Fluorescent Dive Lights / filters (anyone tried the cheap conversion kits?)

[WebmasterJ]

My wife and I were fortunate enough to do a Fluorescent night dive in Bonaire on a recent trip down there, it was a very unique experience and we would like to do it again on our next trip.

I have begun the search into fluorescent lights and mask filters and they seem to range from very expensive ($300+) to these small conversion kits.

Big Blue Fluoro Diving Kit
Big Blue Fluoro Diving Kit for VL1300/1800 Lights | LeisurePro

I was wondering if anyone has tried one of the conversion kits and what kind of experience they had. I see the bonus of not having to take two sets of lights (just use the filter on our regular torch) as well as a good amount of cost savings that can be put towards our next trip

If anyone has any advice on the conversion kits or inexpensive alternatives (some DIY is OK) I would love to hear about it.

Thanks!

 

[JohnnyC]

I just posted a similar solution in another thread, go to your local theatrical supply place and pick up the right color gel and just put it over your regular light with a rubber band. You can even make your own mask cover.

 

[Glowdiver]

I have been toying with fluodiving over the last two years. Living in Oklahoma I don't have a lot of opportunity to practice it. However, I have managed to do a 4 dives and a lot of internet research. I haven't tried that particular kit, but have have made my own with very good results.
What I have concluded so far is,

Best excitation filters (for light source): Rosco's Permacolor Dichroic Filter #34600 Medium Red Blue. Stage lighting filter.
A good alternative would be a blue or violet photographic filter with a Wratten# of 47, or 47B.

Best camera filter is going to be: Rosco's Permacolor Dichroic Filter #35200 Yellow.
A good alternative would be a yellow photographic filter with a Wratten# 8,9,or 12 (a number 8 may be listed as a K2 or Y2)

For viewing you could try a dive mask with yellow lenses like a blue-blocker, but these may not block enough blue to get full effect. I have made my own over mask filter out of plain old yellow transparent plexiglass. This worked quite well, even for photography.

A good strong led dive light should be good with one of these filters. Most of the light produced by white leds is useful for stimulation of fluorescence. I have made lights with blue as well as UV leds, but white leds with the dichroic filters work great.

B&H Photo is a good source for the dichroic filters, and the photographic filters can be found there, amazon, ebay, ect... The trick with the DIY stuff is a good mounting method.

 

[WebmasterJ]

Thanks for the info with specifics!

 

[iluvtheocean]

anybody know what wavelengths should be used for the blue led or a UV led? I tested both out against my floro painted didgeridoo and both caused it to glow, with the UV exciting it more. I don't have a blue blocking mask filter yet.. thinking about the nightsea mask filter from DiversDirect if that might work. Going to mount them on a round pcb board and try them out

 

[Glowdiver]

Here is a link to a great resource.

Steffen Beyer - Fluopedia

I’ve built a couple different lights, and also used a light provided for a glow dive. The article suggests 450nm to 460nm. The truth is different fluorescent proteins are stimulated by different wavelengths. I’ve had decent results with 445nm to 460nm, especially hard corrals, but the giant anemones on the glow dive looked best under the provided UV lights. These were probably 365nm leds. My next attempt will be using an HID with dichroic filters. The HID’s produce a broad spectrum light, with a lot in the UV and blue range. The leds have a pretty narrow transmission band.

Also, white leds are achieved by using a blue led (450nm or 460nm), and coating it with a phosphor material that essentially fluoresces green to red (higher wavelengths/lower energy). It cannot produce higher energy than the source, so no UV.

 

[iluvtheocean]

any sources for the yellow filter? the nightsea mask filters retail for $50 the 10mm blue led i'm working on is 465nm

 

[Glowdiver]

I'm pretty sure these are just made out of transparent yellow plexiglass. I made mine with a jig saw. Shipping is probably higher than the sheet. You can photo copy your mask as a template, and add tabs on the sides to loop a mask strap or velcro strips.

eStreetPlastics - plexiglass acrylic sheet supplier

 

[WebmasterJ]

If anyone has made a kit for themselves with any success and has some extra materials that I could use to turn one of my lights into a Fluoro light I would be interested in buying one. The only kit out there with a mask filter and an adapter for a light is pretty pricey, especially not being able to tell dimensions if it will fit your light.

 

[buddhasummer]

Tillytec make a UV light, looks nice but spendy. After watching their video I think I want one.

TillyTec - ein einzigartiges Lampensystem - MPL 500/UV Light