Solar Tubes

[skyrne_isk]

Does anyone have experience with these - especially where they do NOT get direct sunlight for the full day?

I have a north facing room I am considering putting these in as *supplemental* lighting to give full spectrum for 3-4 hours a day with ambient the rest of the time. There’s no shading from trees or anything just another part of the room will block sun. For sure the workhorse lighting will be LED and T5… mostly am trying to see if solar tubes can eliminate 250W halides that I run for 6-7 hours a day.

This is source that makes it sound like not an issue, but my gut says that’s about ambient lightning and not something like trying to get a couple hundred PAR.

https://www.daylightdirect.co.uk/blog-solatube-north-south-east-or-west-facing-solatube/
I was up on the roof on an overcast day last week (Midwest) and was getting 150 or so PAR on the roof in the shade. Does the right game plan sound like taking a bunch of PAR measurements on the roof throughout the day as spring moves on to handicap how much light I can actually get to the tank?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Does anyone have experience with these - especially where they do NOT get direct sunlight for the full day?

I have a north facing room I am considering putting these in as *supplemental* lighting to give full spectrum for 3-4 hours a day with ambient the rest of the time. There’s no shading from trees or anything just another part of the room will block sun. For sure the workhorse lighting will be LED and T5… mostly am trying to see if solar tubes can eliminate 250W halides that I run for 6-7 hours a day.

This is source that makes it sound like not an issue, but my gut says that’s about ambient lightning and not something like trying to get a couple hundred PAR.

https://www.daylightdirect.co.uk/blog-solatube-north-south-east-or-west-facing-solatube/
I was up on the roof on an overcast day last week (Midwest) and was getting 150 or so PAR on the roof in the shade. Does the right game plan sound like taking a bunch of PAR measurements on the roof throughout the day as spring moves on to handicap how much light I can actually get to the tank?

We installed one of these above each of two 2000 gallon reef exhibits. It was more of a "proof of concept". I liked them, they gave a "punch" of light above where they were located. However, the new facility director prefers bluer light, so after I retired, they added more blue LEDs to both tanks, you really can't see the effect of the Solatubes now.

Sorry, I never did do any light meter readings with these or anything.....

 

[skyrne_isk]

We installed one of these above each of two 2000 gallon reef exhibits. It was more of a "proof of concept". I liked them, they gave a "punch" of light above where they were located. However, the new facility director prefers bluer light, so after I retired, they added more blue LEDs to both tanks, you really can't see the effect of the Solatubes now.

Sorry, I never did do any light meter readings with these or anything.....

Thanks Jay. Do you recall if the solar tubes received full direct sunlight (ie on a flat or south facing roof)?

 

[Tcook]

There is a member here that dedicated his tank to his late wife that has several above his tank. I can remember his name.

 

[Tcook]

Here: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/r...unlit-reef-a-living-memorial-to-kelly.939510/

 

[skyrne_isk]

Here: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/r...unlit-reef-a-living-memorial-to-kelly.939510/

Yup, I know that thread - legendary. I checked, his tubes get full sun all day long. Plus he’s in Florida, so that’s already cheating

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Thanks Jay. Do you recall if the solar tubes received full direct sunlight (ie on a flat or south facing roof)?

They are on a large flat roof, so they receive sun most of the day and in all seasons.

 

[skyrne_isk]

So was just out on the roof at the location, the sun is almost at its zenith and there’s a little bit of clouds.

PAR in the sun: 2000 - 2100
PAR in the shade: 600 - 700