Reef near a window

tonybologna000 · 04/09/2007, 03:09 PM

How strongly would you guys advise against placing a reef aquarium directly in front of a window? I want to try this in order to get more sunlight for corals without paying tons of cash for a lighting system. My logic is that as long as the thermostats on my heaters work well enough to compensate for the changes in temp and the tank never gets too hot, then I should be fine, right?

BurntOutReefer · 04/09/2007, 03:16 PM

sure....and you'll need a chiller aswell in the summer months.....not to mention the additional algea.....

papagimp · 04/09/2007, 03:20 PM

Agreed, hope you like algae blooms. I plan on doing the same thing with my 220g, but first thing first, I'll be sealing off the windows it's going to be infront of and insulating over them to reduce heat during the summer months.

rustybucket145 · 04/09/2007, 03:30 PM

Quote:

hope you like algae blooms.

Simply not true. My tank is surrounded by windows. It's in a sunroom. If your water's healthy you won't have any problem at all with algae.

Sk8r · 04/09/2007, 03:30 PM

You'll have trouble raising corals because the algae will be so thick it will choke them---I've done it, and it's mostly a hair algae farm. Even letting a stray sunbeam hit your tank can be a problem.

Immediate edit, as more info turns up: Well, Rustybucket, I'll defer to you on this one---I sure didn't have any luck at it, but if you'd define water quality and what other things you did to make it work, I'll be an interested reader. I'm guessing phosphate limitation is a Really Good Idea in this case. What kind of corals? I'm interested because my tank's new position is in a room with big windows, which I have kept curtained.

tonybologna000 · 04/09/2007, 03:37 PM

Wouldn't one have similar algae problems if they opted to use a powerful lighting system? Is there that big of a difference between light from a window and these expensive lights in stores?

Sk8r · 04/09/2007, 03:59 PM

I suspect there is some difference in the spectrum, after it has passed through windows, especially mirrored windows such as I had in the old place, and passed at an angle, to boot. But Rusty says he does it, and he's a serious reefer: I believe he'll have some good info about his own setup when he re-posts.

BurntOutReefer · 04/09/2007, 04:57 PM

not sure I agree with rusty on this....he says he's dont it with no probs.....and I dont completely agree with "If your water's healthy you won't have any problem at all with algae.".
That part is certainly not true......
(not trying to start a fight)....

MyPartOfTheSEA · 04/09/2007, 05:15 PM

I will have to agree with SK8r on this one!

The spectrum is not the same once it goes through one of our windows as in the spectrum in a MH.

Just think about it, most windows have a lot of layers that it will change the spectrum in incoming natural light.

bllfish · 04/09/2007, 07:28 PM

I live in Florida and have sunlight hitting my tank for about 2 hours each morning and it is in a room with a glass wall so the room is very bright and have not had any algae problems?

Shagsbeard · 04/09/2007, 08:30 PM

Remember that natural sunlight at depth is a whole bunch different from natural sunlight at the surface. Most of the red light is gone in the first 10 feet... even in pristine water. That's why these guys are unaffected by a red flashlight at night... they're not designed to detect that which isn't there. Direct sunlight on a tank is not "natural".

bllfish · 04/09/2007, 08:35 PM

How long will the sunlight be hitting your tank. Unless the roof is made of some clear material I do not think it will actually be hitting the tank all day?

04/09/2007, 03:09 PM	#1
tonybologna000 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 37	Reef near a window How strongly would you guys advise against placing a reef aquarium directly in front of a window? I want to try this in order to get more sunlight for corals without paying tons of cash for a lighting system. My logic is that as long as the thermostats on my heaters work well enough to compensate for the changes in temp and the tank never gets too hot, then I should be fine, right?

