Converted MH to Solartubes..Check it out

[dodgerblew]

I was just browsing and happened upon this thread

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1457056&referrerid=50210

Very cool

 

[PasadenaReefer]

wow i was amazed at the color difference in 1 week. I reaaly want to see the outcome of this.

 

[dodgerblew]

me 2

 

[PasadenaReefer]

wow now that i look at it more, i wonder why i havent seen more tanks like this? this is the first tank ive seen with solar tubes. Is there somethign on the outside that somehow collects light from all over, or only when the sun is over it? very interesting, his tank looks amazing.

 

[manofcoral]

I have wanted to do four solatubes over my 260g for a long time. I have one big problem I have a two story home. I have sum up stairs in my bathrooms and they really light up the room just as if a bright light was on. I am sure they would pay for them selfs in a very short time if you were useing MH to light your tank.

 

[dodgerblew]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13222359#post13222359 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by manofcoral
I have wanted to do four solatubes over my 260g for a long time. I have one big problem I have a two story home. I have sum up stairs in my bathrooms and they really light up the room just as if a bright light was on. I am sure they would pay for them selfs in a very short time if you were useing MH to light your tank.

manofcoral

check out the thread, if you haven't already. He addresses all of that

wow now that i look at it more, i wonder why i havent seen more tanks like this? this is the first tank ive seen with solar tubes. Is there somethign on the outside that somehow collects light from all over, or only when the sun is over it? very interesting, his tank looks amazing.

I have one in an office and I am actually typing this while the room is lit only by this 10" solartube. It's not yet real bright in here as the sun is still way in the east but in a few hours, it'll be bright! I considered when I built this room adding them into my master bedroom where my 90G was. I ultimately chose to not for reasons of sellability if I sold or even if i decided to move tank or tear down, which I actually did. My solartube looks like the one in the thread. It's like a solar window but light is not as diffused out as its captured in a tube, kinda like zoom v. wide angle and the closer the source of light to the tube, the brighter the result.

 

[Frankysreef]

I've been using sunlight as supplemental for yrs now, and the result has been amazing.

Unfortunately when my neighbor remodeled his house he blocked 1/2 my sunlight...

 

[Texsun]

Very nice. I've incorporated solar tubes in a couple of our school facilities and always thought about the benefits in a home/aquaria application.

 

[golfish]

It really looks like a great deal...of course I'd have to buy another house to be able to use em..

 

[Reefer08]

Instead of solar tubes can I just place my tank next to a window?

 

[babyjess210]

I have my frag tank next to the window in my garage and have brown algae growing. Lawnmower blenny is always fat. But all the tanks i set up in my garage with natural sunlight does very good. Cannot beat nature.

The solar tube is not direct so might be very tempting to try. How about when you have company over at night? Just actinic lighting????

 

[raskal311]

Have a few white T5 as backup for extra cloudy days and for showing off the tank at night and your golden.

 

[raskal311]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13224808#post13224808 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Frankysreef
I've been using sunlight as supplemental for yrs now, and the result has been amazing.

Unfortunately when my neighbor remodeled his house he blocked 1/2 my sunlight...

Get back at him by putting up some pink flamingo on your property line

 

[InTr4nceWeTrust]

Where's a good place to get solar tubes? I'm working on plans for massive house renovations and want to put a solar tube or two in every room. But only if I can buy them locally.

 

[Rakie]

The solar tubes are nice but the colors don't look that great... Everything looks very natural, but I like all those colors ;p

id have to suppliment with a TON of T5 actinic, personally.

 

[dodgerblew]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13273183#post13273183 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by InTr4nceWeTrust
Where's a good place to get solar tubes? I'm working on plans for massive house renovations and want to put a solar tube or two in every room. But only if I can buy them locally.

mine came from Lowes, i think. Its been a few years

 

[KWoo008]

Home Depot has them as well but a different brand. You'll probably have to research or guess which brand is going to work better for you. Maybe Sanjay (sp?) can map out the difference between the different brands of solar lighting...

 

[InTr4nceWeTrust]

Oh ok, cool. thanks. i was worried that it wasn't available locally and had to be ordered. i try to avoid ordering larger, expensive, and more permanent items.

 

[JenDub]

You can filter the sunlight down to a bluer spectrum easily...can't wait to get a house & some of these!