very likely was a giant squid, but the footage is amazingly beautiful, and the whole endeavour is fascinating!

Have fun!
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BASSMAN
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Re: Ultraviolet Night Diving

Post by BASSMAN »

Tom Nic wrote:IIRC most outfits in Bonaire use a light cannon with some sort of lens that you bungie over the end, combined with lenses that you kit over your mask - both are necessary to get the effect.
We checked into it while in Bonaire (last June) $80.00 and a local dives op will provide the gear light and mask options. When I asked if it was worth the $80.00, We were told, "everyone should try it, at let once."
I might add it to the Bonaire budget, for the next trip, but $80.00 is a couple of Rib Factory dinners and a few Gillatto's sp?) So I'm still undecided.
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Tom Nic
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Re: Ultraviolet Night Diving

Post by Tom Nic »

BASSMAN wrote:
Tom Nic wrote:IIRC most outfits in Bonaire use a light cannon with some sort of lens that you bungie over the end, combined with lenses that you kit over your mask - both are necessary to get the effect.
We checked into it while in Bonaire (last June) $80.00 and a local dives op will provide the gear light and mask options. When I asked if it was worth the $80.00, We were told, "everyone should try it, at let once."
I might add it to the Bonaire budget, for the next trip, but $80.00 is a couple of Rib Factory dinners and a few Gillatto's sp?) So I'm still undecided.
I would love to have some of our DIY nerds figure out the best way to do it on our own, make a cover for the Dusty light and our masks, and spend the 80 on two dinners at the Rib factory!!
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LarsB
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Re: Ultraviolet Night Diving

Post by LarsB »

Tom Nic wrote:I would love to have some of our DIY nerds figure out the best way to do it on our own, make a cover for the Dusty light and our masks, and spend the 80 on two dinners at the Rib factory!!
See e.g. here: http://www.firedivegear.com/science/spectrographs/ :

"As mentioned earlier, the best combination is a torch with high performance blue LEDs and a dichroic filter. However, some have found the results of just using a dichroic filter over a white light source "gets the job done" to their satisfaction. This is why we offer custom filters and mounts for many white light torches."
Fordman
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Re: Ultraviolet Night Diving

Post by Fordman »

We did this in Wakatobi Indonesia earlier this year. Yellow lense over your mask, 4000 lumen light with lense cover...crap I can't remember if it was black or blue. Incredible scenery and the best part was that the sea life wasn't scared and swam away. I was petting a porcupine fish. You can get right up on anything.
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CaptnJack
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Re: Ultraviolet Night Diving

Post by CaptnJack »

Does anyone know where I can get a module or adapt a module so I can get 450-500 nm light? (obviously underwater) Slightly longer wavelength than mentioned here.
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BASSMAN
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Re: Ultraviolet Night Diving

Post by BASSMAN »

Nwbrewer wrote:
Alexitt wrote:Very Cool!!! This begs the question though... Where does one come up with a waterproof blacklight???? and How much to aquire one???
Most LED Dive lights could be moded easily. Especially something like an SL4 or 6. UV drop ins can be had from DealExtreme or ebay for a couple of $.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/CREE-Purple-Lig ... 25682c28de
H20doc,
Have you played with this yet?
I'm thinking about modifying my SL3 with this :smt064
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lundysd
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Re: Ultraviolet Night Diving

Post by lundysd »

Richard there are 1-2W 445nm diodes now available -- check this forum for more details:

http://laserpointerforums.com/f64/

This isn't quite 450-500nm, but there *should* be enough spectral overlap for most things you'd be considering (like visualizing fluorescein perhaps? :))
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sitkadiver
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Re: Ultraviolet Night Diving

Post by sitkadiver »

I have never built a black light myself, but a buddy of mine built himself a black light in the early 90's to shoot macro with. They don't put out a ton of visible light and I think the shorter wavelengths get absorbed in the water column fairly quickly.

Not sure if this helps, but I am guessing macro is what you'll want to start with. Also, I don't recall his camera settings at the time, but he was shooting 1600 ektachrome and close range. Obviously the low light level required the faster film. Not sure how a digital camera will respond, but I'm looking forward to hearing your results.

Good Luck.
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CaptnJack
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Re: Ultraviolet Night Diving

Post by CaptnJack »

lundysd wrote:Richard there are 1-2W 445nm diodes now available -- check this forum for more details:

http://laserpointerforums.com/f64/

This isn't quite 450-500nm, but there *should* be enough spectral overlap for most things you'd be considering (like visualizing fluorescein perhaps? :))
Alas they are rediculously expensive. The 473nm laser is $330 for instance.
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Jeff Kruse
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Re: Ultraviolet Night Diving

Post by Jeff Kruse »

Since many of us still use supper bright 21W HID’s can we just put a filter on the HID? Would we then still need filter on our masks? Or is the output of the 21W HID and filter not going to be very good? Do you have filters for the Halcyon style HID lights?
jerryehrlich
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Re: Ultraviolet Night Diving

Post by jerryehrlich »

Jeremy wrote:Thinking of doing this in Bonaire.

Anyone have a chance to try this? Could you share your experience? Sounds amazing with the flourescence being quite different from bioluminescence.

Image
Yes, we have one at Hoodsport n Dive, with the mask filter. It did not light things up in cold water like we thought it would, and the mask filter is a hassle.
Maybe there is something, somewhere in our waters where it is impressive, we have yet to find it.

Good Diving,
Jerry
LarsB
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Re: Ultraviolet Night Diving

Post by LarsB »

BTW, everything you ever wanted to know about underwater fluorescence explained:

On The Rise: Fluorescence Night Dives - Background, Basics and Techniques
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DFessler
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Re: Ultraviolet Night Diving

Post by DFessler »

I have used them here with not much to see due to our specific life but I had employee who did a study abroad in Bonaire who found this to be her favorite dives up there. They did them regularly at night so I would try it if I was you.
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LarsB
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Re: Ultraviolet Night Diving

Post by LarsB »

Even more great info about underwater fluorescence and fluorescence diving can be found here:

http://www.fluomedia.org/science/
http://www.fluopedia.org/publications/
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