natural sunlight?

[ffsteve]

Here is something I have been thinking of for a long time, lighting a reef tank with natural sunlight.
Has anyone ever done this in the northeast? They make natural sunlight domes that fit on your roof and project the light through highly polished tubing. They usually end with a diffuser that fits over the pipe and would look like giant recessed lighting. My thought was to use two of them without the diffusers. These are extremely bright. Now I know that sunlight going through the side of the tank will produce lots of algae. But what if you have it straight down, right over the tank?. Wouldn't it be just like the ocean?.
What could be better than having real sunlight for my corals? Or am I just looking forward to huge algea tank? What are your thoughts on this?

 

[Ron Reefman]

Steve,

They look cool, and to your eye, they look bright, but they really don't do that well. I suggest you find a PAR meter (they are getting more common all the time due to led lighting) and test the PAR of one of these tubes at noon and later in the afternoon (both in summer and winter). If you are lucky and can angle the tubes just right, you may get direct sunlight for 10-15 minutes (depends on how long the tube is). After that it's only reflected sunlight and it's not at all like having direct sunlight on an ocean reef... not even remotely close.

I know 2 tanks here in SW Florida that have Solar Tubes Skylights. If I remember correctly, one is 180g and has 3 tubes and the other is 300g and has 4 tubes. Now remember, this is SW Florida, the sunshine state, and having seen these two tanks frequently as they are friends, and I wouldn't even consider it as supplemental lighting. When it's good, mid day in the summer, it's bright for awhile, but it's yellow to my eyes. When it's not good, just off mid day in the winter, it's really weak. Both tanks have almost as much 'extra' lighting as any tank without Solar Tubes. One has had serious algae issues (may or may not be in part due to the Solar Tubes). One last point, they look there best at mid day and the provide no light late in the day. If you like to look at your tank anywhere close to sunset or after (in MA, in the winter, that's anytime after what... 4 or 5pm?), you'll need full lighting anyway. So IMHO, unneeded holes in my roof to bring a small amount of sunlight into my tank isn't even close to being worth the effort, let alone the investment and the potential of leaks due to intentional holes made in the roof. But that's just my opinion. The 2 guys that have them think they are pretty cool. Heck, I think they are pretty cool, just not very useful and not worth the effort.

One of them is on here quite a bit and maybe he'll tell you what he thinks about them. Others have talked about them on RC before if you search for it.

 

[rgfast]

Here's a link to a solar tube build thread here on RC

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=14254680&postcount=1

 

[moatdaddy]

I left the northeast for florida due to lack of sunshine. Grey sky's for months with a few breakouts. If you wanted to do it in a green house style check out the YouTube video of pacific east aquaculture. That setup would work but its not a living room setup. Shoot I live in florida and I use natural window sunlight for growth. It has been grey and rainy here for four days.

 

[Ron Reefman]

I left the northeast for florida due to lack of sunshine. Grey sky's for months with a few breakouts. If you wanted to do it in a green house style check out the YouTube video of pacific east aquaculture. That setup would work but its not a living room setup. Shoot I live in florida and I use natural window sunlight for growth. It has been grey and rainy here for four days.

You're not in Florida, you're in North Florida. Heck, you still live where it gets cold sometimes! Down here in South Florida it's almost never cloudy for more than 1 day max. From Nov thru May it's mostly to completely sunny 95% of the time!
:dance: :thumbsup: :wavehand: :beer: :bounce2:

Just kidding, but you knew that. North Florida is beautiful and their beaches are as nice or nicer than anywhere in Florida!

 

[Slawdude]

There are quite a few variables as to the "how" however if you can then I would say do this! Sunlight is the optimal choice for reef animals, they have spent millions of years evolving to make the most of the sun.

I am about to put two 14' tubes over a 5 foot tank and I have not done this before. I have however talked to reefers with experience and read about an awful lot of experience over the past three months in arriving at my decision. Almost unanimous positive in terms of promoting growth, colour and general health.

The key questions for me were;

- Can the sunlight system deliver enough light?
- Are you OK with daylight hours?
- Is there any cosmetic issue with the light colour?

I can't answer number 1 yet but I am OK with the second and third points. The other point which came up a few times was to make sure you seal your tubes from salt incursion.

All the best.

 

[mukymuk]

My experience with tubes is pretty much the same as Ron's. There are moments during the day when the sunlight angles in for great visual effect, but par-wise, it's a bust.

 

[Ron Reefman]

There are quite a few variables as to the "how" however if you can then I would say do this! Sunlight is the optimal choice for reef animals, they have spent millions of years evolving to make the most of the sun.

I am about to put two 14' tubes over a 5 foot tank and I have not done this before. I have however talked to reefers with experience and read about an awful lot of experience over the past three months in arriving at my decision. Almost unanimous positive in terms of promoting growth, colour and general health.

The key questions for me were;

- Can the sunlight system deliver enough light?
- Are you OK with daylight hours?
- Is there any cosmetic issue with the light colour?

I can't answer number 1 yet but I am OK with the second and third points. The other point which came up a few times was to make sure you seal your tubes from salt incursion.

All the best.

