Large tank Questions

[elvictre]

Hello everyone. I am new here. I have been reading this board for a while but I never posted. I have been keeping a 75 gal reef for 2 years now with success. I am planning on a 670 or 775 gallon reef in the near future and I have questions that I can't find answers on. First I am planning on buying my tank from Tenecor, either a 120x48x30 (670) or 120x48x36 (775). The main thing I plan on trying that I can't get an answer on is lighting. I want to use 4 solar tubes for lighting with normal output fluorescent lights for actinic. I figure this would be the best way to mimic the light cycles corals receive in the wild. I know natural sunlight is aprox 4000k and that is why I am going with the actinic. Does anyone have experience here with natural sunlight?

As far as the rest of the system I plan on having a 100+ gallon sump, I am going to use my current 75 as a fuge. I also plan to have a sequence of tanks connected to make water changes simple. I have a lot of ideas in my head that I haven't put on paper yet.

I also appreciate all input on the entire system if anyone wants to chime in.

Thanks

Vic

 

[ricks]

Hello Vic, A couple of things come to mind... Money, time comitment and patience... Your taking a very large step. Not trying to scare you or anything, but.... You are doing the right thing by planning. Large tanks take lots of money. I spend around 600.00 to 800.00 a month. And around 4 to 6 wonderful hours a week. As far as lighting with solor goes. I've heard about algae being an issue.. Plus depending where you live clouds and shorten winter days could come in play. Without additional lighting keeping sps could be hard. Maybe some soft corals tho. When it comes to full blownreef tanks. Cost can ranger from 50.00 to 75.00 per gallon or more, full stocked....

 

[elvictre]

Thanks Ricks. Money really isn't an issue. As far as shorten winter days. I see your point. I live on the North Shore of Long Island, our winter days are alot shorter. I would go with MH's along with the solar tubes but I thought that natural sunlight would be too powerfull to begin with since the tank would only be either 30" or 36" deep. Anyways I am open to all sugestions...that is why I am here.

Thanks

Vic

 

[Justjoe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7037041#post7037041 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by elvictre
Thanks Ricks. Money really isn't an issue. As far as shorten winter days. I see your point. I live on the North Shore of Long Island, our winter days are alot shorter. I would go with MH's along with the solar tubes but I thought that natural sunlight would be too powerfull to begin with since the tank would only be either 30" or 36" deep. Anyways I am open to all sugestions...that is why I am here.

Thanks

Vic

Vic,
Fellow LI'er here. There is a thread on solar tubes on RC which I can't find at the moment but would be worth checking out.
Dr. Mac has installed some solar tubes on his new systems with some supplemental success.
You would certainly need to have the metal halides, especially if you want to maintain the colors of the corals.
Tropicorium in Michigan uses greenhouses to grow corals, but still needs metal halides for some of the corals.
Since you're local, be sure to check out www.lireef.org and the Long Island forum on RC.
Joe

 

[hawaiianwargod]

You can search solar tube here in RC. There is a thread regarding solatube and it seems promising idea. This hobby indeed costly but there are ways to counter it such as DYI projects and that sola tube for lesser electricity usage and such. HTH.

 

[Justjoe]

Sola Tube Thread:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=56125

 

[jnarowe]

Using a Neptune ACIII Pro I have programmed in the latitude and longitude of the Marshall Islands and the lights are on a long time. The areas in which corals grow in the wild typically have very loing days with little change between the seasons like we do here in the upper parts of the US.

So that is why I would be very skeptical about supplying all your light with a solar tube array. I know there are many coral growers using greenhouses but they have a multitude of issues to deal with like shortened days and cold Winter temps. I am not afraid to try a variety of things when it comes to aquariums, but I hold fast to the rule of no natural sunlight. I know that sounds strange, but battling algae is much easier when you can control the light easily and keeping a tank cool enough when exposed to natural sunlight can also be difficult and expensive.

