SolaTubes for reef tanks - Page 40

hahnmeister · 08/30/2007, 12:06 PM

I dont know if those are true stage lights then if they are used for stage lighting. HIDs arent used on stages usually because they cant be turned on and off fast enough like halogen/tungsten. Are you sure you dont just mean those w/ a blue filter? They are huge bulbs like a halide, but they are just large filament bulbs.

adam82 · 08/30/2007, 02:21 PM

wow!!!!! very nice!!!

token · 08/30/2007, 03:34 PM

I have the ballast number written down somewhere for the spotlight-fixtured MH's. One of the Japanese bulb manufacturers makes spectrum bulbs for them. It seems that the spots enjoy much wider usage in Japan than in the U.S., though the efforts of invincible569 may change that.

The "theory" behind the spot is to encourage pigmentation coloration at a different angle than "overhead" lighting provides. This allows us to actually see the pigmentation we see when looking down on the coral.

If you haven't seen invincible569's build, his thread is starts here but has split and its most current page is here. One will not have to go back many pages to see some great shots.

hahnmeister · 08/31/2007, 01:02 AM

Ive seen 569's tank. I like the spotlights, and I am familiar with the spotlight bulbs, but I didnt think they were used with stage lighting. I can see plenty of other uses though.

Halides just arent as efficient with blue light though. The amount it would take to suppliment the daylight would end up being so much it would overexpose the tank. With blue T5s, you can suppliment the blue spectrums w/o boosting the other spectrums. Thats the main advantage.

glassbox-design · 08/31/2007, 07:51 AM

they certainly use halide in stage lighting and in filming. often with lower K bulbs, but due to their efficiency they are used in higher K and blue bulbs as well....for wash lighting in particular.

there are many commercial and modern metal halide track lighting fixtures out there to use...they're pricey, but look great.

i'm still waiting for those 10k g12's

rogergolf66 · 09/01/2007, 07:19 AM

this is great can you maintain SPS with this and no suplimental lighting?

Roger

Lordhelmet · 09/01/2007, 10:51 PM

look back over the last 40 pages and you will see people are keeping some amazing tanks with just the sun.

rogergolf66 · 09/05/2007, 11:49 AM

I am thinking of putting these in with in the next month I am thinking 3 10 inch over my 125 that is 6 feet long. What do you think. anything you wish you would have done different?

Roger

Reefski's · 09/05/2007, 11:52 AM

i think the larger size is better. also i think everyone supplements with additional lighting.

Carl

JMBoehling · 09/08/2007, 06:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by rogergolf66
I am thinking of putting these in with in the next month I am thinking 3 10 inch over my 125 that is 6 feet long. What do you think. anything you wish you would have done different?

Roger

Larger is always better, if you can fit them.... I have (02) 10" over my 90, I have to use (03) 48" t5 Ho's to suppliment but everything continues to grow well in my setup...

I'll post some pics for you..

Later,

Jim

JMBoehling · 09/08/2007, 01:04 PM

Here are a few updates on my 90 with (02) 10" Skylights aned (03) 54 Watt T5Ho's I use the T5's primarliy for the 20k effect on the tank..

Looking up at my lights

Looking down on thewater surface

Whole tank shot

A few corals in my reef

later,

Jim

rogergolf66 · 09/08/2007, 02:09 PM

VERY NICE!!!

I am trying to figure out if it is worth it. I would like the engery saveings on my electric bill. right now I have 900W of MH running.

Reefski's · 09/08/2007, 06:56 PM

just do it. will pay off cost within a short while.

and then show us pix.

Carl

rogergolf66 · 09/08/2007, 07:02 PM

easy to say. I just spent $1,200 on my MH now I want to change to this my wife is loving it another $1,500 no biggy right.LOL

Adrianvh · 09/09/2007, 09:35 PM

My bum is sore, my head hurts and I've just lost several hours of my life reading all this.

Out come ?

*ring ring* *ring ring*
"hello? Is that solatube? I'd like a quote on ............."

Next is to find an Aust dealer for Bio-wheel.
Low cost 7'x30"x30" here we come!

conorwynne · 09/10/2007, 09:46 AM

I am in the middle of re-setting up my nano.

-- its only 100 liters, and I have a lad from solatube coming tomorrow to see if it is feasable to use it to light my nano.

Mind you, I mentioned it to my wife and she says, but we need new curtains! Hmmm...

Sure I'll wait and see what the fitter says tomorrow.
Irish weather being what it is I'll never get the output you Aussies / Americans get, but I really would like to see if I could grown SPS frags with no supplimental lighting at all.

