Does “Natural Sun Light” ever strike your tank?

[HB AL]

I too have a serious amount of lights but nothing beats how it looks with indirect light or direct sunlight which the sun is in position twice a year for around a week at a time. Whenever I wake up early I open the blinds just to view the tank with or without direct sunlight. And here's my out of control light setup, although atleast there's backups if one goes down.

 

[hart24601]

Yes depending on time of year and I absolutely hate it since it throws off the placement of low light corals I have for a couple months or I have to close the blinds.

If I leave all alone the previously low light coral bleach out every year when the sun changes angle enough to come in the window and many of them are encrusted so can’t move them so closing the blinds it is.

 

[Sean Clark]

I too have a serious amount of lights but nothing beats how it looks with indirect light or direct sunlight which the sun is in position twice a year for around a week at a time. Whenever I wake up early I open the blinds just to view the tank with or without direct sunlight. And here's my out of control light setup, although atleast there's backups if one goes down.

Looks perfectly reasonable to me.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Do you support the 10(N) to 1(P) ratio? I’m carefully watching that and trying to create that balance. Thx.

No. I recommend 2-10 ppm nitrate and 0.03 to 0.1 ppm phosphate, with levels above the range better than below.

 

[Timfish]

Yup, depending on time of year this one gets ~30 - 120 minutes every morning with PAR as high as 500.

 

[HB AL]

Looks perfectly reasonable to me.

Ya I'm not crazy, last june I took down 3 tanks and replaced the 90g in my bedroom with a new 180g. So I had 4 360x's and 4 360we's was gonna sell some but next thing you know I mount all 8 over the tank. You get some cool different color combinations, have backups and the fish and corals seem to like them. That's how I ended up with 8!

 

[damsels are not mean]

An old pic, but yeah, I get a bit, in the mornings;

very appropriate this month

Is it going through the window at a weird angle to cause that? It's a cool optical effect.

 

[shakacuz]

the left side(if you’re looking at the front of the tank), does get sunlight. all of my RFA’s are on the side and my space invader pectinia. i’m assuming they like the additional “PAR”

 

[Glenner’sreef]

No. I recommend 2-10 ppm nitrate and 0.03 to 0.1 ppm phosphate, with levels above the range better than below.

Thanks, appreciate the assist!!! I’m glad there seems to be an ongoing discussion about this topic. I can definitely adopt your recommendation. Again thx.

 

[rtparty]

In the morning the rising sun comes directly through an east facing window. I let as much of the sun hit the tank as I can! That is free light and way better than anything we can put above the tank including halides. Halides are the closest replacement we can get so I will take the real thing as much as I can.

If the sun hitting your tank causes algae issues, you have deeper underlying issues to correct. Mainly, not enough herbivores in the system.

 

[rknapp]

In my case, the sun sweeping across the tank occurs most in the months around the winter solstice when the sun moves low enough in the sky to come through my French doors and sweep across the face of the tank. I have noticed that most if not all of my corals tend to perk up and it has tended to kick off growth spurts that will continue on for months even when most of the light source is back to only my Radion G4 Pros again.

 

[Jorge Sanchez]

This is a picture of my tank... between 8 and 9 in the morning the sun enters through the window and directly illuminates the tank, when the aquarium lights are still off.

 

[rhostam]

Yes, mine does. I love it. No, it doesn’t impact algae growth on the glass.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

Yes, mine does. I love it. No, it doesn’t impact algae growth on the glass.

I’m sure your gorgs are soaking up the sunlight! Nice!!!

 

[Pescador]

I get direct sun to a section of my tank for about 2 months surrounding the winter solstice. I love how the Micromussa lord reacted. The side receiving direct sun turned orange while the other side remained green. It's a normally low par section of the tank. No problems related to the sun. It only hits the tank for a short period of time in the morning.

 

[AydenLincoln]

Although I have some seriously decent lighting (Kessil A360x) I really look forward to summer when the evening sun comes through our family room window for about an hour. My whitish blue sand looks even more so. Love it! And my rockscape just comes alive. Cool to look at. My Derasa and gorgs and Neon Green Leather are the only corals that happen to be in the line of sight of this ultimate Metal Halide from 83 million miles away.
Just thought it was interesting.

Yup my tank is right next to my window. But my blinds are almost always closed.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

Never here. its in the basement in a room with no windows

I’m sure that’s the case with a decent percentage of tank locations. Uuurrr, maybe time for one upstairs as well.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

Yes depending on time of year and I absolutely hate it since it throws off the placement of low light corals I have for a couple months or I have to close the blinds.

If I leave all alone the previously low light coral bleach out every year when the sun changes angle enough to come in the window and many of them are encrusted so can’t move them so closing the blinds it is.

Wow didn’t really consider the flip side of this thread. Thanks!!!

 

[Pntbll687]

Sure does!

One of my favorite things is seeing the natural light come through. Not only natural light, but 2 time a year there's moonlight that comes through. Even had a torch coral spawn in my tank.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

Sure does!

One of my favorite things is seeing the natural light come through. Not only natural light, but 2 time a year there's moonlight that comes through. Even had a torch coral spawn in my tank.

Moonlight too? Very cool!!! Nice Euphillia.