Natural lighting

[airframer]

OK I have my 75 gallon tank set up right in front of a double window, that has direct sunlight from like 1 o'clock till about 5 or so at this point in time once the summer comes it'll be longer... Now this may sound like a stupid question but can I support things that need medium or maybe even high light with all that natural lighting coming in... :notsure:

 

[hatessushi]

Most likely you will have a large problem with algea blooms, also it may heat the water up to much unless you have a chiller. Many people will say to never put an aquarium in front of a window.

 

[airframer]

yeah well its already there and so far its only bumped the temp up from 78 to 80 degrees, I realize the summer sun will be hotter but my local lfs has all of their tanks in a greenhouse the water gets pretty hot throughout the summer... as for the algea... Ive got 50 snails coming and a yellow tang... But Im just really curious to see if I can support medium to maybe even high light items like anenomes

 

[earlybird]

Originally Posted by HatesSushi
Most likely you will have a large problem with algea blooms, also it may heat the water up to much unless you have a chiller. Many people will say to never put an aquarium in front of a window.

I'm with him. I think arti lighting is best b/c it's intensity and photoperiod can be controlled.

 

[earlybird]

Depends on where you live if you can support med/high light corals. Although the sun is just as bright in say Maine as it is in Florida, Florida is closer to the direct rays of the sun. Most corals come from the tropics between 23.5 degrees N latitude and 23.5 degrees S. Also, if you attempt to put corals in you'd have to put them in the back near the window as the sun will no be directly overhead.

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by airframer
can I support things that need medium or maybe even high light with all that natural lighting coming in... :notsure:
Yes. It sounds like you have a southern exposure. You may find that in the summer the tank gets less light, perhaps none, because the Sun will be at a higher latitude. This depends on where you live of course. The number of panes of glass will make a big difference on how much light actually gets into the water.
It may not be all that pretty though, Sunlight tends to make most corals look brown. Since it's so bright, it will also make it difficult to see much if viewed from the front when the Sun is lighting through the back.
I wouldn't be concerned with algae unless your water has excess nutrients.
Heat will be a real issue, that's a lot of light going into the tank.

 

[aztec reef]

agree, light doesn't cause algea...water quality does....

 

[reefreak29]

i have my tank by 5 windows and the corals go nuts over the natural light , but i also have mh lighting, for color so imo the sun is best

 

[sfoister]

So in theory you don't even really need to spend any money on lighting if you have enough light from the sun coming in through a window?

 

[scrapman]

My 90 (LR/no coral) sits between two 8 ft sliding glass doors in an open area with maybe 10 windows... I try to limit the direct sunlight penetration... the faraway side penetration is a great show: a lot of changing colors for the LR and the fishes.
So far everythink is OK.
Of course, I will be even more careful in the summer.

 

[walmart]

temp regulation will be harder to maintain and will cause stress on fish. many people have already said but natural lighting is bad and will cause algae

 

[bang guy]

How can natural lighting be bad? I don't understand that.

 

[reefreak29]

Originally Posted by Bang Guy
How can natural lighting be bad? I don't understand that.
mabie mother nature messed up

 

[airframer]

Yeah thats the same response Ive gotten from my lfs, although all of their tanks are in a greenhouse he says yes natural light will most likely support any kind of high light item but as has been said in here he said I need to watch the temp as it will definatley be on the rise... I will be watching this summer and see what happens, I just dont have the $1500 for lights so I would love to see if this could offset that maybe for alittle while at least., Thanx alot for all the comments, maybe I'll just have to see for myself, seems like theres not very many people that have tried this and especially in the summer. So wish me and the other

 

[reefkprz]

Originally Posted by Bang Guy
How can natural lighting be bad? I don't understand that.

I guess we ought to go install some halides over the worlds reefs.... :thinking:

 

[airframer]

I would also like to add, Ive had this tank established for alittle over a year and never once been able to get purple coraline growth at all and believe it or not Ive only had it set up for alittle over a week and now Ive got purple coraline popping up everywhere... Im thinking this is a good thing if Im wrong please correct me...

 

[d0 thy d3w]

its a good thing...unless its red slime that u are mistaking to be coraline..ur old setup never had it because it was never introduced into the tank..u cant just wake up one day with a cup of coffe already in ur hand...(bad analogy? lol)...so basically what im sayin is a plant wont grow if it was neevr planted..so if u dont ever introduce the coraline to ur tank via, snail shell or live rock, etc that contains it...the coraline will never grow..hope that explains it for ya!

 

[aztec reef]

Originally Posted by reefkprZ
I guess we ought to go install some halides over the worlds reefs.... :thinking:

don't forget those actinics

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by Aztec Reef

don't forget those actinics
The typical run-of-the-mill supernova can provide all the Actinic lighting.

 

[airframer]

Well yeah Ive seen a spot or 2 on my rocks for awhile but I never could WILL it to spread... haha, then like I said I looked the other day and BAM!!! its like it happened over night now I cant clean it enough... Im just trying to keep it off the viewing surface but I have to run my magnet every day...