IS SUNLIGHT BAD? maybe a stupid ?

[EXOTICAQUATIX]

I just opened the curtians behind my 125 gallon mixed reef (which I have not done since the tank has been there for 2 years) and there is a lot of sunlight coming in through the tank. I have to say I like the way this looks and it only last for a few hours a day. Is this bad for my tank or corals? I know the extra sunlight could cause algae blooms if I'm not mistaken. Is there anything wrong with doing this?

 

[jdpiii3]

Nope that's all that lights my tank!

 

[reid429]

If you run lights plus the sunlight then yes it can cause algae blooms especially since its more direct

 

[jdpiii3]

If you run lights plus the sunlight then yes it can cause algae blooms especially since its more direct

Why?

 

[jdpiii3]

If you control the systems removal of NO3 & PO4 you will not have a problem with algae

 

[skinz78]

Mine is right next to a window and I don't have excess algae on that side of the tank.

 

[EXOTICAQUATIX]

I was thinkin as long as my po4 and n03 is low it would be fine. JDPiii3 do you grow any corals this way?..Ive always wondered how the corals would grow just using sunlight.

 

[jdpiii3]

I was thinkin as long as my po4 and n03 is low it would be fine. JDPiii3 do you grow any corals this way?..Ive always wondered how the corals would grow just using sunlight.

Yes, check my build thread or facebook group for many pictures and videos

 

[Poseidon]

If you control the systems removal of NO3 & PO4 you will not have a problem with algae

Exactly this. I had my tank between 2 windows at the old house, never had a problem with Algae.

 

[RalphsReef]

+1. You would only have an issue with algae if you are not exporting nutrients. The same could be said with any other artificial lighting we use in the hobby. If you have excess nutrients, algae will bloom.

 

[Pappy]

I was thinkin as long as my po4 and n03 is low it would be fine. JDPiii3 do you grow any corals this way?..Ive always wondered how the corals would grow just using sunlight.

Ummmmm that's how nature does it lol

 

[mcarroll]

Think of the effort that has been applied to get "correct" deep water lighting and you might get a better idea of the difference sunlight will make. Search for people lighting their tank with skylights and solar tubes to see their experience - very informative.

The bottom line is that sunlight will give the effects of living in surface waters vs living at depth. Not bad but very different.

Also, adding sunlight to a two year old tank where it's highly likely there's been an accumulation of nutrients which is in balance with your current lights, is at least somewhat likely to cause an algae outbreak. There's nothing inherent to sunlight in this - it's the combo with excess nutrients.

-Matt

 

[returnofsid]

A great LFS, here in town, has a large SPS tank near a window, lit with 400W MHs. During the winter months half of that tank gets direct sunlight, through the window, for several hours each day. During these months, he notices much faster growth and color, in the half that receives direct sunlight. There's a large Acropora stag that gets this sun, on half of the colony. The "sunny side" grows much faster, having much better color, during winter months.

Our 200 DD gets direct sunlight, only during a few months out of the year, and only on the front half of the tank. We've also noticed an increase in growth and color, during these months. We do not notice an increase in algae, except for coralline algae, on the glass side closest to the window.

 

[EXOTICAQUATIX]

just in doing this for the last two days it seems the corals in the sunlight are more open..especially my green slimer and rainbow wellso..i think i will let the sun do its thing and see what happens

 

[o2manyfish]

I have a 250g refugium frag tank plumbed to my system, outside in the yard that only gets sunlight. The same corals outside in the sunlight grow 4x faster at least than under 400w halides. I used to have 1000g+ of frags tanks out in the yard and the corals growth under sunlight is great. Colors of most corals under sunlight are not impressive, however when you add a little artifical light at night, or move the corals inside and you get the blue lighting the corals are great.

Yellow and red acros did great and looked great in the sunlight. Montis did awesome. And the purple monster was phenomenal under sunlight.

Dave B

 

[EXOTICAQUATIX]

I have a 250g refugium frag tank plumbed to my system, outside in the yard that only gets sunlight. The same corals outside in the sunlight grow 4x faster at least than under 400w halides. I used to have 1000g+ of frags tanks out in the yard and the corals growth under sunlight is great. Colors of most corals under sunlight are not impressive, however when you add a little artifical light at night, or move the corals inside and you get the blue lighting the corals are great.

Yellow and red acros did great and looked great in the sunlight. Montis did awesome. And the purple monster was phenomenal under sunlight.

Dave B

Man that is awesome, I have always wanted to do that but I live in the Appalachian mountains in NC and couldnt deal with them temp changes. How do you do this / have it set up? very innovative IMO

 

[EXOTICAQUATIX]

Im thinking of setting up a greenhouse to house a small aquaculture facility...any ideas

 

[RalphsReef]

If you are thinking greenhouse, you should check out Calfo's book. I believe it is called "The Book of Coral Propagation." It is very informative. He lives in a cool climate and pulls it off.

 

[joshporksandwich]

I had a 40g and a 30g outside a gazeebo in my backyard. It used to get 4 hours of direct sunlight. I would top off with tap water and do water changes with old tank water. I would circulate the water with a maxijet. Temp would swing from 77-85.

I used to keep, zoas, acans, Scolys, mushrooms, a few clams and even chalices that I bought cheap because they were not doing good in local Lfs or my tank.

I would call that tank the miracle tank. Almost everything that I would put there it would start doing good after a few weeks.

It had a few turbos, big hermits and sea urchins taken from my tank because they got too big. There were lots and lots of pods and i think all the pods used to feed what i would put there and bring back. The algae was minimal.

I had a fire in my house and lost power to my backyard and with no heater on winter the stuff that didn't fit on my tank died.

I think the sun for a short time does good. Colors faded on zoos a little but they didn't melt. Once I get everything on order will love to put a 125 in ky backyard with sump and all and see how it does

 

[Isoprene]

extra light usually = good thing, phos and nits...nutrients in general is where your blooms come from.