natural sunlight ?
- Thread starter Jimsreef
- Start date
Anthony Calfo
New member
I have used natural sunlight almost to exclusion (though my personal fishroom at present of about 2K gallons plus a few small display tanks have typical/traditional aquarium lights).
The growth and color of corals kept under sunlight is... er, not surprisingly
.... incomparable! What I use and recommend to aquarists/growers is that they find a glazing/lens that admits the most light including max UV as possible. So for skylights, light tubes, atrium glazing, bay windows, greenhouse coverings, etc... this is the goal. Its a bit of a tall order too as most such materials are designed for human habitat/space or terrestrial plants and have/need considerable UV filtering 
Still... you can and will find materials with max light and UV admission. These are in fact the least expensive materials (and shortest lifespans... the good and the bad).
Some of your corals will need max UV... some will want little or none at all... and many fall in between. You will need to experiment with shade cloth (dirt cheap from a greenhouse supplier) or the like to determine what is best for your corals. But is is much better and cheaper to filter out free sunlight and free UV than to use a material that blocks some or all of it and you then have to pay (electricity and lamps!) to add it back in.
A mixed garden reef tank with unnatural species selection (corals from very different niches/needs like corallimorphs and shallow water sps corals) will struggle here. Its one of the many reasons why these unnatural reef displays struggle in the long run.
As to the sunlight=algae legend... it is complete bunk, I am happy to say. Nutrients are really THE rate limiting factor for nuisance algae growth. Numerous aquarists can attest to this fact with algae ridden aquaria illuminated by dim or aged bulbs. Healthy tropical reefs under sreaming tropical sun are not havens for nuisance algae either... but when they become damaged and polluted (nutrients), the nuisance algae then gets a foothold until the nutrients can be exported (corals recover and outcompete, source of pollution wanes, etc).
And aquarists with good husbandry will see this too... due care with water changes, vegetable filtration, aggressive skimming, and/or proper feeding/stocking, etc. all lead to healthy systems with little or no nuissance algae. After many years of not scraping 3 or 4 vertical side walls of the glass aquaria in my greenhouse, you still could read a newspaper through the uncleaned side walls.
Rest assured... nutruient levels and water flow are a far greater influence on algae... and an increase in lighting that favors your corals can often also reduce nuisance algae by helping them outcompete the pest.
Food for thought
best regards,
Anthony
The growth and color of corals kept under sunlight is... er, not surprisingly
.... incomparable! What I use and recommend to aquarists/growers is that they find a glazing/lens that admits the most light including max UV as possible. So for skylights, light tubes, atrium glazing, bay windows, greenhouse coverings, etc... this is the goal. Its a bit of a tall order too as most such materials are designed for human habitat/space or terrestrial plants and have/need considerable UV filtering Still... you can and will find materials with max light and UV admission. These are in fact the least expensive materials (and shortest lifespans... the good and the bad).
Some of your corals will need max UV... some will want little or none at all... and many fall in between. You will need to experiment with shade cloth (dirt cheap from a greenhouse supplier) or the like to determine what is best for your corals. But is is much better and cheaper to filter out free sunlight and free UV than to use a material that blocks some or all of it and you then have to pay (electricity and lamps!) to add it back in.
A mixed garden reef tank with unnatural species selection (corals from very different niches/needs like corallimorphs and shallow water sps corals) will struggle here. Its one of the many reasons why these unnatural reef displays struggle in the long run.
As to the sunlight=algae legend... it is complete bunk, I am happy to say. Nutrients are really THE rate limiting factor for nuisance algae growth. Numerous aquarists can attest to this fact with algae ridden aquaria illuminated by dim or aged bulbs. Healthy tropical reefs under sreaming tropical sun are not havens for nuisance algae either... but when they become damaged and polluted (nutrients), the nuisance algae then gets a foothold until the nutrients can be exported (corals recover and outcompete, source of pollution wanes, etc).
And aquarists with good husbandry will see this too... due care with water changes, vegetable filtration, aggressive skimming, and/or proper feeding/stocking, etc. all lead to healthy systems with little or no nuissance algae. After many years of not scraping 3 or 4 vertical side walls of the glass aquaria in my greenhouse, you still could read a newspaper through the uncleaned side walls.
Rest assured... nutruient levels and water flow are a far greater influence on algae... and an increase in lighting that favors your corals can often also reduce nuisance algae by helping them outcompete the pest.
Food for thought
best regards,
Anthony
Jimsreef
Premium Member
Thanks for the info Anthony. I guess then it is possible to propagate corals with sunlight. I was thinking of using the solar tubes to direct sunlight to the main tank and prop tanks. From what Anthony was saying I gather that It would be best to have the corals that need more UV seperate from the ones that don't. So Two or three systems set up would be best so to direct the right amount of sunlight. Is this correct. Thanks Jim
StinkyNappy
New member
thats great to hear, just setup frag tank outside with a chiller and a 200w heater, no algae yet (been up for 2 weeks.)
I'm hoping/planning on setting up at least (3) 14" suntubes on my next tank 300-400g or better- size undecided as of yet
I ran a 30g in a front window facing south for 8+ months. The natural sunlight rippling off the sand was unbelievable - very natural.
I did have algae from time to time, mostly attributed to the lack of a skimmer
Since I live in New England, I will have MH's in use also
Can't believe I just found these forums after 1.5 years on RC
I ran a 30g in a front window facing south for 8+ months. The natural sunlight rippling off the sand was unbelievable - very natural.
I did have algae from time to time, mostly attributed to the lack of a skimmer
Since I live in New England, I will have MH's in use also
Can't believe I just found these forums after 1.5 years on RC
Anthony Calfo
New member
heehee... welcome to our quiet little corner of RC, Dave
agreed on the supplemental MHs/// even with direct sunlight, you are a bit north in the hemisphere for keeping some corals under natural sunlight only.
every little bit of sunlight counts/helps though!
kindly,
Anthony
agreed on the supplemental MHs/// even with direct sunlight, you are a bit north in the hemisphere for keeping some corals under natural sunlight only.
every little bit of sunlight counts/helps though!
kindly,
Anthony
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