04/09/2007, 03:20 PM	#3
papagimp COMAS Rocks! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 8,185 Blog Entries: 2	Agreed, hope you like algae blooms. I plan on doing the same thing with my 220g, but first thing first, I'll be sealing off the windows it's going to be infront of and insulating over them to reduce heat during the summer months. __________________ 58g Softie & 75g Stoney Member, Central Oklahoma Marine Aquarium Society Current Tank Info: 58g Mixed Reef Project - Started June 2011

04/09/2007, 03:30 PM	#5
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	You'll have trouble raising corals because the algae will be so thick it will choke them---I've done it, and it's mostly a hair algae farm. Even letting a stray sunbeam hit your tank can be a problem. Immediate edit, as more info turns up: Well, Rustybucket, I'll defer to you on this one---I sure didn't have any luck at it, but if you'd define water quality and what other things you did to make it work, I'll be an interested reader. I'm guessing phosphate limitation is a Really Good Idea in this case. What kind of corals? I'm interested because my tank's new position is in a room with big windows, which I have kept curtained. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

04/09/2007, 03:59 PM	#7
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	I suspect there is some difference in the spectrum, after it has passed through windows, especially mirrored windows such as I had in the old place, and passed at an angle, to boot. But Rusty says he does it, and he's a serious reefer: I believe he'll have some good info about his own setup when he re-posts. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

04/09/2007, 07:28 PM	#10
bllfish Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Stuart, Florida Posts: 1,818	I live in Florida and have sunlight hitting my tank for about 2 hours each morning and it is in a room with a glass wall so the room is very bright and have not had any algae problems? __________________ "I fish by myself because lots of people don't like me, and the ones that do like me, well, I don't want them to know my spots." ><)))))*>--- Current Tank Info: 72 bow, 36" stand, 4 54W T5, vantec stealth fans, eheim 1260, mj 1200 & 2 Koralia #1 to WaveMaster Pro, CPR 24" Aquafuge HOB & 7100K PC, JBJ Arctica chiller, LiterMeter III

04/09/2007, 03:16 PM	#2
BurntOutReefer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Granada Hills Posts: 4,376	sure....and you'll need a chiller aswell in the summer months.....not to mention the additional algea.....

04/09/2007, 03:37 PM	#6
tonybologna000 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 37	Wouldn't one have similar algae problems if they opted to use a powerful lighting system? Is there that big of a difference between light from a window and these expensive lights in stores?

04/09/2007, 04:57 PM	#8
BurntOutReefer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Granada Hills Posts: 4,376	not sure I agree with rusty on this....he says he's dont it with no probs.....and I dont completely agree with "If your water's healthy you won't have any problem at all with algae.". That part is certainly not true...... (not trying to start a fight)....

04/09/2007, 05:15 PM	#9
MyPartOfTheSEA Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Fort Lauderdale Posts: 25	I will have to agree with SK8r on this one! The spectrum is not the same once it goes through one of our windows as in the spectrum in a MH. Just think about it, most windows have a lot of layers that it will change the spectrum in incoming natural light.

04/09/2007, 08:30 PM	#11
Shagsbeard Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Morro Bay, CA Posts: 2,143	Remember that natural sunlight at depth is a whole bunch different from natural sunlight at the surface. Most of the red light is gone in the first 10 feet... even in pristine water. That's why these guys are unaffected by a red flashlight at night... they're not designed to detect that which isn't there. Direct sunlight on a tank is not "natural".

04/09/2007, 08:35 PM	#12
bllfish Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Stuart, Florida Posts: 1,818	How long will the sunlight be hitting your tank. Unless the roof is made of some clear material I do not think it will actually be hitting the tank all day? __________________ "I fish by myself because lots of people don't like me, and the ones that do like me, well, I don't want them to know my spots." ><)))))*>--- Current Tank Info: 72 bow, 36" stand, 4 54W T5, vantec stealth fans, eheim 1260, mj 1200 & 2 Koralia #1 to WaveMaster Pro, CPR 24" Aquafuge HOB & 7100K PC, JBJ Arctica chiller, LiterMeter III