Natural "shimmer"

[Jacwil]

I'm amazed when I open the curtains in the a.m. and the morning sun shines onto the DT...HOLY SHIMMER!!!. If I wasn't afraid of an increased nuisance-algae onslaught,and temp. swings, I would consider putting DT right in front of a window!

 

[Hannawa]

You could put some LEDS over it.

 

[Jacwil]

Oh I have LEDS over it. Looking at the current shimmer I have workin' right now from the sun, IMO there's no artificial lighting that could come near this lol.

 

[smogl00]

Yea, it sure is nice. The way I have my lighting schedule and the position of my tank in my house, I have a nice natural dawn effect that hits the tank everyday. the corals use it as a nice wake up period before the real lights start scorching

 

[Steve Canyon]

Yea, it sure is nice. The way I have my lighting schedule and the position of my tank in my house, I have a nice natural dawn effect that hits the tank everyday. the corals use it as a nice wake up period before the real lights start scorching

It's a bit odd that we refer to the real lights as the artificial ones! and the artificial ones as the real ones.

 

[smogl00]

It's a bit odd that we refer to the real lights as the artificial ones! and the artificial ones as the real ones.

Haha. That is weird. Didn't even realize I did that either.

 

[superkat]

reefing paradox.

 

[Willistein]

all you need is collimated light and you get shimmer. You can buy collimated lights or near collimated ligths but they are basically spot lights. The sun is spread over the whole tank, so it is pretty unique and I haven't seen anything come close, really.

 

[superkat]

all you need is collimated light and you get shimmer. You can buy collimated lights or near collimated ligths but they are basically spot lights. The sun is spread over the whole tank, so it is pretty unique and I haven't seen anything come close, really.

we used collimated lenses on the B-2 project for inspection purposes. they could be attached to any light, thereby giving the light the intensity of natural sunlight...we used them during FOE (foreign object elimination) sweeps...so when you are looking in every nook and cranny of one of the birds before first flight, you could see at a much higher (or natural) intensity.

 

[Jacwil]

That's crazy cool Kat...yea when we were inspecting our C-130's there was def. none of that going on lol. Did lift up the nose radome once after a suspected lightning strike and saw a burnt up crispy mess of electronics!

 

[superkat]

That's crazy cool Kat...yea when we were inspecting our C-130's there was def. none of that going on lol. Did lift up the nose radome once after a suspected lightning strike and saw a burnt up crispy mess of electronics!

oh the stories i could tell about the B-2 Bomber and some of our "goodies"...but then i'd have to shoot you.

in any case...i do have some of these lenses at home (ah hem):worried: and i am contemplating some DiY ideas with lighting. Some LED lights are already collimated...but christmas lights? interesting prospects...

 

[Jacwil]

Niiiiiiice!!!

 

[DEEP BLUE SIX]

There's a guy out in Arizona, that besides his reef lighting (I think Halides and leds) is also using "Natural" lighting to light his tank for a certain amount of hours, when the other "lights" are off.

I saw it on Reef central like 2 years ago. Can't really remember where.

But sky light "like" small tubes are cut into the house, come down through and 3 of them evenly spaced over the tank- bring natural sunlight into it, with no glare on the glass.

It's quite interesting and the light appears to actually be good for the tank to an extent.

He described it on some days as being like that light you'd get under water on an overcast day. Which is quite realistic.

The build job looked fairly extensive on the "house" to bring these natural "light tubes" down & through to being overhead the tank though...
But very nice looking feature accent wise in the house as well as for the tank.

 

[thepircs]

There's a guy out in Arizona, that besides his reef lighting (I think Halides and leds) is also using "Natural" lighting to light his tank for a certain amount of hours, when the other "lights" are off.

I saw it on Reef central like 2 years ago. Can't really remember where.

But sky light "like" small tubes are cut into the house, come down through and 3 of them evenly spaced over the tank- bring natural sunlight into it, with no glare on the glass.

It's quite interesting and the light appears to actually be good for the tank to an extent.

He described it on some days as being like that light you'd get under water on an overcast day. Which is quite realistic.

The build job looked fairly extensive on the "house" to bring these natural "light tubes" down & through to being overhead the tank though...
But very nice looking feature accent wise in the house as well as for the tank.

Check this thread out for solar options....
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1801999

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

I'm amazed when I open the curtains in the a.m. and the morning sun shines onto the DT...HOLY SHIMMER!!!. If I wasn't afraid of an increased nuisance-algae onslaught,and temp. swings, I would consider putting DT right in front of a window!

I think you should get over your fears and try it!