look at the lighting here (Solatubes)

[Gary Majchrzak]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1563053

[Gary Majchrzak]

Originally posted by Rod the Reefer
Here are some pics of the skylight/Sola tube install on the old tank;

And here’s a pic of inside (Just sun light) ;



I have no Par readings, but I purchased a Lux meter to check just how much light I was getting. (Readings at 12 noon 10.9.06)

Under the 150 Mh – 150000 Lux (150mm from lamp)
Under the skylight – 190000 Lux (150mm from tube)
Outside in full sunshine – 160000 Lux

Observations :

Incredible natural dawn. (Mandarin and shrimp love it!)
Very natural fluctuations in light as clouds go overhead.
Amazing moon light.

[GMaquarium]

I think solartubes are the way to go. Its hard to beat the natural sunlight.

[Gary Majchrzak]

is this halo typical of a Solatube's lighting pattern?

[diverdick]

I cant believe the color in that tank is representative of natural sunlight - let alone delivered by tubes. There must be supplemented light for sure.

[faze07hd]

I seen solatubes in person at a guys house in palm beach. They are great and he does supplement actinic lighting with them. But down there is way better for them compared to good ole NY weather. If its cloudy outside, it will be dark in your tank... Think of how many dark days will be in your tank... hmmmmm

[Gary Majchrzak]

Originally posted by diverdick
I cant believe the color in that tank is representative of natural sunlight - let alone delivered by tubes. There must be supplemented light for sure.

I posted two pix from the thread in my link. One pic is with sunlight (alone) and the other is with sunlight PLUS the fellas artificial lighting.
I've worked a par meter. Even on a cloudy day in Rochester sunlight is brighter than artificial aquarium lighting. I don't know how efficient Solatubes are at getting that lighting down to it's target though.

[mr86mister]

I agree with Harry that would be tough. We don't have nearly as many sunny days in this area as Florida would. The sun also isn't as strong as it would be in Sub-Tropical Zones. That guy probably would not even need the 250w. Just some supplemental with natural light. Thats a great idea though. I think I should move into my aunts house in Miami...lol.

[Gary Majchrzak]

growing corals with sunlight at this latitude is a moot point.
Tropicorium (in Detroit) and Calfo's greenhouse (Pittsburgh) have been growing corals in greenhouses for years. It CAN be done.

[SkiFletch]

Originally posted by mr86mister
I agree with Harry that would be tough. We don't have nearly as many sunny days in this area as Florida would. The sun also isn't as strong as it would be in Sub-Tropical Zones. That guy probably would not even need the 250w. Just some supplemental with natural light. Thats a great idea though. I think I should move into my aunts house in Miami...lol.

Well, I don't know if they still do it (cause I don't watch the news anymore), but I remember chanel 4 news here in buffalo used to have what they called the "Sun Bowl" in their weather report. It was a "competition" of sorts recording the number of sunny days here in Buffalo vs Orlando Florida. I clearly remember it always being really close, within a handful of days. The trouble isn't so much the number of sunny days, it's when they are. Up here, we have fewer sunny days in the winter and Orlando really kicks our butts at first, but then through the summer and fall we catch up. More of a seasonal problem.

Further if you ask me, depending on where you live in the WNY area you might have more troubles. At the airport here in Buffalo, there's significanly more sunshine in the winter than there is in say Hamburg, OP, or East Aurora in the snow belt where lake effect creates a LOT more clouds (and snow) than up here in the northtowns of Amherst, Tonawanda, etc.

Gary, does Tropicorium use something like this, or do they also use a greenhouse like Calfo. I've no doubt you could grow coral in a greenhouse up here as the amount of light is a LOT even in the winter, but I dunno about these tubes. Too bad they didn't ahve a par meter

[Gary Majchrzak]

Trop is a greenhouse.
FWIW we had a skylight over the aquarium at our old house.
I miss it.

[TimmyNY]

I have seen these installed with a dome over it at the roof. te halo effect is normal if you dont have a diffuser (sp?) the difuser focuses the light much like on a led

Tim

[mr86mister]

You prove a good point SkiFletch. Where I live the winters are terrible. Lake Effect whoops our butt and as many know off of Erie it can snow for days upon days if the winds are right. So, I guess that really should also be taken into account. Say, the Tughill Plateau may only be 40 minutes north of Syracuse but it also can get 15-20 more feet of snow a season.

Gary- If it's in the back of your mind tot to try this, I would go for it. I would love to watch the process.

[block head]

going to visit dr mac's in october,he's got a greenhouse set up as well in Md. think it's a state/fed certified coral propagation facility. the solar tubes on the the aussy tank don't even have the dome hood's that allow much more light to be collected. a bunch of the DIY shows have installed these units. doesn't seem that hard ,if u have a few tools and home improvement skills.

[Bluephish13]

If i owned my own home i would be on that project right now! looks like it would not be that hard. you would still need more lighting but the dawn, dusk, and moon viewing you get would be well worth it . Im sure the dumb tubes prob cost a fortune due to some space age reflective material, but if they are cheap than i bet the whole project would be pretty cheap to do on a weekend. Im sure on the summer days they provide enough light to give your halides a rest.

[mr86mister]

I bet they help with heat as well.

[scaz]

Yea I think that I would rather have a big sky light above my tank with a bunch of LEDs to suplement it.

[gregod]

bluephish, I think they start around $80-$100 for the kit. I've been thinking of giving it a try but I think I would like 2 days in a row without rain before I cut more holes into my house. Plus I probably should finish one or two of the other hundreds of projects that I have started.

[Bluephish13]

thanks greg

I don't think my property owner would be happy if i cut holes in the apt roof. I already strapped a HD dish up there.

[mr86mister]

haha.Now lets not make anything a liability here. Holes only go in the roof's that you own...lol.

[scaz]

lol. I have a sky light in my garage that my wife wants to turn into a car port. I would love to inslate it and turn it into big fish tank room, but you know what they say. Happy wife happy life.

[aww_419]

ugh!! of course a cheap project,and i still cant do it. LOL i own my home but the tank is in the basement. Guess i could always cuts holes through 3 layers.