The answer to #1 is, unless you have a lot of very short tubes, as in enough to cover most of your tank, you won't get enough light to keep hard corals healthy. I know these have 'lenses' at the intake side to 'collect' sunlight and then on the output side to 'spread' the light back out. And they do help. But it's just not nearly enough. If you plan to do a full 'normal' lighting system, solar tubes can be a nice addition. If you want solar tubes to replace your primary lighting, then plan to keep green star polyps, xenia and kenya tree coral. These are opinions based on knowing 2 people with solar tubes in South Florida.

 

[Reef Frog]

I've always wondered if the idea that natural sunlight promotes pest algae growth more than our artificial lights, because of its spectrum or coming thru the side glass, is a myth.

My tank has been getting significant winter sun this year with no ill effects or accelerated algae growth. I keep nutrients low w GFO, low bio load, good skimming & occasional GAC use. In the Spring thru Fall no direct light hits the tank & there is no difference in pest algae in my tank that I can see. However I know Bryopsis, GHA, bubble & an I identified macro are present but suppressed in my tank. Available nutrients are the main issue, not sunlight's spectrum, at least in my case.

 

[Slawdude]

The answer to #1 is, unless you have a lot of very short tubes, as in enough to cover most of your tank, you won't get enough light to keep hard corals healthy. I know these have 'lenses' at the intake side to 'collect' sunlight and then on the output side to 'spread' the light back out. And they do help. But it's just not nearly enough. If you plan to do a full 'normal' lighting system, solar tubes can be a nice addition. If you want solar tubes to replace your primary lighting, then plan to keep green star polyps, xenia and kenya tree coral. These are opinions based on knowing 2 people with solar tubes in South Florida.

I will be able to share my experience in the next few weeks, tubes are going in this week. My tubes are straight down and about 6 foot long. 14 inch diameter. Two of them over a five foot by 3 foot (2 foot deep). I am researching how I may need to supplement particularly in the 450nm to 500nm range. I am in Sydney so not sure how that compares to Florida?

 

[Humu Humu]

On the natural sunlight/algae issue: My tank has halides on the top, and gets a full day's sunshine all day as it sits near a south west facing window. I have no algae problems, and feel the sunlight is a benefit to the tank. I also like the way the tank gradually "wakes up" with natural sunlight, rather than a sudden light turning on.

 

[jdhuyvetter]

Ron, your memory is partially correct. Charlie has 2, 12 inch tubes (if my memeory is correct!) and I have 4, 14 inch tubes. Go with the largest diameter you can!

FYI, when I got my tubes, I was getting 1200 outside and about 1100 inside the tube for PAR. However, the light really spreads out fast and it is not 1100 at the water line.

My somewhat outdated build is at:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1574694

 

[Ron Reefman]

Thanks Jeff. Good info. BTW that is that fish in your avatar. I saw it in your tank last week and meant to ask you but got distracted with all the raffle goodies.

 

[jdhuyvetter]

Falco hawkfish. Cool fish. Reef safe except for shrimp and really small fish (and then they are holy terrors)

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Here is something I have been thinking of for a long time, lighting a reef tank with natural sunlight.
Has anyone ever done this in the northeast?

Tropicorium in Romulus MI has been using natural sunlight in their greenhouse since the early 90's (late 80's?)
There are others. I used to have a skylight above my aquarium at another house. The Solatubes have threads. Natural sunlight seems to have a bright future in reefkeeping IMO.

 

[codyreed29]

Solar tube Idea

Solar tube Idea

this would work I plan to do this with a large reef aquarium in the future when i eventually have my own house.

 

[codyreed29]

Would take some playing with to get the max light you can get but would ge you max midday light and you would get some in the morning and evening. only thing is you would only get one every 6 or so feet. But for a big cube would be cool and do the mirrors around a 4 foot square skylight. Securing the mirror would have to be really strong. Wouldn't leave a mirror 3 or 4 feet above the roof in a hurricane. I'll have to make it removable.

 

[jdhuyvetter]

The Solatube brand has reflectors in the dome to catch the early morning and late evening sun. No need for mirrors.

 

[Slawdude]

Well guys, I can now share my actual experience in terms of PAR in my tank.

From 10am I am getting anywhere from 800 to 1600 from the end of the tube, between 500 and 700 6 inches down, 250 to 350 15 inches and 150 to 200 on the sand at about 20 inches.

More than I was expecting for an autumn day and plenty enough to grow anything you would want.

This is over quite a large area as well as my tubes are 14". I have brought my tubes to within 10cm of the water, which increases what is going into your tank by about a third. A very key point.

Very pleased and certainly a success from my perspective.

 

[LouisianaReefer]

Sunlight does not bring out the best color in my opinion. Zoas that are normally vibrant in color can look almost tan and drab in sunlight alone. Nevertheless, I do firmly believe that the sunlight is the best for the corals (if you can get enough). There is a LFS near the New Orleans airport that has a huge, irregular-shaped, pool-type reef tank that has tons of tan looking corals; however, this is were these folks place fish and corals that are struggling. If I rember correctly, the LFS uses a few rectangular cut-outs in the roof with off-white corregated plastic coverings for the sunroof. It does not look fancy at all. This may be where the corals grow best as well for the store. Before selling the stuff, they transfer the corals into display tanks with artificial lighting to bring out the color. Slawdude, if you have a natural lighting setup, can you send us some pics or give us a link to a recent thread that displays your tank?