I've gone BB with the nano -- a new thing for me, and will have massive turnover. The only thing is, a sump if not possible with the nano -- its an old jewel wedge style tank -- they don't even make them any more -- please let the solatube guy say it will work! We already have a large velux window in the roof, and this has been enough to keep my GSP's and zoos alive for 6 weeks while the rock was cooking.

Please let my wife agree, else I'm stuffed.

regards
Conor.

zeusfc · 09/10/2007, 10:24 PM

good luck with the wife conor!

don't forget, most of the corals we keep come from 10m down or more... SPS in a nano, will need less intense light than "tropical sun through a solatube", so you should be lucky

i'd still want to see light/lux readings for winter in your area though, as you may find that after a week of cloudy november days, the SPS are suffering...
supplimental lighting could be the key here? a 70wt or 150wt mh on an over-the-tank bracket may be the thing. try "watford aquarium" if you can't get one locally

hawaiianwargod · 09/11/2007, 09:04 AM

Adrianvh

To Reef Central

Reefski's · 09/11/2007, 12:34 PM

i think one of the cool things about the solartube idea is the variable light. after all the tropics are tropical because it rains there a lot. which means it is cloudy a lot. chuck has seen 30 straight days of clouds where he lives in the tropics near a reef outside his door. and then the sun comes out and the corals are fine.

here's my skylight shaft lined with the best reflective material i could find. anolux.com

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

from the top

Carl

JMBoehling · 09/11/2007, 02:19 PM

Carl,

That is AWESOME... Please keep us updated with your build on this thread...

Thanks,

Jim

salty joe · 09/11/2007, 07:49 PM

Carl,
Did you line only the perimeter of the skylight shaft with reflective material? Or do you have a number of reflective tunnels inside the skylight shaft? I just could not tell for sure from the picture.

Joe

Reefski's · 09/12/2007, 05:37 AM

just the outside of the shaft. it is like a house of mirrors isn't it? lots of light.

it would only dilute the light by adding more reflective surfaces and make it much harder to work on the tank, hang lights etc.

there is only a couple of months where there is direct light down the shaft but there is a multiplication effect then whereby the sun hits the PAR meter directly and then also bounces off the walls and there is a higher reading than in the sun only. this is only for a few weeks at the height of summer and only on the north side of the tank.

Carl

salty joe · 09/12/2007, 09:09 PM

How big is that skylight? It looks huge. Did you build it?

Reefski's · 09/12/2007, 09:13 PM

it is 4'x8', the same size as the foot print of the tank. and i did not personally build it, just designed it. is that the same thing sort of?

JohnL · 09/12/2007, 09:14 PM

This thread was automatically split due to performance issues. You can find the rest of the thread here: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...readid=1205844

08/30/2007, 02:21 PM	#977
adam82 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Cookeville, TN Posts: 1,093	wow!!!!! very nice!!! __________________ Adam Current Tank Info: 150G build in progress

08/30/2007, 03:34 PM	#978
token Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Texas Posts: 614	I have the ballast number written down somewhere for the spotlight-fixtured MH's. One of the Japanese bulb manufacturers makes spectrum bulbs for them. It seems that the spots enjoy much wider usage in Japan than in the U.S., though the efforts of invincible569 may change that. The "theory" behind the spot is to encourage pigmentation coloration at a different angle than "overhead" lighting provides. This allows us to actually see the pigmentation we see when looking down on the coral. If you haven't seen invincible569's build, his thread is starts here but has split and its most current page is here. One will not have to go back many pages to see some great shots. __________________ •Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage - to move in the opposite direction. --Albert Einstein Current Tank Info: 100g and 75g displays, both with 2 x 250w Iwasaki 14k DE, 100g sump, 55g growout, 55g refugium, 20g benthic

08/31/2007, 07:51 AM	#980
glassbox-design Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: SF Posts: 3,041	they certainly use halide in stage lighting and in filming. often with lower K bulbs, but due to their efficiency they are used in higher K and blue bulbs as well....for wash lighting in particular. there are many commercial and modern metal halide track lighting fixtures out there to use...they're pricey, but look great. i'm still waiting for those 10k g12's __________________ GLASSBOXDESIGN the modern reef blog LEDs are a 50,000 hr investment. Choose wisely. Current Tank Info: ...a new glassbox is coming

09/01/2007, 07:19 AM	#981
rogergolf66 im an addict lol Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Land o lakes, FLorida Posts: 12,930	this is great can you maintain SPS with this and no suplimental lighting? Roger __________________ Goal levels: salinity 35ppt, temp 78-79, alk 8-9, cal 430-450, mag 1310-1400 po4 .03, no3 1-3 Current Tank Info: System 1... 100 gal Zoa tank I built, 30 gal Ric Yuma shroom tank, 30 gal mix tank my sons,40 gal softie tank, 40 gal nem tank, two 40 gal LPS tank. System 2... 240 gal SPS display attached 100 gal frag SPS only tank.

