SolaTubes for reef tanks

[Herpervet]

Chihuahua,

The above tank has two 48"X 48" skylights above it with no bend in the light well.

The roof is about 11 feet above the surface of the tank and the light well ends about 40 inches above the tank surface.

There is a mylar curtain that is a somewhat successful attempt to extend the light well but still allow room to work.

If I had to do it all over I would DEFINATELY add a window to the west and/or south of the tank as this would greatly improve the lighting.

During the mid-day you get very nice bright light but late afternoon it tapers off quickly. Facing a west window would do wonders.

 

[salty joe]

Herpervert,

What direction do your skylights face & what pitch is the roof, which is usually measured as a fraction with a denominator of 12, with rise over run? (A 12/12 roof is steep, a 4/12 roof is easy to walk on).

Your setup looks great!

Thanks

Joe

 

[JMBoehling]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6731116#post6731116 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Chihuahua6
Question to Herpervet and Jim. How long are your tubes and how much do they bend if at all before they reach your tank? I have three about 12' from roof to tank, all have an elbow. I don't have the tank yet so I don't know how bright it will be.

Amanda,

I am right around 12' from my roof. I've got them about 1 ft above the water from my tank.

You won't have ANY problems with brightness. The only thing you may want to consider is some supplemental lights (Highly recomend Blue+ T5's) to bring out some colors in your fish and corals..

Can't wait to see your updated pics when the time comes..

Later,

Jim

 

[Herpervet]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6731864#post6731864 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by salty joe
Herpervert,

What direction do your skylights face & what pitch is the roof, which is usually measured as a fraction with a denominator of 12, with rise over run? (A 12/12 roof is steep, a 4/12 roof is easy to walk on).

Your setup looks great!

Thanks

Joe

Flat roof or very nearly flat. So the skylights are certainly not optimized.

Jim has his tubes a lot closer than I could pull off since my skylights cover the entire footprint of the tank.

I would like someone to show me how to rig up a diy telescoping section on the distal portion so the tubes/light well could be raised and lowered for ease of access and still maximize light.

 

[Chihuahua6]

BTW if anyone is curious my roof has a 10/12 pitch. One dome is on the east side and two face south. They're all close to each other. This is a lower roof section over the laundry room. The house has a complicated roof. Hope that makes sense.

 

[barryhc]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6732191#post6732191 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Herpervet

I would like someone to show me how to rig up a diy telescoping section on the distal portion so the tubes/light well could be raised and lowered for ease of access and still maximize light.

Look at the angular graphics on page 26. Even on that system it would be easy to put a "hood" that goes vertical, by 3 feet or more, and a straight sided enclosure would be every bit as easy.

It sounds like your light is not being concentrated to the top surface area of the tank.

> Barry

 

[Chihuahua6]

BTW if anyone is curious my roof has a 10/12 pitch. One dome is on the east side and two face south. They're all close to each other. This is a lower roof section over the laundry room. The house has a complicated roof. Hope that makes sense.

 

[Herpervet]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6732362#post6732362 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by barryhc
Look at the angular graphics on page 26. Even on that system it would be easy to put a "hood" that goes vertical, by 3 feet or more, and a straight sided enclosure would be every bit as easy.

It sounds like your light is not being concentrated to the top surface area of the tank.

> Barry

Can you explain that in Texican for me?

Yes. I believe I am losing quite a bit of the potential although during the summer when the angle changes I will be getting actual direct illumination for part of the day. (Last summer when the tank was installed I noted that I could see the sun directly from one side of the tank.)

 

[hllywd]

If you could keep the salt from eating the mylar, the curtain idea sounds like something to explore...

Also on a flat roof I would think some type of reflector on the roof to help the collection efficiency would be a huge benefit.

 

[Herpervet]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6733370#post6733370 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hllywd
If you could keep the salt from eating the mylar, the curtain idea sounds like something to explore...

Also on a flat roof I would think some type of reflector on the roof to help the collection efficiency would be a huge benefit.

The skylights I used have a tracking system that uses a photo-cell to keep a set of louvres facing the sun. the problem is that during the mid-day hours it actually shades the tank.

It should in theory provide more light throught the early morning and late afternoon.

I took them down because they were not tracking properly.

I havn't noticed any corrosion on the mylar at all. I think its mainly a plastic right?

 

[hllywd]

Mylar has a film of aluminum deposited on the surface, what's not working with that idea? Downfalls?

Louvers huh??? Seems like that should work if they're set up right...

 

[hllywd]

Chihuahua6, How far from the bottom of the tube to where the top of your tank will be?

 

[Herpervet]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6734701#post6734701 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hllywd
Mylar has a film of aluminum deposited on the surface, what's not working with that idea? Downfalls?

Louvers huh??? Seems like that should work if they're set up right...

The louvers worked ok when the tracking system functioned properly but it was inconsistent.

Our building doesn't have easy roof access and so I came to the conclusion that I'd be better off without them.

They are angled such that they actually decrease light with the mid-day summer sun.

 

[salty joe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6732191#post6732191 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Herpervet

I would like someone to show me how to rig up a diy telescoping section on the distal portion so the tubes/light well could be raised and lowered for ease of access and still maximize light.

When I set up my skylight system, I am thinking of building the light tunnel of plywood lined with specular aluminum. It will come down almost to the top of the tank. There will be a horizontal hinge that runs the entire width of the light tunnel about 2 feet from the top of the tank.

 

[spsboy]

I love this thread, I've always woendered if this would be possible,
Thanks to all for posting your experiences
drew

 

[tinyreef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6734701#post6734701 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hllywd
Louvers huh??? Seems like that should work if they're set up right...

not sure if this link ( Sunlight DIrect) was posted, i'm still reading/catching up on this thread.

i don't think it's on the market or even meant for the consumer-market (at this time, probably more commercial/government) but it seems to optimize the light potential. serious bling-bling though. :eek1:

one significant drawback (imo) is that i don't think it offers the "sun tracking-effect" mentioned earlier, which i kinda value-aesthetically and functionally.

side note: i think the aluminum in the mylar is laminated though. so i don't think it should be a big issue. much like the cheapie backgrounds taped to tanks. (c'mon, we've all used it at one time or another )

 

[hllywd]

WOW... that looks like it has real potential for us!!! 2008 til a residential unit is available unfortunately
1 dish for 40 track lights. If we can hack that down to a reasonable number to fit over a tank we'll be all set!
The down side is a 4' dish that's not going to fly with some loaclities' zoning limitations.

Point well taken for the mylar.

 

[tinyreef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6740040#post6740040 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hllywd
The down side is a 4' dish that's not going to fly with some loaclities' zoning limitations.

"that's uh...my new DirecTV dish. yeah, that's it! it gets fijian channels."

maybe it can be an option for aquaculturing though. maybe some uber-reefers, a la TOTM.

i'm wondering if the fiber optics filter/change the spectrum though. i think they mentioned (in another article) that it doesn't but i'm the suspicious-type. they probably aren't talking as spectrum-critical needs like we require, i.e. CRI renderings.

 

[hllywd]

Might still need some actinics because it's removing all the UV, it sounds like it's electronics could turn on supplimentals automatically on cloudy days too...

 

[Chihuahua6]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6734721#post6734721 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hllywd
Chihuahua6, How far from the bottom of the tube to where the top of your tank will be?

I was thinking 12"-18". The extensions haven't been added yet.