445nm Laser Project.
Posted 10/06/2012 at 09:32 PM by Giovanni
[QUOTE=Giovanni;20758329]A friend and I have always battled with aiptasia. We have tried many kinds of control, aiptasia x, etc. They always come back and sometimes with a vengeance. Recently we discovered that some people were using 445nm lasers in the 1.8watt power to kill the aiptasia. After reading many threads on the pros and cons, I decided to give it a try. Only problem moving forward was finding a quality laser kit for a good price as most cost $250 and up. Recently I found a laser kit that sell for about half that so I decided to give it a try.
Here is my progress and thoughts.
SAFETY! SAFETY! SAFETY!
This is not intended to be a comprehensive guide to laser safety. You need to research the use of a laser and be responsible for your own safety. Here is a thread with a lot of good information "[URL="http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2101768"]Use of Lasers in Controlling Pest Algae and Corals[/URL]" . Please read as much of that thread as you can. It will help you be more safe.
I was hesitant to get one for fear being blinded, blinding someone else or my livestock. I live in an area of the country were handling firearms is learned at a young age. So after reading all the safety issue decided it was much like handling a firearm. The laser it the firearm and the batteries are the ammunition. Safety goggles of the proper type for the specific color of laser must be worn anytime the batteries are in the laser. Also the batteries and laser should be stored separate to keep kids from playing with them and harming themselves. I keep mine in a pistole case in the same place as I do my pistoles and ammunition. There is one more precaution that must be observed and that is being carful of reflective surfaces because the laser can reflect off things like glass and cause damage to surrounding people or objects. Anyone in the room must have goggles on.
In my experience when the laser reflects some of the light off my tank glass it is scattered enough and not focused enough to "burn" you or anything else. I will post a video demonstrating this. However this reflected light will cause serious damage to your eyes if you do not have the goggles on. Also if you do not have the goggles on and look at the end point of the laser it will cause damage to your eyes the same way looking at a welder's arc will. So combining the safety of guns, welding and reflective surfaces you can use the laser safely.
As for the livestock being harmed, The best way to protect them is to use the laser at night when the fish are sleeping. I have also observed that the fish are afraid of the light. Another trick is to place a foreign object like a fish net close to the area you are killing pest and the fish will avoid it same as when you try to catch them. If all else fails keep you finger on the button and if they come close discontinue use.[/QUOTE]
Here is my progress and thoughts.
SAFETY! SAFETY! SAFETY!
This is not intended to be a comprehensive guide to laser safety. You need to research the use of a laser and be responsible for your own safety. Here is a thread with a lot of good information "[URL="http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2101768"]Use of Lasers in Controlling Pest Algae and Corals[/URL]" . Please read as much of that thread as you can. It will help you be more safe.
I was hesitant to get one for fear being blinded, blinding someone else or my livestock. I live in an area of the country were handling firearms is learned at a young age. So after reading all the safety issue decided it was much like handling a firearm. The laser it the firearm and the batteries are the ammunition. Safety goggles of the proper type for the specific color of laser must be worn anytime the batteries are in the laser. Also the batteries and laser should be stored separate to keep kids from playing with them and harming themselves. I keep mine in a pistole case in the same place as I do my pistoles and ammunition. There is one more precaution that must be observed and that is being carful of reflective surfaces because the laser can reflect off things like glass and cause damage to surrounding people or objects. Anyone in the room must have goggles on.
In my experience when the laser reflects some of the light off my tank glass it is scattered enough and not focused enough to "burn" you or anything else. I will post a video demonstrating this. However this reflected light will cause serious damage to your eyes if you do not have the goggles on. Also if you do not have the goggles on and look at the end point of the laser it will cause damage to your eyes the same way looking at a welder's arc will. So combining the safety of guns, welding and reflective surfaces you can use the laser safely.
As for the livestock being harmed, The best way to protect them is to use the laser at night when the fish are sleeping. I have also observed that the fish are afraid of the light. Another trick is to place a foreign object like a fish net close to the area you are killing pest and the fish will avoid it same as when you try to catch them. If all else fails keep you finger on the button and if they come close discontinue use.[/QUOTE]
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