Infrared lights any benefits?

[Canada_Dry]

I was doing a repair on a satellite receiver the other day, which had a problem decoding the infrared pulses from the remote, anyway when I was testing the transmitter with a small infrared detector card, I started to think if infrared light would have any benefit in a reef tank? I have no idea if it would or not. Anyone have any ideas as to the possible uses in a reef tank, maybe fish/corals would benefit some way from this type of light or possibly it could be used to kill unwanted bacteria? I just thought I would see if anyone ever heard anything a bout it, or has any knowledge of the effects of infrared light on fish/corals.

[OrionN]

No benefit lots of problem.
Infrared means low frequency, and longer wavelengths than red light. This equates to heat waves. We already got plenty of it with our light. That is what you get when you turn on the burner of an electric stove. Small amount of red light and plenty of infrared.

[Canada_Dry]

I was thinking more along the lines of high intensity light emitting diodes like that used in photography or night vision devices, (basically a high power version of a TV remote with several emitters rather than one) which produce very little if any detectable heat. My thoughts were say at night when your main lights were off the infrared LED’s could be on, to our eyes we could not tell if they were on or not, but I was wondering if it would benefit the reef in any way? Maybe it wouldn’t do anything maybe it would who knows. It’s an interesting thought though.

[K. Lee]

Most forms of radiation (especially in high doses) are destructive, or can cause mutations. Aren't police radar guns in this low spectrum thought to be highly responsible for increased cases of cancer?

[OrionN]

Originally posted by K. Lee
Most forms of radiation (especially in high doses) are destructive, or can cause mutations. Aren't police radar guns in this low spectrum thought to be highly responsible for increased cases of cancer?
No, Police radar guns does not cause cancer. In order to cause damage to cell, the radiation need to have certain energy level to cause a chemical reaction. Essentially it cause change in DNA of the cell by damaging it. Radio waves just doen't have that kind of power.

Minh

[K. Lee]

Ah. I think there was a suspicion of that at one point, I'm not sure I got the facts straight. Thanks for the answer and destroying my working example. :D just kidding.

[K. Lee]

Originally posted by Canada_Dry
I was thinking more along the lines of high intensity light emitting diodes like that used in photography or night vision devices, (basically a high power version of a TV remote with several emitters rather than one) which produce very little if any detectable heat. My thoughts were say at night when your main lights were off the infrared LED’s could be on, to our eyes we could not tell if they were on or not, but I was wondering if it would benefit the reef in any way? Maybe it wouldn’t do anything maybe it would who knows. It’s an interesting thought though.

The most observable way, that I could immediately suggest would be to determine which organisms, if any in nature respond to this form of energy. If there is not alot of this band-width naturally striking the eart, or more precisely capable of penetrating the depth of the animals you would want to "enhance" it is likeluy there would be no benefit. However, the long wavelengths your thinking about would probaly penetrate fairly well, but at what rate?

[Canada_Dry]

I’m not sure if it would benefit the corals or not? We know a lot of reef critters use light as energy source, so I was thinking do they also use the light for energy which we can not see, such as infrared. My thoughts was if they do use it in some way we could be feeding our critters at night with lights we can not see, and yet possibly preserving there day/night cycle and not causing a huge alga growth as you would get if you ran normal lighting 24/7. Also maybe the water could be run threw black PVC tubes with infrared LED’s in there to possibly kill unwanted organisms. Who knows maybe a concentrated beam of infrared would kill Aptasia, sort of like a laser pointer only high power infrared, just point at the Aptasia and ZAP! LOL Probably not but it is interesting if no one has explored this area.

[Frisco]

Originally posted by Canada_Dry
Who knows maybe a concentrated beam of infrared would kill Aptasia, sort of like a laser pointer only high power infrared, just point at the Aptasia and ZAP!

It certainly could; IR lasers are actually used to cut and weld metals. I don't think that the aiptasia would have much of a chance! :D (edited due to spelling error)

[therman]

The most observable way, that I could immediately suggest would be to determine which organisms, if any in nature respond to this form of energy.

Well.....I can think of a couple examples, but they don't directly relate to reef aquaria. Pit vipers, and many pythons and boas have infrared sensitive receptors near their mouths that can detect the IR radiation given off by their prey. The low levels of IR given of by night vision (like the IR illuminator on my camera) elicit quite a response from these snakes ;) They can definitely detect it.

I believe the seeds of many plants are affected by infrared radiation and use it as a cue for germinating, but I don't remember exactly how it works. Something along the lines of IR inhibiting germination to prevent sprouting until they are covered by soil or other debris, which blocks the IR, signalling conditions more conducive to successful growth. Don't quote me on that.

-Tim

[Canada_Dry]

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[K. Lee]

Originally posted by therman


Well.....I can think of a couple examples, but they don't directly relate to reef aquaria. Pit vipers, and many pythons and boas have infrared sensitive receptors near their mouths that can detect the IR radiation given off by their prey. The low levels of IR given of by night vision (like the IR illuminator on my camera) elicit quite a response from these snakes ;) They can definitely detect it.

I believe the seeds of many plants are affected by infrared radiation and use it as a cue for germinating, but I don't remember exactly how it works. Something along the lines of IR inhibiting germination to prevent sprouting until they are covered by soil or other debris, which blocks the IR, signalling conditions more conducive to successful growth. Don't quote me on that.

-Tim

Good examples especially the seed example. If I remember eco101 it is is Far red, and Near far red. :)

Thing is, imo, which I think you mention is that the change from far red to nearfar red is seasonal as the earth revolves around the sun increasing the distance of the light. To, I would generally disagrre with forced spawning, do corals get influenced this way? I am under the impression that most of the reproductive cycles are based on the lunar cycle due to gravity, and the "inner oceans". All of us creatures on earth are effected by the moon. More than we notice I think. Another problem might be in looking at far red would be corals natural distribution which is mainly along the equator, or is it the tropics. Perhaps there is some undiscovered equation between the month and solar years we can discover by studying corals. :cool: Lastly, and something, I failed to observe is that infrared would be one of the first wavelengths absorbed. Still could be a connection with spawning and the moon. At least someone would have to prove it wrong. :)

Good points.