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Unread 01/12/2002, 03:18 PM   #1
440cudaman
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Question SolaTubes for reef tanks

I would like to know if anyone else has tried to use this type of lighting scheme?

I have been using them for 2yrs now and have had great success with them.
My SPS corals have been going crazy in the natural light.
I thought that I might need to have supplemental lighting, but I took a chance and it worked out for the best.

I was hoping that someone out there has had the same success I've had.
My next project is to change my tank over to the Eco-Wheel so that the captive reef could be as close to natural as possible.

Any thoughts on that?


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Unread 01/12/2002, 03:47 PM   #2
ocean mark
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SolaTubes for reef tanks

Sorry for my supidity what are they


-----------------SolaTubes----------------


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Unread 01/12/2002, 06:23 PM   #3
440cudaman
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Ocean mark,

Here is the URL for the company that makes the Sola Tube.

http://www.solatube.com.au/

Check it out!


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Unread 01/12/2002, 08:08 PM   #4
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I have four of the 10 inch tubes that are about 2 feet off of the surface of the water.
I built a bump out in the wall to hide the extension tubes.
At night when the moon is out it is clearly visible in the tank.
Seeing how I live in Arizona the amount of light I receive is incredible. We don't really have a problem with pollution so that helps.
I have a tremendous amount of information to share but no pictures as of yet.


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Last edited by 440cudaman; 01/14/2002 at 01:50 PM.
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Unread 01/20/2002, 01:54 PM   #5
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Well, d@mn man, take some pics and write a DETAILED REPORT up about this! I'd love to see your tank, how you have your SolarTubes setup, etc. We've talked about this a number of times on the Reefkeepers mailing list but so far we haven't seen anyone using them for their tanks. It would be great to see someone actually using them and hearing how successful they were at implementing them on their tank, what they would change, some tips that they might have, etc! I've thought about this concept a number of times as an alternative to using so much halide lighting. Please let us know the DETAILS!

Shane
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Unread 01/22/2002, 07:12 PM   #6
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440cudaman,

I would also be very interested in seeing pictures of your setup.

As I live in the Denver area, we get almost as many sunny days as you do so this system should also be viable here.

Regards,

Scott


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Unread 01/22/2002, 08:57 PM   #7
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440cudaman, We must be on the same wavelength. I just posted a thread a couple days ago about this. I was wondering if anyone has ever tryed it. Secondly I just set up my Eco-Wheel about 3 months ago.

Have you ever used MH's Like to know the difference's. I did a search and so many were discounting Natural light because of the algea problem. But what the h%$l, doesn't the Great Barrier Reef get naturl sun light????????????? How about FIJI, do they get light over in that part of the world????
Isn't that what everyone is forking out so much $ for MH's is to mimic the sun? I don't understand some people.

Could you give us specifics on your tank? Inhabitants, set-up etc... Do the solar tubes ad any heat to the tank? Big one there! It sure would be nice to be able to use free sun instead of the electric company.


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Unread 01/25/2002, 07:25 PM   #8
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I have seen these on T.V. before and often wondered if it would make for good reef lighting.
I don't think it could work for me as my tank is on the first floor of a 2 story house, but I'd like to see the pix!!


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Unread 01/27/2002, 02:25 AM   #9
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yes please share your experiences with this lighting. my next house i plan on using more natural lighitng and plan on using large south facing windows in addition to some type of sky light system...
thanks for any insight...


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Unread 01/27/2002, 07:37 AM   #10
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Pardon me but... aren't most of you out of the house for work during the day? I think the Sola-tube works during daylight hours only right? So when you get home.. it should be dark = no more light.

So if you get home and you want to view your tank, you'll switch on the normal lights and you will extend your photoperiod to maybe another 5 hours before you go to bed?

Gosh... i am sure your algae will bloom!


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Unread 01/27/2002, 07:56 AM   #11
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Crap,

Yes, not having the day/night cycle match you viewing preferences is one potential drawback.

However,

1 You can use lights of much lower intensity for viewing. Light levels that would not add much to your overall light input.

2 If a longer light cycle gives you an algae problem, there is an underling nutrient problem anyhow.

Providing “free” “natural” light to a reef via solar is a neat idea, even if it doesn’t provide 100% of your needs.

Regards,

Scott


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Unread 01/27/2002, 08:13 AM   #12
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One more thing to add Scott. The moon is out at night and does throw light. How many reefers bang their heads against the wall in an attempt to duplicate natural moonlight to encourage spawning etc.? I really think that depending on orientation, a solatube could get enough light from the moon to slightly illuminate a tank, quite possibly more than enough for viewing. And who knows, moonlight might just be a missing link to coral health.


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Unread 01/27/2002, 11:05 AM   #13
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I'm back.

LiquisShaneo,

I'm working on getting some pictures I have been traveling quit a bit lately so it hard to find the time.

Like I said I have four of the 10in tubes that sit about 2ft off of the surface of the water. The tank is 60 x 36 x 32 all glass. There is no support in the middle to block the light, and when I made the canopy I made the top open so that there were no obstructions.

