SolaTubes for reef tanks

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Jimsreef said:
Is there a way to build your own sun tunnel? I am interested in using natural sunlight. My aquarium is going to be on the south side of the building and I hope I can get enough light here in KY.
Click to expand...

I have heard of people using Mirors but I can only imagine that is extremely expensive. I would just purchase the intallation kits available from Solatube or any other tubular skylight mfg'er. Just do your homework before you start cutting holes in your roof.. Study your layout of Rafters and Ceiling Joists...

Also, take a look at trees etc, and make sure there is no potential of future foliage growth blocking the skylights.. Now is the time to plan before they all drop there leaves..

I would think you would get similiar sunlight that I get in Virginia, so my guess is you are good to go...

Best of luck with your project.

Jim
 
I appreaciate your response.

Do you have to purchase anything else with the solatubes?

What brand do you suggest and are the ones from homedepot ok to use?

How many and what size do you suggest for a 180 6' x 2' x 2'.

They say 2'x2' for MH's what would the coverage be for 14" NSL tubes?

Thanks Jim
 
I have (02) 10" Suntek skylights (The ones from Home Dopt- I think they are under the name Gordan now..) I would think (03) 10" would work, but (03) 14"'s would be even better... Also, remember you will need room for any supplemental light (VHO, T5 or PC Actinic) just so you can enjoy your reef in the evening and to throw some Blue's into your tank, as natural Sunlight is very White...

Some others on this thread say the Solatube Mirror finish is better than others. Unfortunately I cannot comment on this since I have no experience withthe other mfg's products.

Your initial setup and installation cost will be similiar to installing (03) 250 MH's but just remember, you won't have to change bulbs every 6 to 12 months and your using no electricity (Other than some Supplemental lights should you want it.. Plus, you get the perfect spectrum of light for your reef :)

Later,

Jim
 
Do you use the dome cover that came with the light? What about the UV rating? Do you have a cover on the bottom?

Thanks Jim
 
JMBoehling said:
I have (02) 10" Suntek skylights (The ones from Home Dopt- I think they are under the name Gordan now..) I would think (03) 10" would work, but (03) 14"'s would be even better... Also, remember you will need room for any supplemental light (VHO, T5 or PC Actinic) just so you can enjoy your reef in the evening and to throw some Blue's into your tank, as natural Sunlight is very White...

Some others on this thread say the Solatube Mirror finish is better than others. Unfortunately I cannot comment on this since I have no experience withthe other mfg's products.

Your initial setup and installation cost will be similiar to installing (03) 250 MH's but just remember, you won't have to change bulbs every 6 to 12 months and your using no electricity (Other than some Supplemental lights should you want it.. Plus, you get the perfect spectrum of light for your reef :)

Later,

Jim
Click to expand...

Actually, not to be argumentative, but I thought the same thing regarding the perfect specturm etc. but after talking extensively with a lighting engineer among others I found out its probably not the case. I think Anthony Calfo pointed some of this out.

Anyway, According to at least a couple ofsources there is a very big difference in color (i.e. spectrum) of light at different locations.

Example: Sea level with low ambient humidity produces light that is shifted toward the yellow/orange spectrum compared to sea level around the ocean where the ambient humidity is almost always very high.

The water in the atmosphere shifts the light toward the higher Kelvin ratings. So the color spectrum of light reaching even 12" of depth is much more "Blue" than lighting at 12 inches depth in a vessel of water in the desert for example (i.e. where I live)

Does it make a huge difference is the question? I don't know. But intuitively I would think for some creatures yes and some no.

My own tank seems to be functioning reasonably but the jury is still out.

I do know that the appearance is nicer with a color filter over the skylights.
 
Has Anthony ever installed skylights on his reef tank or tanks? I am in no way shape or form a Lighting expert. I got a wild hair one day and decided to do the Tubular lights because it seemed to make some sort of logical sense.

As I have mentioned in previous threads, the jury is somewhat out with my reef as well, but now that I have Non-Light related reef issues (Major ones at that..High Nitrates, High Phosphates, Low Calcium, and extremely high Salinity) corrected I have seeing some awesome growth and polyp extension on my SPS.

