gone solar

[JMBoehling]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13213283#post13213283 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hobogato
how about some pics jim?

Here is a quick video showing the sun beaming in.. Couple others can be seen in my Photobucket album

http://s71.photobucket.com/albums/i122/JMBoehling/?action=view&current=P6100146.flv

Jim

 

[hobogato]

oh yeah jim, i remember now, my changeover was partially your fault - your tank was one that helped convince me

 

[kev apsley]

I think this is a tremendous idea, it is forward thinking like this that keeps the hobby growing everyday!

Congrats to you and your accomplishment! it is a stunning looking tank and pure genius!

 

[rogergolf66]

I have been wanting to do this for about 2 years now. I even called solartubes and told them I wanted to be a test tank for them, so they could market to fish tank lighting they didn't take me up on it

really looking forward to the long turn results you get.

Roger

 

[poknsnok]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1456867

check out this natural sunlight SPS tank!

 

[scaryperson27]

Do you have a lot more algae growth? I wonder if you could stick a blue tinted glass over the sunlights and do away with the actinics completly!!

 

[hobogato]

no, the algae actually doesnt grow quite as fast on the glass. as a matter of fact, the patches of bryopsis i had been battling for two years thinned and completely disappeared by the end of the first week. another local reefer and i are doing some research into why that happened right now, and it is looking promising.....

 

[ReefingBuddha]

very cool. I'm thinking of doing the same on my next tank. Could you give us a idea of the light spread? My tank is going to be 60"x60" so I was wondering if a 21" unit high up with t5's along the edge would do the job.

Thanks, great setup BTW.

 

[screamincamaro]

Tagging along great thread.

 

[Goodwood]

My folks have these in a bathroom without windows, and they are super bright.

I was thinking how I could put them over a tank when I first saw them, nice work Hobo.

 

[Gondore]

Wow, I am pumped to see how this is going to work out for you. I am on the same boat as serpentman wondering if this will work in Indiana.

 

[salty316]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13215457#post13215457 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hobogato
it actually isnt very visible from the front of the house - you would really have to be looking for it.....

electricity bill was $170 lower this month with only three of the four weeks affected by the change to solar. we made a couple of other efficiency improvements as well tho, so all of the savings cant be attributed to the change.

Awesome! Not only are you saving on lighting costs, but your air conditioning isn't fighting the heat from your halides either. We are working on house plans currently, Solars are a definite modification.

 

[hobogato]

this week's update

valida 8-10-08

ultimate frag's best stag ever 8-10-08

tyree lime in the sky 8-10-08

texreefer green with blue tip stag 8-10-08

texreefer A. chesterfieldensis 8-10-08

texreefer blue tip stag 8-10-08

seaworld sa blue tip teal stag 8-10-08

 

[hobogato]

B&B A. efflorescens 8-10-08

ATL tulip A. millepora 8-10-08

same from back of tank 8-10-08

AKM yellow A. sp. table 8-10-08

GM A. meridiana 8-10-08

cpreefguy A. florida 8-10-08

pink jade 8-10-08

B&B Shiny A. sp 8-10-08

ORA blue tip stag 8-10-08

 

[Vegas RN]

Wow the tank/corals look awsome congrats. This post has got me very excited since im going to be building an inwall tank once I move into a new house. I live in Las Vegas and with the amount of sun we get out here and the expence of electricity this is by far the most logical thing to do. My only question is how do the tubes not transfer any heat?

 

[PaintGuru]

Great idea for southern reefers. Not sure it would fly up nort' here, especially in the winter time.

 

[volcom69]

Very nice idea so what happens on a rainy cloudy day how much light comes through then. Great job corals look great.

 

[Kreeger1]

Just becasue its cold up north doens't mean the sun isn't as bright. We might have a smaller photo period in the winter months though that might effect us. Not sure.
My wheels are spinning now
Erik

 

[ReefingBuddha]

looks like color is significantly improved in a number of those corals, very nice results thus far.

Congrats

Now about that light spread....
How many inches of a tank for SPS do you think can be lit with one solar tube and at what high are your solar tubes now?

 

[hobogato]

the tubes end about 16" above the water. they are 13" tubes with 14" collection domes. each tube is responsible for lighting roughly a 2'x2' section of the tank. a friend of mine installed one 18" tube for his 3'x4' footprint tank - he hasnt quite finished setting the tank up tho.