None of this means you shouldn't try it IMO, but just go into it with a plan B and C!

 

[elvictre]

Thanks for the insight guys.

Joe I can't help but notice that your info says cofounder of Atlantis Marine World. I was under the inpression that your 20,000 gallon reef used some natural sunlight. Either way you have an inpressive setup, my kids ove that place.

Thanks

Vic

 

[elvictre]

Jonathan I figured heat to be less of an issue with solar tubes. Either was I am still in the planning stages with all this, I am waiting on my architect to finish the plans and the extension and then the permits and the builders. So I am looking at August/September the soonest. That is why I am in major question mode now.

Thanks

Vic

 

[jnarowe]

You may be right in that you could employ fans just as I have and that would be enough. Also you could create shades that could block out the light if needed. Those tubes will generate quite a bit of heat I think and trap it so I would research a way to exhaust that heat before it gets to the tank.

One of the key factors I have found in working with my FW Planted tanks is that algae can be easily controlled by having a "nap" in the middle of the day. My lights turn off for an hour and that greatly inhibits algae growth.

You may not be happy with the look of natural sunlight though and need some extra blue. Honestly I have 3 - 1000W MH 20K lamps on my tank and although it is easy to see the change from white to blue during the warm up time, the tank does not look very blue to my eye. I had been told it would be too blue but I don't find that to be the case.

I am really interested in see how you make out. If I ever move, I may go to some natural light as well, if only as a method to decrease the electrical consumption. I feel a bit guilty using enough power to run three homes!

 

[Justjoe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7044419#post7044419 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by elvictre
Thanks for the insight guys.

Joe I can't help but notice that your info says cofounder of Atlantis Marine World. I was under the inpression that your 20,000 gallon reef used some natural sunlight. Either way you have an inpressive setup, my kids ove that place.

Thanks

Vic

Hey Vic,
Next time you visit, see if I'm around and I can give you a peek behind the scenes. There are a few small translucent sky lights on the tank, but they don't contribute any thing useful to the corals but do allow a natural wake up call to the fish. Almost 25,000 watts on the tank is what LIPA likes to see. I had the option of using more skylights/ greenhouse over the tank, but I was concerned about not being able to have complete control over the lighting since the natural lighting is so variable up here.
If I were to do a home tank, I think I would try either skylights or the Sola tubes to supplement some halide lighting.
Joe

 

[elvictre]

Thank Joe.

I was just there 2 weeks ago, but I will take you up on that offer next time I am there.

As far as my tank I will most likely implement both MH's along with the solar tubes to keep the light cycle as close to the natural cycle as possible. With some constructive programming I would like to wake up the tank with natural sunlight and have the MH's run longer in the winter to keep the exposure time at the required levels.

Thanks

Vic

By the way LIPA must love you.

 

[Reefski's]

I too am planning a house addition and want to use sunlight to light my tank as well.

natural light seemslike it would be much better for the corals. it is not a pont source and the natural variations during the day from clouds, etc would be just like the tropics where there is all that variation.

not sure if i can afford it but want to use www.kalwall.com very cool stuff but pricey.

if not that then a ceiling of mostly skylights.

it comes in various transmission amounts. the lighting is very diffuse and really great in the room.

i have a little advantage as i am in Los Angeles. heat may be more of a problem than heating in the winter. i will have a big sump area in the garage underneath the tank.

i hope that spending the $$$ on the Kalwall system will save big bucks on the electricity over time.

i don't think algae is really a problem of sunlight but nutrients.

 

[hawaiianwargod]

carloskoi,

I love your idea regarding Kalwall...I'm sure it will give you ample of natural lighthing and it look's awesome.

 

[elvictre]

Carloskoi the kalwall looks like a great idea, but I am not building that large of an extension. I am simply adding a attached garage to the house and converting the existing garage to a game room with the tank being the centerpiece. I will have all the equipment in the garage so maintenance will be easier.

Vic