09/01/2007, 10:51 PM	#982
Lordhelmet Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 2,008	look back over the last 40 pages and you will see people are keeping some amazing tanks with just the sun. __________________ I need a new signiture Current Tank Info: 90 gallon, 14 gallon

08/30/2007, 12:06 PM	#976
hahnmeister Moved On Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Brew City, WI Posts: 10,156	I dont know if those are true stage lights then if they are used for stage lighting. HIDs arent used on stages usually because they cant be turned on and off fast enough like halogen/tungsten. Are you sure you dont just mean those w/ a blue filter? They are huge bulbs like a halide, but they are just large filament bulbs.

08/31/2007, 01:02 AM	#979
hahnmeister Moved On Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Brew City, WI Posts: 10,156	Ive seen 569's tank. I like the spotlights, and I am familiar with the spotlight bulbs, but I didnt think they were used with stage lighting. I can see plenty of other uses though. Halides just arent as efficient with blue light though. The amount it would take to suppliment the daylight would end up being so much it would overexpose the tank. With blue T5s, you can suppliment the blue spectrums w/o boosting the other spectrums. Thats the main advantage.

09/05/2007, 11:49 AM	#983
rogergolf66 im an addict lol Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Land o lakes, FLorida Posts: 12,930	I am thinking of putting these in with in the next month I am thinking 3 10 inch over my 125 that is 6 feet long. What do you think. anything you wish you would have done different? Roger __________________ Goal levels: salinity 35ppt, temp 78-79, alk 8-9, cal 430-450, mag 1310-1400 po4 .03, no3 1-3 Current Tank Info: System 1... 100 gal Zoa tank I built, 30 gal Ric Yuma shroom tank, 30 gal mix tank my sons,40 gal softie tank, 40 gal nem tank, two 40 gal LPS tank. System 2... 240 gal SPS display attached 100 gal frag SPS only tank.

09/05/2007, 11:52 AM	#984
Reefski's Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Topanga Posts: 3,016	i think the larger size is better. also i think everyone supplements with additional lighting. Carl

09/08/2007, 01:04 PM	#986
JMBoehling Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 2,353	Here are a few updates on my 90 with (02) 10" Skylights aned (03) 54 Watt T5Ho's I use the T5's primarliy for the 20k effect on the tank.. Looking up at my lights Looking down on thewater surface Whole tank shot A few corals in my reef later, Jim __________________ Richmond Reef Club Current Tank Info: 90 Gallon AGA, Bare Bottom, (02) 10" Skylights, 216 Watts T5HO, (04) 4 watt cree LED's, Deltec AP600 Skimmer

09/08/2007, 02:09 PM	#987
rogergolf66 im an addict lol Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Land o lakes, FLorida Posts: 12,930	VERY NICE!!! I am trying to figure out if it is worth it. I would like the engery saveings on my electric bill. right now I have 900W of MH running. __________________ Goal levels: salinity 35ppt, temp 78-79, alk 8-9, cal 430-450, mag 1310-1400 po4 .03, no3 1-3 Current Tank Info: System 1... 100 gal Zoa tank I built, 30 gal Ric Yuma shroom tank, 30 gal mix tank my sons,40 gal softie tank, 40 gal nem tank, two 40 gal LPS tank. System 2... 240 gal SPS display attached 100 gal frag SPS only tank.

09/08/2007, 06:56 PM	#988
Reefski's Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Topanga Posts: 3,016	just do it. will pay off cost within a short while. and then show us pix. Carl

09/08/2007, 07:02 PM	#989
rogergolf66 im an addict lol Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Land o lakes, FLorida Posts: 12,930	easy to say. I just spent $1,200 on my MH now I want to change to this my wife is loving it another $1,500 no biggy right.LOL __________________ Goal levels: salinity 35ppt, temp 78-79, alk 8-9, cal 430-450, mag 1310-1400 po4 .03, no3 1-3 Current Tank Info: System 1... 100 gal Zoa tank I built, 30 gal Ric Yuma shroom tank, 30 gal mix tank my sons,40 gal softie tank, 40 gal nem tank, two 40 gal LPS tank. System 2... 240 gal SPS display attached 100 gal frag SPS only tank.

