natural light supplement?

[thommyboy121]

I have a 55 gallon fish tank with a 20 gallon sump at home (Im a University of Iowa student) and my mother has so graciously taken care of my reef tank. I decided that since she's retiring as a high school teacher, I will take it off her hands for all the work she's done. Long story short, I work in a laboratory in the biology dept. at the university and will be moving my tank there this summer, but the only place to put it is next to a south facing window (which does get direct light for a while but it is also facing a courtyard with a building across).....I have seen many conflicting viewpoints on natural light (in particular algae growth) but I am seeking as much opinion and input as possible. Couldn't it be beneficial? I have T5 lights, so couldn't it help my sps corals (and maybe some new ones too)?

 

[shrimpy brains]

Hmm...it is certainly popular opinion that "direct" sunlight will cause algae issues. I do know that some people are putting skylights above their tanks now to use less energy, but have not heard any reports of the effects.
IMO,(I have no experience with using natural light) if you could get an even distribution, it may aid in lighting your tank. However, if the sunlight concentrates into certain areas, or is too long lasting or intense, it would def. promote algae issues!
lol.....I guess that's another contradictary answer. If you do put it there, please, let us know how it works out!

 

[geoj]

Garrett’s Acropolis since 1998 have been farming small polyp stony corals outside using light reducing filters. You might send Steve an e-mail. He posts his on his web page.

 

[bornagain]

I have a 30g next to a south facing window. The curtain is mostly closed. I make sure just enough light gets in at sunrise/sunset to ease the fish in and out of my metal halides. My zoas begin opening before I turn my lights on.
When I cycled my tank, I let the sun hit the entire tank directly. The result was a large amount of algae on the south side of my tank.
Now that I have a CUC established, I'm thinking about letting more sunlight in.

 

[bang guy]

Excess nutrients cause algae issues, not natural sunlight.
The only 'real' issue I can see with natural sunlight is temperature fluctuations. If you can keep the temperature under control then it should be good.