SolaTubes for reef tanks

[hahnmeister]

Well, even most halides make a good deal of UV-A (DE and SE).... if you stare at them long enough they can cause eye problems. Im just saying, I dont think we have to get too worries about providing enough of certain spectrums to corals with skylights... theres plenty enough to go around of just about every spectrum so who cares if the glass blocks 10% or something...

 

[Reefski's]

glass transmits about 70% UV
normal acrylic 44%

 

[Reefski's]

here is a link to the article with this info.

http://www.rosesinc.org/ICFG/Join_ICFG/2002 - 03/Greenhouse_Glazing.asp

 

[hahnmeister]

That sounds good. I wonder what the absorbtion of water is... I doubt that levels higher than that can get through water that is 5-25' deep... where most of our corals come from.

 

[JMBoehling]

Movies of my Tubes

Movies of my Tubes

Here are some links to movies of my reef. One is of my 90 gallon reef conisting of (02) 10 Gordan Brand Tubular Skylights and (02) 54 watt T5HO's.

Jim's Skylights on Reef

Here is another movie of my Skylightoscopy... Camera lucking up the tube during sun this afternoon.. Sorry to make you guys a little dizzy, but is gives you an idea of the light coming down the tubes.

Skylightoscopy

Hope this gives everyone a good idea of what these things produce. Personally, I wish I had the 20" tubes vs the 10's...

Later,

Jim

 

[shookbrad]

Nice, Thanks for the videos!

 

[Rod the Roofer]

Cool camera work Jim.

Hey, have you taken any light readings from your tubes??

Be interesting to compare with my readings. So far I have measured Lux, but am organising to borrow a quantum meter so I can get some PAR readings.

Rod. :thumbsup:

Hey shookbrad,

That's my avatar!! Only joking, actually I can't have my avatar (A blue/pink Acro) untill I post 100 posts!! - That's dumb IMO.

 

[Reefski's]

here are some pix from the 5,500 gallon Waikiki aquarium with a large skylight over it. you can see the sunlight coming across the tank in one of the Monti cap pix.

[/URL][/IMG]

 

[Reefski's]

Mr. Delbeek, author of "The Reef Aquarium" told me that they do water changes of 10% per month ftom an underground well. they use a 10HP chiller to maintain the water at 77 degrees. nitrates <5ppm with a SSB. and they feed the fish a couple times a day, i forget what but not just a couple of cubes.

the sunlight is full on the tank from about 11-3 and supplemented by 5-6000 watts of MH. 10k and 20k. as you can see in one of the pictures the light is very far over the tank but they do leave the MH on even during peak sun hours.

they get phenomenal growth. the Monti cap has grown to the size you see from a single 5" colony in less than 3 years, same for the Staghorn Acro.

the most amazing tank i have ever seen. worlds oldest clams in captivity, >25 years and 650 pounds.

 

[Rod the Roofer]

Hey carloskoi,

Now that's inspirational!!!

:spin3: :spin1: :spin3:

Rod. :thumbsup:

 

[SuperNerd]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=3338146#post3338146 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Scuba_Dave
Herpervert, where are you located?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=3338461#post3338461 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Herpervet
El Paso, Texas.

...and although I'm sure I've been called worse (and answered to it) its HerperVET. Not HerPERVERT.

:lmao:

 

[cbl]

I also posted a thread a couple of weeks ago wondering if anyone had any exper with natural lighting so thank you for your exp and info.. I did find one tank in PA that a gentleman has some light shutes over half his tank and mh on the other half and he claims a huge difference in growth rates comparatively... I also live in co and have been looking into some different light shute options here but havnt heard of these solatubes before.. can you give any insight into cost???? Keep me posted as well and I too would like to see some photos sometime if poss
thaks

 

[cbl]

I also posted a thread a couple of weeks ago wondering if anyone had any exper with natural lighting so thank you for your exp and info.. I did find one tank in PA that a gentleman has some light shutes over half his tank and mh on the other half and he claims a huge difference in growth rates comparatively... I also live in co and have been looking into some different light shute options here but havnt heard of these solatubes before.. can you give any insight into cost???? Keep me posted as well and I too would like to see some photos sometime if poss
thaks

 

[cbl]

I also posted a thread a couple of weeks ago wondering if anyone had any exper with natural lighting so thank you for your exp and info.. I did find one tank in PA that a gentleman has some light shutes over half his tank and mh on the other half and he claims a huge difference in growth rates comparatively... I also live in co and have been looking into some different light shute options here but havnt heard of these solatubes before.. can you give any insight into cost???? Keep me posted as well and I too would like to see some photos sometime if poss
thaks

 

[cbl]

I also live in co and posted a note a few weeks back looking for someone with some exp with natural light so thanks for the info.. I did find a guy in pa that has some over half his tank and mh on the other half.. interesting to hear the diff in growth rates. any feedback on cost for the solatubes????

 

[cbl]

sorry about above...computer(operator error...)

 

[cbl]

I also have been looking into this and recently posted a thread as well on natural light options. thanks for all the insight. any info on approx cost of tubes? I did find a guy in pa using light shutes with some interesting results compared with the other half of his tank being MH

 

[hahnmeister]

Ok, you say that there were dramatic differences... so which one was better!!!?? Halide or Sun?

 

[polyniak]

This thread is 4yrs 9mths old it can't die now.......We need new pics and updates

 

[hawaiianwargod]

polyniak
[welcome]