Fluo diving is short for fluorescent night dive which is a night dive with an UV torch and a yellow-orange filter over the dive mask.
How fluo dive works ?
Some marine life emit visible light when illuminated with short-wavelength blue light (the UV torch). To view this light divers need to have a filter attached to the mask that will block the blue light.
Not all the corals or fishes will emit bioluminescence and the best effect can be observed from anemones, brain corals, potato corals, sponges, shrimps and some types of fish.
Is it possible to photograph/film during the dive ?
Any regular camera will work but a yellow/orange filter is needed. The typical red filter used for depth is not going to help.
My dive:
The view is unexpected and alien like. The corals that received enough UV during the day will glow in neon colours (mostly green and orange).
I was amazed by the look of the anemonas so I would definitely recommend looking for them.
The dive is similar with a nightdive only that the UV lamp is less powerful than a regular dive torch and the visibility is much lower. I had a small claustrophobic feeling as I could only see a few meters around. The light still attracts jack fishes and sharks so I was always surrounded by sea life.
Only the living coral can reflect light so the best results are in a healthy reef after a sunny day.
DIVETIP
Check my diving experience in the following clip:
What you`ll see:
Fluorescence emitted by the corals, Nurse Shark, Blacktip Reef Shark.
Dive rating:
Read more about diving in the Maldives in this article.
To find more about the history of fluo diving read this article.
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