I have a 6in deep sand bed and approximately 150lbs of hand made live rock (ARF Style). I went with the hand made rock so that I could make the structure as functional as possible but yet as reef friendly as I could. I have a friend that gave me some live sand from is reef to seed my tank.
I covered the top of my tank for 6 months with a shade cloth to keep the bulk of the sun out of the tank so that it could cycle (the best thing I have ever done and the hardest).

Once the tank had cycled I added a small protein skimmer (Turbo Floater) now I only use the skimmer for 8 hours a week and I do a 5% water change a week (Automated). I have one large 3/4 horse pump that runs a large rectangle spray bar type system located at the top of the tank. This creates a massive chaotic water flow that can only be described as (Intense).

No supplements are added to the water at all. The water changes take care of all the issues of water quality. And the extreme water flow combined with the open top takes care of the gas exchange and provides great glitter lines.

I have at least 50 types of SPS corals and five large clams (all farmed). The tank was setup as an experiment to prove that I could have a natural based reef tank that didn't need all that techno stuff and that would not take anything from the real reefs of the world.

The only thing I would do differently is have something like the Eco-Wheel that provided a more natural environment. I have been saying for the last 7 years that the artificial sounds in our systems have a negative effect on the animals we keep.

Again I would like to say I use NO supplemental lighting what so ever!!!!

Spasse,

I would agree that the number of sunny days is important but the number one concern is the intensity of light that you receive. Arizona has by far the most intense light in the U.S. except for parts of California. I bought a light meter to determine the number of tubes and how far to bring them to the surface of the water.

MchEdward,

I would like to know where you got your Eco-Wheel from. Here in Arizona there are no dealers that will carry this system.

The first tank I setup was the typical reef tank with Metal Halides and Protein Skimmers and Ozone and etc....etc....etc....etc.... The only people that have a problem with natural light are the people that have a nutrient problem. With the system I have now there has never been a problem with alga.

No heat is transferred to the tank by the Sola Tubes. That is a major issue in Arizona where it can reach to 120 degrees in the summer. I keep my house around 75 degrees in the summer and 65 in the winter.

DgenR8,

The amount of light that is reflected down is affected by the length of the tube, so I know for a fact that the tube would be to long to be effective in a two story house. I have a flat roof so it enabled me to have the shortest tube possible.

tic,

I looked into having a window that allowed light to enter the tank, the problem with that (in my opinion) is that the sun is in an optimal location for such a short period of time that it would not be beneficial. The other issue would be the heat during the summer and the cold during the winter entering in from the window could have a negative effect on the tank. Also the glare would be to distracting for me (in my opinion only).

crap,

I live in Arizona, we do not have daylight savings time so at 7:00pm it's still light outside (in the summer) also I work from 6:00am to 2:30pm so there is not an issue for me. I have all day on the weekends to view my tank, plus my wife doesn't work so she has all day to enjoy my efforts


Like I said before there shouldn't be a problem with alga if the system is kept in good health. You can't produce alga without food for it.

SPasse,

Ditto. I would like to state that I'm trying to re-produce the reef as a whole and the sun is only out for so many hours a day and the fact the some of us are trying to extend the (viewing hours) is unnatural. I also disagree with the 12 hrs of light 7 days a week 365 days a year. The natural reef is not that way, what makes us belive that that is what's best for our animals.

DgenR8,

Amen to that, this is one of the reasons for setting this type of system up. When the moon is out on a clear night there is a tremendous amount of light in the tank, so much in fact that on a full moon the tank has glitter lines. I have a curtain that wraps around the tank a night so that the lights in the house don't penetrate the tank and so that on a full moon the house isn't filled with light.

I have had my clams spawn several times. The health of all my corals is incredible and they are growing like weeds. I thought that these things were hard to keep but with this tank I have had nothing but success. The only issue I have is that the cuttings I take from the parent colonies cannot be sold to anyone with a techno system.

I feel that that type of system will not provide the same environment that is achieved here.
Not to say that the techno system is inferior or will not work but that it is different and that the difference may have a negative effect on the animals.
And lets face it that is why were in this, to provide a stable environment that allows all the creatures we keep to thrive and flourish.

I hope this helps,

440cudaman


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Unread 01/27/2002, 11:23 AM   #14
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thanks for all the great insight. how has the nsl affected your coral colors. i am a fan of the neon look and have only seen a few nsl systems and the corals took on a brown beige appearance. if you were to compare the color of your tank to a metal halide bulb which one would best represent the color of your tank. my house is going to be a south facing passive solar home. i live in colorado and winter can get real cold. passive solar homes have maintained 75 degrees with no supplimental heating. i plan on providing good window coverings to prevent any unsightly glare when i am viewing the tank. i have been thinking about those tubes for quite some time. i am pleased to hear you have had success with them...


