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Our newest creation is called a Fluorarium. If a container with water in it is called an aquarium, and one with plants in it is called a terrarium, then one with fluorescent material in it ought to be called a Fluorarium.
The container is custom built from UV blocking Plexiglas or Lexan to ensure that the ultraviolet light (UV) stays inside where it belongs. These Fluorariums are available in UV A (long-wave), UV B (mid-wave) and UV C (short-wave) ultraviolet light and even a new unit that changes the wavelengths automatically. The original Fluorarium started out with a 9 watt SW lamp and one of several sets of fluorescent rocks and minerals that looked good together. Since then, I have up-sized the units to be similar in size to a 20 gallon aquarium with dimensions approximately 24" wide, by 18" tall by 12" deep and I have up-sized the lamp as well. The bigger units can have various sizes for the bulbs (a 36 watt, 60 watt, 95 watt )or a multiwavelength lamp which alternates between UV A, UV B, and UV C. I am in the process of building some 95 watt units into a TV entertainment center in place of the TV.
The next grade has a water fountain or a waterfall in it as an optional accessory. The Hoya filter glass is sensitive to the humidity so a special piece of quartz glass is used to keep the moisture away from the Hoya filter glass. The standard Fluorarium does not have the quartz glass and water cannot be used in the standard Fluorarium. The next grade of Fluorarium has simple geometrically shaped minerals in it such as spheres, cubes, cylinders and other shapes. The top Fluorarium has an arrangement of fluorescent minerals carved into artistic shapes like animals or free form polished rock carvings.
Here is a photo of a Fluorarium in natural light:
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Here is the same Fluorarium in a darkened room with the UV lamp turned on:
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Here is one with some carvings in it:
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I have recently designed and have a Patent Pending on a way to make a multi wavelength UV lamp which alternates between UV A, UV B and UV C. This make a very big difference in the appearance of the fluorariums because the colors constantly change. To see a short movie of a fluorarium with one of these units in it clink this link to a short movie.
Here are still shots of the same unit. Click on the photo to go to a bigger photo. The first one is with the unit making UV A, the second is with UV B and the third is with UV C.
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| Home | Fluorescent Collecting | Purple Passion Photos | Hogan Claim Photos |
| Contact us via e-mail at wggardner@aol.com | William Gardner III |
| 4608 West Bluefield Avenue | |
| Glendale, Arizona 85308 USA | |
| Telephone: (602) 547-2234 |