I've seen greenhouses used up north to perform smaller propagation operations, and I've even seen a few outdoor tanks (though chilling and heating logistics are rather complicated), but directing enough sunlight for an indoor tank is a huge challenge. The biggest thing for me is that, quite simply, I'm not home during the day and don't want to confine my tank lighting to those hours. While I've seen some new lighting solutions (for industry, not the hobby) involving sun tracking roof-mounted devices that utilize total internal reflection to direct the captured light, it not yet really feasible for an aquarium.

Maybe in a sun room you could do it, but again, heating/cooling would come into play, and algae issues may become dominating without superior filtration.

And welcome to TRT!!

 

I've thought about this myself...I've seen Solatubes used and also a build that used a large skylight above the tank and the "box" from the skylight to the tank was lined with reflective metal. I'll see if I can find links/pics when I get home.

 

Welcome to TRT ibanes2k,

Plenty of sunlight in Az, the logistics of controling the light for the solar period is the tough part. Mimicing the direct sunlight that a reef gets on the equatorial plane through a skylight/tube may be able to be accomplished but the collector would have to be big, able to track the sun, have an automated iris to control light and heat,... just off the top of my head. A simple skylight may be a nice way to augment a traditional lighting system, could even see what things are really supposed to look like under natural light, but the limited time of direct intence light would probably be insufficient for a reef. A 100w flood light at 50 feet or a window in the room will illuminate an aquarium but it won't let you grow corals. Try to read up on PAR, it's the usable photosynthetic energy (and the least amount of heat) you are looking for in a reef not simply the illumination of the tank. Good luck

 

since you have never even had a tank before, attempting something completly new like this wouldn't be to bright. Keeping a tank, and keeping everything alive and pretty isn't exactly easy with regular hobby lights and doing that with no exsperience and with sky lights wouldn't be too smart. If you are 100% compelled to do the sky light thing to save money don't start this hobby is exspensive, but if you want to do the skylight deal I would mix the skylight with some T5's or MH's (metal halides), oh and good UV for the green water you'll be getting from the skylight from having low kelvic rays from the sun and a really good skimmer. and I also dought that the skylight will penatrate no more that 2 feet deep. hey just my advice hate to burste your bubble.

-Deuter

 

since you have never even had a tank before, attempting something completly new like this wouldn't be to bright.

No pun intended?

A couple thoughts on your comments, though. The sun actually provides the entire light spectrum (results of fusion ), it's just more intense in the lower Kelvin ranges (~6000K). The tank water may indeed turn a little green, but if the sun can't penetrate a couple feet, how do any of the natural reefs survive?

It would be a challenge, but no reason not to keep looking into it.

 

Eh, I won't poo poo on your idea. I think it's not a bad question. Alternately I think about all of the folks who have had reef tanks before us (some of which were pretty well known biologists). I would guess they gave something like this a shot long before MH lights were the norm. In the end, we still use MH lights. Not to say we should accept the norm, but to temper our expectations. I like the concept though and it sounds like something I would try sometime just to see.

-Ken

 

OK, post #5 is a little harsh IMO. Personally I applaud you for thinking outside the box and doing the research. Too many folks jump in this hobby and then ask questions to fix the problems that could have been avoided if they had just asked first.

So, with regards to sunlight. I have actually researched this a fair bit as I mentioned above and it has been done with both the sola-tubes and skylights. The main issues as I see it are two fold.

First, the color. Natural sunlight has plenty of light in all spectra's, but as noted above is most visibly around 6500K. I've actually grown corals under 6500K bulbs and it's great for growth, but things tend to look more brown/green. The normal 10000K and higher bulbs used for reef aquaria are much more blue and coupled with the actinic commonly used as well make many of the colors in our tanks "pop". Additionally lower K temps tend to grow algae better. I don't know if a well run tank would have more algae problems with natural sunlight or not. It seems to me if setup properly limiting nutrients would keep algal growth at bay just as it does with higher K lighting.

Second, are seasonal issues with intensity and photo-period. As someone else mentioned sunlight in the tropics is pretty constant all year round. To that end, and to some degree issue #1 as well, dictates that some supplemental lighting would need to be employed.

Now for the fun part. Some pics of tanks that use natural sunlight!

First up several variations using Sola-tubes:

BTW...Sola-tube says there 21" diameter skylight emits the same amount of light as a 250W MH:

and this is the guy who installed a 4'x8' skylight above his tank:

I'm not sure of the depth of the tank, but I think a PAR reading like that in the lower regions of a 700 gallon tank is pretty good:

So, in conclusion, can it/has it been done? Definitely. Is it easy or cheap? Probably not cheaper in the short term, but the savings in electrical cost over time is probably somewhat sizable. Easier? I think it takes a good deal of careful planning and I do have to agree with Sir Deut III that it is probably not a project you want to engage in for your first foray into reef keeping.

Welcome again, and good luck!

 

Great input, Jnicho! I hadnt seen any of those setups, really cool to see some folks trying to employ them.

 

Thanks for finding those pictures Jeff! I knew I had seen it done before and have actually contemplated it myself at one time.

As technology continues to move forward I am sure that there will be more cost effective natural light solutions developed as well as the move to LED lighting will continue to grow.

As someone else posted those who came way before us did not have the luxury of the lighting options we have available to day. I am sure that Jeff can tell us some stories about how he used to run his tanks many years ago. I also know a guy named Paul that has been running saltwater tanks since the early 60's, when they would put a fish in just to see how long it lived because they couldn't do much else at the time, and he has some great stories about all of the changes in this hobby throughout the last 40 years or so.

