Soar tube quetion

runyonh · 02/23/2009, 11:44 AM

I was wondering if anyone was using solar tubes pros and cons. I would like to know what brand. I was also wondering if your corals would not color up and looked brown. Also can you keep sps in the tank. Please post some pics if you can as I am curently thinking of using a 14inch over my tank. I live in Florida so light is not a problem.

runyonh · 02/23/2009, 04:48 PM

bump

ITR · 02/23/2009, 08:39 PM

I think if it wasn't so time consuming and logistically difficult to install solar tubes, more people would use them over their tanks. I would love to have a few over my tank but my tank is on the first floor of my house and there is a room above it, so logistically it wouldn't work. Now, if they worked horizontally, I'd be in good shape (for half the day until the sun ended up on the South side of my house).

By using them, you are essentially suuplmenting or completely lighting your tank with the sun, so keeping SPS or coloration is as much or a concern as keeping colorful SPS on the Great Barrier Reef.

I don't know anything about brands, but it is my understanding that they are relatively expensive, but when compared to the cost of lights, bulbs, electricity, etc, it is in my opinion an excellent option.

I'd love to see some pics of tanks with solar tubes though.

runyonh · 02/24/2009, 07:22 AM

Yea I was thinking of doing this on my 120. However I read the old thread, on here were people did this with there tanks. I hoped they would give me an update. The only things I dont like about this is you have to suplament still, and you can not change the light shchedual of your tank. However it would be fun to try and more natural.

02/23/2009, 11:44 AM	#1
runyonh Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Melbourne Florida Posts: 188	Soar tube quetion I was wondering if anyone was using solar tubes pros and cons. I would like to know what brand. I was also wondering if your corals would not color up and looked brown. Also can you keep sps in the tank. Please post some pics if you can as I am curently thinking of using a 14inch over my tank. I live in Florida so light is not a problem.

02/23/2009, 04:48 PM	#2
runyonh Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Melbourne Florida Posts: 188	bump

02/23/2009, 08:39 PM	#3
ITR Moved On Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Brookfield, Connecticut Posts: 173	I think if it wasn't so time consuming and logistically difficult to install solar tubes, more people would use them over their tanks. I would love to have a few over my tank but my tank is on the first floor of my house and there is a room above it, so logistically it wouldn't work. Now, if they worked horizontally, I'd be in good shape (for half the day until the sun ended up on the South side of my house). By using them, you are essentially suuplmenting or completely lighting your tank with the sun, so keeping SPS or coloration is as much or a concern as keeping colorful SPS on the Great Barrier Reef. I don't know anything about brands, but it is my understanding that they are relatively expensive, but when compared to the cost of lights, bulbs, electricity, etc, it is in my opinion an excellent option. I'd love to see some pics of tanks with solar tubes though.

02/24/2009, 07:22 AM	#4
runyonh Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Melbourne Florida Posts: 188	Yea I was thinking of doing this on my 120. However I read the old thread, on here were people did this with there tanks. I hoped they would give me an update. The only things I dont like about this is you have to suplament still, and you can not change the light shchedual of your tank. However it would be fun to try and more natural.