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Unread 01/27/2002, 12:13 PM   #15
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tlc,

I found that the colors of the corals did fade so I removed the U.V. protector that was on the tubes and the color came back better and brighter then ever.
I'm not sure what your asking about the color of the tank, so the corals are blue, green, yellow, pink and orange.
As far as the comparison to the color rendition index I would say that it's the same as that natural sun 65K but with this light it's not yellow it's white.
I've had metal halides in the past and that was when they were 65K bulbs and they were yellow in appearance. This is more like the 10K bulbs that we see on the market now.
I think that the green tint that we are used to seeing in this type of system is particulate matter (i.e. alga) in the water changing the visual appearance of the tank.
With the water changes that I do once a week make for extremely clear water giving the light a white appearance.
I think that this system is not for everyone, you need to be in the right location have the right amount of intense lighting and be willing to spend the money to experiment. I was afraid at first that this was the wrong thing to do but now I can't belive that I waited so long to do it.

I hope that you try this system out and it works for you, the only advice I would like to give you is BUY A LIGHT METER. It's not cheep but well worth the investment.


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Unread 01/27/2002, 12:44 PM   #16
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Cuda,

I did some solar energy engineering in my younger days, and I still think that Denver would be a good candidate. The intensity in Denver is also helped by our altitude (less atmosphere) We do have more of a seasonal variance, being farther north. This might require a seasonal variance in supplementation etc. This would not be a big issue with an Aquacontroler or an Octopus.

Not to say that Denver wouldn’t require some supplementation though.

We would really like to see pictures of your tank and corals, seems like it might be a good candidate for Reef Tank Of The Month.

DgenR8,

The moonlight issue is another plus. Some of us are trying to simulate this with 25-watt blue incandescent party bulbs, controlled with Aquacontrolers. Real moonlight might very well be better.

Regards,

Scott


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Unread 01/27/2002, 01:18 PM   #17
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where did you get your light meter?


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Unread 01/27/2002, 02:31 PM   #18
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SPasse,

I think the altitude difference would be a good thing to explore to see if it had an effect on how the light is transmitted. Also I read some where that light is magnified by cloud cover, might be something to think about. I would not be surprised if you didn't need supplemental lighting. I think that adding any type of lighting would block some of the natural lighting that you worked so hard to achieve. If I were to add lights it would be on the outside walls of the aquarium and not the top.

Again, I will try to get some pictures as soon as I can, my schedule is a little hectic right now with being a program lead for the Apache and the B1-B.

I can't say enough about the quality and quantity of moon light that is being produced in the tank.
It amazes me how we ignore the possibility of the benefits of moon lighting.

tlc,

I bought mine off of a friend and I think he got it from:

http://www.omnicontrols.com

Check them out I think that they can answer all of your questions.


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Unread 01/27/2002, 02:36 PM   #19
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Scott,
I remember a thread here once discussing possible benefits of simulating moonlight for our animals. It was titled M.O.O.N. If I remember correctly and was started by our "resident mad scientist," Johnny
Anyone that didn't catch this thread when it happened, should dig into that search feature and check it out. Some very interesting stuff in that thread.
In the thread Johnny was originally going to build his M.O.O.N. systems and sell them to us at cost. Demand turned out to be more than he could handle, I guess and the thread died out. Don't be disappointed if you put in an order and don't get a M.O.O.N., but do read the thread.


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Unread 01/27/2002, 05:13 PM   #20
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Here's the thread that I was talking about on Reefkeepers:

http://www.escribe.com/pets/reefkeep...ght%20question

Sounded like there was a lot of interest in trying this last year but no one on the list had really done much with it. So far I haven't heard a peep about this subject since...

I would definitely agree, this tank would be an interesting one to have as Tank of the Month. In addition to highlighting the livestock for TOTM, I would definitely like to see a lot of detailed pics of the SolaTubes and how they were implemented.

(eagerly awaiting pictures and detailed diagrams)

Shane


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Unread 01/27/2002, 05:16 PM   #21
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Doh! Forgot to ask my question before I hit reply.

Why did you go w/ the 10 inch SolaTubes and not the 21 inch ones that are out now?

10 inch: http://www.tubularskylight.com/10inch.html
21 inch: http://www.tubularskylight.com/21inch.html

Shane


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Unread 01/27/2002, 05:45 PM   #22
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LiquidShaneo,

The 10in tubes will fit between the studs in the roof without any modifications. If you look at the 21in on the web page you sent it says for "Schools, Warehouses etc...etc...etc... I don't think that anyone would want to hack up there roof to fit one of these in there (or would they??).

Being an Engineer I thought about how I could fit some of the BIG boys in the roof but the wife thought it was overkill (like most of my projects) so that put an end to that thought.

It is obvious that I should of gotten pictures BEFORE posting this thread. That way I could of avoided the picture police


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Unread 01/27/2002, 05:59 PM   #23
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what about useing a poly filter colar changer like in the poorman 10k artical over the tube hole to change the spectum?whould it work?


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Unread 01/27/2002, 06:13 PM   #24
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eddie,

What?????

After the U.V. blocker was removed there was no longer an issue with the corals changing color.

I don't understand why you would place a colored filter over the tube. The fact that any type of "filter" will reduce the amount of light would defeat the purpose.

I'm not sure what you talking about, but if I'm mistaken in my assumption please correct me.


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Unread 01/27/2002, 06:21 PM   #25
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have you read the poor man 10k artical ?it will change the light to 10k .just a thought


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