Fluorescence Diving in Bali

Introduction to Fluorescence Diving

Fluorescence in Marine life

Fluorescence can be found in all of corals, barnacles, sponges, anemones, jellyfish, clams, nudibranchs, cephalopods, shrimp, crabs and fish too.  It should present some benefit  for the marine creatures to.

As yet, not a lot of scientific vocation has been performed into the area. However, some research counsel that fluorescence in corals might act as a sunscreen, defending them, Specially in requires ow water, from UV radiation. Another hypothesis says, is that fluorescence let the corals turn the only light to them “the blue light” into wavelengths that require their symbiotic algae to photosynthesize. This could allow them to live deeper than the other corals that do not fluorescent

Can you imagine? that most of the fishes and marine animals use fluorescence to be able to camouflage and unite into their background, such as into the fluorescing corals. Another interesting study says fishes use red fluorescence to communicate and change their color to communicate, intimidate or hide from predators, or even to attract mates.

For example, if you have ever seen on dives such as octopus, squid, cuttlefish. They use fluorescence to do it for their secret and personal communication to others!

Coral Fluorescence

Coral fluorescence might be used to evaluating the healthy reefs. Reef check program done by using a laying line or gradient card to identify the coral species covered there

But researchers may as well as have the opportunity to look how healthy is a reef by utilizing fluorescence torches. Dead corals would not fluoresce, algae overgrowth would fluoresce in red, and illness or areas of dead corals may be noticed too.

A current find out about stress corals will fluoresce less. Different temperature of water, exposing to the heat and cold showed decline in fluorescence.Also, new coral population, these tiny colonies and generally clear coral which you couldn’t see with the bare eye can be spotted easily with the fluoro light.

This new habitat can be a key indicator of how healthy the reef is.

HOW DO YOU DO A FLUO DIVE?

Before, divers used a UV light to see fluorescence.

Since 1993, however, blue and ultraviolet LEDs were developed, and their costs had been losing in the late couple of years – plus they’re way more environment friendly and more straightforward to use than using white light with a filter back then.

But there may be a constraint to blue light in place of UV light, then again – or not seen to the human eye. Blue light without difficulty outshines the weak effect of fluorescence. To parry this, a yellow s filter is used  by the scuba diver on the mask. This yellow filter mask blocks the blue light from the torch and letting the  fluorescence (which has longer wavelengths) through.

Also, under the low light condition, if you have your underwater camera setup, there will be a manual adjustment to the light sensitivity in the camera setting also pair it with a special yellow filter in front of your lens or housing.

Marine Organism

There are some considerations in many diving group that a strong UV or blue light torches may damaged  the coral and marine organism. In fact, all night dives raise  this threat  – any light might disturb marine life, or interrupt  their behavior, or put them vulnerable to predators during the night dives.

Not that fluoro torch could cause substantive  damaged underwater –  the light spread covered wide and not on one spot and mostly only a few seconds at most on one point.  The energy levels from the torches are lower than those from natural UV sunlights.

Night Diving

You may experience night diving, and have some knowledge and experience of navigation to try this fluorescence diving activity, otherwise, some of divers might feel disoriented and not use to the completely dark environment, also a good buddy system is the most. Even during the dive, we will try as maximum as we can to reduce the white light from your diving torch, so that only the blue light will torch the corals.

Many of the creatures are well hiding or master in their camouflage and have a simple color or transparent in their body and really a challenge to identify during day dive. They will shine uniquely and amazed you during a fluoro dive and easily spotted under the blue light.

Dive only in the average of 5 – 10 meters and many things can be seen, the healthy marine life and the best variety of corals can be seen beautifully in the shallow, you don’t need to dive deeper to do fluorescence diving.