I just introduced a Cali Tort frag, I have taken a pic of it today and plan to take a pic in 6 months... Proof will be in the pudding, as they say:)
 
Sunlight contains all colors. Water only filters out certain spectrums. When you say it is shifted towards one spectrum or the other you are just saying which is most prevalent. Therefore yes the sunlight may appear visually different but will still contain all the correct PAR at all latitudes.
 
Jm: I think I asked you this before but how close are your tubes to the water surface?

Nice screen name Gato. I think I get it.

No doubt all the spectrum is there but the question is wheather or not the shorter wavelenths hurt anything and of course esthetics.

My tank has some issues also I believe and I am not really trying to grow sps because of flow and filtration issues. (skimmerless on a large tank with relatively low flow and the only sps in the tank is one P. damicornis frag that is languishing along with some hitchiking Porites sp. that is also not extending polyps)
 
:cool: FWIW I live in NW Ohio and installed a 10" Solatube about five years ago. It's over our dining room table and my wife keeps a ficus tree under it throught he cold months. There is of course some difference in the intensity of the light because the tree will drop some leaves once we bring it inside. I do have 2 more 10" units that are not installed yet that I've toyed with using over a 75 or 90G tank I'd like to set up I do think I'd suppliment them with a couple of VHOs or PCs but that's just my preliminary thinking. Also if anybody has some ideas, I really don't think due to the cold here I could eliminate the difuser at the bottom, obviously the diminishes the intensity but I don't see any good alternative.
I am very pleased with the product quality and performance of our first unit. It really is all it's advertised to be and I think it's got great promise over a reef tank.:D
There's my 2 cents,
Tim
 
hllywd said:
:cool: FWIW I live in NW Ohio and installed a 10" Solatube about five years ago. It's over our dining room table and my wife keeps a ficus tree under it throught he cold months. There is of course some difference in the intensity of the light because the tree will drop some leaves once we bring it inside. I do have 2 more 10" units that are not installed yet that I've toyed with using over a 75 or 90G tank I'd like to set up I do think I'd suppliment them with a couple of VHOs or PCs but that's just my preliminary thinking. Also if anybody has some ideas, I really don't think due to the cold here I could eliminate the difuser at the bottom, obviously the diminishes the intensity but I don't see any good alternative.
I am very pleased with the product quality and performance of our first unit. It really is all it's advertised to be and I think it's got great promise over a reef tank.:D
There's my 2 cents,
Tim
Click to expand...


Tim,

I originally had a local glass shop replace the platic diffuser with a 1/8" piece of glass and siliconed it into the cover. I removed it because of condensation issues.

Jim
 
Did you get condensation on the glass or up in the dome? I've never had condensation on the original difuser of the tube I have installed.

Tim
 
hllywd said:
Did you get condensation on the glass or up in the dome? I've never had condensation on the original difuser of the tube I have installed.

Tim
Click to expand...

Condensation in the tube.. I have since run it weithout covers with very little problems. There may be a little dust build up but not enought to cause any major problems for my SPS..

Jim
 
Ours is in the 70 - 80% range and higher (I'm estimating) in the summer and generally lower than that in the heating season, probably 30s or 40s indoors. We do have AC. I've never had a problem with condensation using all the supplied materials with the kit. It's sealed at the top and bottom so there shouldn't be much air exchange to allow humidity into the tube. The tube is uninsulated. Strictly talking about it as a skylight we couldn't be more happy, my interest is for a near future tank I'd like to install. I already have second and third 10" units in the attic to install when the time comes. I'm convinced.
Tim
 
So my celing is vaulted above my 90g....can the tubes work? The light would have to pass through approx 8 feet of open air (from ceiling to the bottom of the tank) I love this option of natural light...I live in Southern California and want to keep heavily light dependent corals (currently my tank has about 500W of PC lighting over it)

Mike
 
Do I get a prize for reading this entier thread? :D

Great job guys in going for something new. I am impressed. Thanks for the pictures. I have considered this before, as I am sure others have, reading this thread. I was unsure of the intensety, having installed suplimental light in sola tubes in a couple of kitchens.
I have been planing a major upgrade for a couple of years, and after reading this I am going to use light tubes for at least part of the system, probably for the 300 gal grow tank in the garage.
Thankyou for taking the time to share.
 
I really think it can only help, I think here in Ohio and with how I need to locate mine on the roof they will be supplimental but I have 2 of the 10" units waiting in the garage...:cool:
 
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