 

wow thats pretty cool, those sola tubes are pretty slick and those tanks actually look decent.


in the long run and maybe not even that long compared to a few 250watt plus halides, the savings could be pretty big, and you get other natural type occurances also, like cloud cover etc.

 

wow thats pretty cool, those sola tubes are pretty slick and those tanks actually look decent.

in the long run and maybe not even that long compared to a few 250watt plus halides, the savings could be pretty big, and you get other natural type occurances also, like cloud cover etc.

Oh ya...I forgot that one too...natural moonlight and lunar phases.

 

LOL! Are you saying I'm old Chris? When I started keeping tanks one or two NO output fluorescents and under gravel filters where about all there was, and that's UGF's with a little air stone and bubbles, power heads were virtually unheard of.

Michael brings up a good point, LED's are an awesome choice...In fact my next lighting will probably be some type of LED system (toying with trying DIY or just bighting the bullet and buying a ready made). The costs of building in "skylights" is probably in par (sorry for the pun) with an LED lighting system (less for LED's if you pay someone to do the work installing skylights). My current tank is in the lower part of house and there is a 2 1/2 story atrium above it. At certain times of the year sunlight from a large window at the top of the atrium hits the tank (especially if the top is open). I'm amazed how bright the light is and the shimmer it creates.

I intended to hit on Chris's comment too but got sidetracked. Most people are gone for much of the daylight part of the day and run their lighting accordingly. Heck, I don't work a regular 9-5 but I run my "full" lighting from 1pm to 9pm because I can get the most enjoyment from the tank that way.

I think the point for ibanez2k (or anyone else who might consider it) is that this can and has been successfully done. It's just like anything else in this hobby it has it's own set of pro's and con's and may be a good choice for one person but not someone else. I think one other major drawback for most folks is space. Most people don't have the luxury of a major remodel to their house to build in a tank that could use sunlight. I love the house I'm in now but there is no place I could realistically do a built in tank let alone provide a natural lighting system likes those above.

 

Hell, I just want to get rid of the heat from my 3 250s burning a foot from the water column...but the saving would be nice.

-Ken

 

Although I bet money on the sun being the cheapest and best lighting option. I doubt the the sun will ever be as popular as electrical lighting.

3 reasons
#1. most people are not home during lighting hours.
#2. It's a middle to upper class hobby.. Hard to add in total value when one of your most expensive equipments is, free. Think about it! Same with skimmer and reactors. Same thing can be achieved without a big receipt!
#3. Only REEF JUNKIES design they're house around they're tank. And IMO only less than 5% are Reef Junkies

But seeing how I have full direct sun on the front of my house. Lat: 43.0° N.
I want to try this on a 55gal. in my dinning room. and just to +1. Add in (4)T5's. On separate switches to accommodate short winter lighting, cloudy days, ect. Plus a blue LED's for color/ moon lighting.

 

Cool, this was like one of my first threads... back from the dead! Seems there are a few people out there who light their reefs with the sun. Freakin' cool if you can pull it off.

 

I like sunlight!

also checkout this commercial scale sun lighting systems...
http://www.pacificeastaquaculture.com/about_us.asp

this is on a small scale..
http://www.garretts-acropolis.com/

 

pics of sun powered systems?

 

When I first started a bunch of people told me you had to make sure your tank did not get natural sunlight on it - you had to locate it away from those windows, or you would get terrible algae. While that may be possible, my tank receives a few hours of sunlight every day - and, funnily enough, my anemones insist upon moving to where the sunlight hits the tank, and the corals in that corner do very well.

The issue with sunlight on a tank versus on a reef is one of the wavelengths of light. Water absorbs lower energy light from the red end of the spectrum more quickly than from the blue end - hence, as you drop down in the water the red colours disappear first, then the green and finally the blue. Most reefs are in water more than 30 feet deep, and therefore red deficient compared to sunlight. Deeper reefs around 70 ft or more are green deficient as well, with only the blue end of the spectrum remaining. So, natural sunlight is not what corals 70 feet under ever see.
Nonetheless, I have seen some beautiful displays done with natural sunlight - here is a tip - it is really expensive to put a sunlight in - UNLESS you happen to also be replacing your roof at the same time - then, it is cheap. If you happen to need a new roof, that is!
Anyway, if you are just starting out in the hobby, you have to realize that there are actually a lot of different ways to do things, and don't be afraid to try something you have researched a bit. I find that a lot of advice on reef forums tends to be people simply repeating something they heard from someone else, without a scientific understanding of it. You will soon find a few people who post a lot who are very well informed and open minded - pay attention to them.
And - have fun! good luck.
John

 

also some corals hate the blue spectrum, and even hate the water

 

Man, how long do you think those corals stay out of the water? Is that just a low tide or something more significant?

 

Those pictures are just low tide but they grow very close to the surface in the great barrier reef which keeps the corals out and in direct sunlight for a couple hours sometimes. Those are hearty corals.

 

Very cool pics.

Isn't it weird to see your own thread pop back up after a few years? :thumbup:

 

Nate......that's just creepy _bro :rotflmao:

 

don't ask me what it is I have no idea...

since we are on the shallow subject, look up the Waikiki Aquarium, really interesting stuff there!

outside reef tank...

clam tank...

lagoon

 

I always wondered what it would take to do it. We have higher intensity since we live at 8500 ft. Mine used to get some l ight from the window, it was a freshie and got covered in algea

 

gota love that PAR/PUR

 

Wow, how have I never seen this thread before? I have often thought about the sola-tubes. Now that I've seen it, I know what I'll do in my next house!!

 

:bow:...clam tank

 

clam tank. new mission

:ac15: