Direct sunlight

[Jemhidiah]

Was just wondering if somebody could explain (or show me to a thread that does) why direct sunlight is undesirable?

[Witchdoctor_h]

Direct sunlight contains UV light. Which promotes algea growth.
Eric

[Jemhidiah]

yeah and?

[1SickReefer]

Dr Mac has a full greenhouse setup, or maybe you are thinking this is not direct because maybe the greenhouse glass filters UV?anyway, as long as the water is nutrient free, how can algea grow out of control?

Respectfully confused,
Jbird

[Witchdoctor_h]

Bad algea, like hair algae and cyanobacteria (not algae but you know what I mean), will over grow the tank. Which, in turn, can choke out other stuff. Not to mention just being plain ugly.

[graveyardworm]

Its been my interpretation that it's the reds and yellows in the color spectrum that promote algal growth. UV is all the way on the other side of the spectrum, and can actually kill hence UV sterilizer. So long as your nutrients are under control and you clean up crew is adequate you should have no more trouble with nuisance algae than normal.

[Jemhidiah]

If my clean up crew can handle the algea growth and my nutrients are fine then I would have no prob. So why then would I need so much fancy lighting to have corals. Wouldnt natural light in fact be the best thing for them? Seeing as how thats what they get and thrive on in the wild.

[Witchdoctor_h]

I confused myself, my bad. Graveyard worm is right it's not the UV.

[graveyardworm]

The reason for the fancy expensive lighting is most people just dont have adequate sunlight within their home in a convenient place for their tank, and at least in my opinion sunlight is not as aesthetically pleasing.

edit: also there are other issues to deal with when using sunlight heat being a big one.

[Jemhidiah]

Well I have the perfect place on a bay window in my sitting room. gets early morning midday and evening lighting. my temp stays at 77 F, No overgrown alge of any kind. I think it looks better under natural light. I just wanted to know if there was anything I was overlooking as far as being able to have any kind of coral or invert that I might want in natural sunlight insted of spending 1000's of $ on MH. just seems that they would thrive under more natural conditions.

[Witchdoctor_h]

I read somewhere that the color of sunlight is different at our latitude up here in the states. Something to do with the way the atmosphere refracts the light. That may effect the way the corals grow.
I could be wrong though.........again!:D

[Drewpy]

add some actinics so corals can fluoresce...
Also often the days are long and too much light-- any type of light-- can cause excessive algae growth is aquariums-- especially natural light or anything around 5 to 7K...

Comparing the ocean to an aquarium is not the best idea... The similarities in many respects end with they both contain salt water...
Most importantly with aquariums is the fact low volume of water allows nutrient to build. Having control over your light is one way to combat algae growth.

Shades may help you do this...

[Jemhidiah]

See this is the info im interested in. :) the only prob I have had is that the water evaporates quicker, just means i have to top off more often. would appreciate anybodys thoughts on this subject.

[graveyardworm]

Sorry I dont have real life experience with a naturally lit tank so I really cant comment beyond what I have. You could try a search or posting in the lighting equipment forum. I think witchdoctor is correct there may be something to do with the suns angle and shifting of the length of daylight at higher latitudes which may require supplementation.

[Rungeg]

From what I have gathered sunlight at your degree north will sustain corals, but not optimaly. I would still use T5. just not as much as normal. Also use actinic so that your corals "pop"

[Jemhidiah]

I have no problam with alge growth. But I do limit the amount of natural sunlight I let the tank get. I will have to this summer as the days are longer.

[Jemhidiah]

I have compact fluorescent lighting 10000k and actinic for supplemental lighting that is turned on during peak lighting hours. I just dont want to have to buy MH lighting if I dont need to. What do you guys think? With my 10000k/Actinic CF and natural sunlight, should i be able to keep any coral at optimal condition. There are shaded areas for lower light types.

[graveyardworm]

I think the sunlight kinda throws an unkown and relying on it to sustain all corals would be a guess at best. It may take some experimentation on your part to determine what you can keep successfully. Also with T5 lighting I dont belive MH are a necessary item to keep even the most light demanding inverts. You could also try solar tubes to intensify and direct the sunlight into your tank.

[ZoeReef]

Jemhidiah..seems you may be becoming the resident expert on what and what will not work. From the people I talk to, like gets much easier when things are consistent. I would think that seasonal sunlight might be the great variable, anyhow, I had wondered about curing LR outside using sunlight but that thread didn't get many posts at all. I will be interested to see how this ends. Thanks for the post.

[Jemhidiah]

resident expert:lol: :rolleye1:I think not! I guess i will continue with this little experiment. Wont know if it can work till you try it right? Getting kinda overcast better go open the shades up all the way lol. Well if anything I know shrooms, softies, and other low-med light corals will be fine. Might just have to get some T-5's

[HBtank]

I do not see why everyone tries to say NL would not work when most have no experience with it.

Only problem I can see is overcast days and too short of a photoperiod at some times of the year. Like people have said, supplement some other lighting (though not as much) for those days and for acitinic.

Even most greenhouses have HPS and metal halide lights for the same reason. A little extra control. Curtians could be handy too...

If I had a good window i would do it for sure.

[Drewpy]

http://www.reefland.com/forum/attachments/reef-archives/239-waikiki-aquarium-12-pics-7.jpg?d=1034525493

http://www.waquarium.org/

[Jemhidiah]

Even in nature there are overcast days and seasonal photoperiods. As long as I have my 10000k/actinic Compact fluoresents for those days as supplimental then everything should be fine correct? algea growth is not a prob. Still would like to hear from somebody that has tried something like this before, So I can hear what there experience was like. Guess I could get a coral that requires high light and test it out. Would hate to kill it off though. Thats why I am here to get input.

[PatMayo]

Why don't you try it, monitor closely and let us know how it works?

Personally I think the tank ultimately will get too warm and you will have unwanted algae.

My reasoning for the warmth is simple. Cats love to sit in the sunshine. It is warm and feels good to them. The same thing will happen to you tank. If you ever get the chance to feel a cats fur after he has been sitting in a bright sunlit area, the fur will be very warm to the touch. I surmise the same thing will happen to your tank. It will get increasingly warm. Especially as summer comes and the suns reaches it's zenith.

But like I said, someone needs to test the theory.

Regards,

Pat

[TippyToeX]

Better yet get the book about using natural sunlight. :D Greenhouses using natural sunlight are all over the US. The author of the book below lived in PA, which has snow, tons of rain and more overcast then brightly lit days.

You would be amazing at the amount of PAR that you can have on a cloudy or snowy day. Even on those days shade cloth might be needed because it's too powerful for some of the corals. In many greenhouses you would go for over 90% total light transmission, and over 90% UV admission. All depends on the corals of course.

Try some searches here on RC for natural sunlight, and a google one too. My tank receives 3 hours a day natural sunlight through a window. My anemone LOVES it. Not algae blooms, not heat problems. :)

If you are out to test this you would need a good PAR meter. I use Quantum PAR meter by Apogee.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0971637105.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg Book of Coral Propagation, Volume 1: Reef Gardening for Aquarists (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0971637105/ref=ase_reeflink/104-0291532-2760747?s=books&v=glance&n=283155&tagActionCode=reeflink)

[Jemhidiah]

PatMayo, the tank has been located there for about 2 months with some 90degree weeks and some 30degree weeks and my water temp has not fluctuatedmore than 2 degrees. no new algea blooms or anything changing for that matter. nothing in my water testing would seem to sugest that I even moved the tank from its old position. I understand that it might be to strong of light for some lower light type corals, but thats why they would be in shaded areas and under overhangs and the like. there are still spots that do not get alot of light anytime during the day. The only testing I am gonna do is real life. Get some diverse corals and see how they do.