09/09/2007, 09:35 PM	#990
Adrianvh Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 19	My bum is sore, my head hurts and I've just lost several hours of my life reading all this. Out come ? ring ring ring ring "hello? Is that solatube? I'd like a quote on ............." Next is to find an Aust dealer for Bio-wheel. Low cost 7'x30"x30" here we come!

09/10/2007, 09:46 AM	#991
conorwynne Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Dublin, Ireland Posts: 433	I am in the middle of re-setting up my nano. -- its only 100 liters, and I have a lad from solatube coming tomorrow to see if it is feasable to use it to light my nano. Mind you, I mentioned it to my wife and she says, but we need new curtains! Hmmm... Sure I'll wait and see what the fitter says tomorrow. Irish weather being what it is I'll never get the output you Aussies / Americans get, but I really would like to see if I could grown SPS frags with no supplimental lighting at all. I've gone BB with the nano -- a new thing for me, and will have massive turnover. The only thing is, a sump if not possible with the nano -- its an old jewel wedge style tank -- they don't even make them any more -- please let the solatube guy say it will work! We already have a large velux window in the roof, and this has been enough to keep my GSP's and zoos alive for 6 weeks while the rock was cooking. Please let my wife agree, else I'm stuffed. regards Conor.

09/10/2007, 10:24 PM	#992
zeusfc Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Cyprus Posts: 352	good luck with the wife conor! don't forget, most of the corals we keep come from 10m down or more... SPS in a nano, will need less intense light than "tropical sun through a solatube", so you should be lucky i'd still want to see light/lux readings for winter in your area though, as you may find that after a week of cloudy november days, the SPS are suffering... supplimental lighting could be the key here? a 70wt or 150wt mh on an over-the-tank bracket may be the thing. try "watford aquarium" if you can't get one locally __________________ STOP TRYING TO READ THE INTERNET AND GO TO BED... Sleep is far more important! Current Tank Info: 16 months with a temporary tank... That Reefspace can't come soon enough!

09/11/2007, 09:04 AM	#993
hawaiianwargod Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: 11 54' N, 121 55' E Posts: 1,836	Adrianvh *To Reef Central* __________________ "To be a successful reefer, one must master the art of mimicry" ~Hawaiianwargod~ [E] levated [L] evel [O] f [S] weetness Current Tank Info: 210+ - "G" Elos 160XL [~]

09/11/2007, 12:34 PM	#994
Reefski's Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Topanga Posts: 3,016	i think one of the cool things about the solartube idea is the variable light. after all the tropics are tropical because it rains there a lot. which means it is cloudy a lot. chuck has seen 30 straight days of clouds where he lives in the tropics near a reef outside his door. and then the sun comes out and the corals are fine. here's my skylight shaft lined with the best reflective material i could find. anolux.com from the top Carl

09/11/2007, 02:19 PM	#995
JMBoehling Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 2,353	Carl, That is AWESOME... Please keep us updated with your build on this thread... Thanks, Jim __________________ Richmond Reef Club Current Tank Info: 90 Gallon AGA, Bare Bottom, (02) 10" Skylights, 216 Watts T5HO, (04) 4 watt cree LED's, Deltec AP600 Skimmer

09/11/2007, 07:49 PM	#996
salty joe Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: medina, ohio Posts: 2,419	Carl, Did you line only the perimeter of the skylight shaft with reflective material? Or do you have a number of reflective tunnels inside the skylight shaft? I just could not tell for sure from the picture. Joe

09/12/2007, 05:37 AM	#997
Reefski's Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Topanga Posts: 3,016	just the outside of the shaft. it is like a house of mirrors isn't it? lots of light. it would only dilute the light by adding more reflective surfaces and make it much harder to work on the tank, hang lights etc. there is only a couple of months where there is direct light down the shaft but there is a multiplication effect then whereby the sun hits the PAR meter directly and then also bounces off the walls and there is a higher reading than in the sun only. this is only for a few weeks at the height of summer and only on the north side of the tank. Carl

09/12/2007, 09:09 PM	#998
salty joe Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: medina, ohio Posts: 2,419	How big is that skylight? It looks huge. Did you build it? __________________ Time to roll the dice.

09/12/2007, 09:13 PM	#999
Reefski's Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Topanga Posts: 3,016	it is 4'x8', the same size as the foot print of the tank. and i did not personally build it, just designed it. is that the same thing sort of?

09/12/2007, 09:14 PM	#1000
JohnL RC Staff Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 14,431	This thread was automatically split due to performance issues. You can find the rest of the thread here: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...readid=1205844