Sunlight and tank

lacosta28 · 05/12/2011, 03:51 PM

I setup a new tank in my living room. There is a big window that allows sunlight in the room. None of the light directly hits the tank but the room is lit up. Will this cause an algae issue?

disc1 · 05/12/2011, 03:59 PM

No. It's direct sunlight that's sometimes a problem.

lacosta28 · 05/12/2011, 04:12 PM

Awesome thanks.

Aquaman101 · 05/13/2011, 01:25 PM

I wouldn't hold your breath. I have my tank in a room that gets a lot of natural sunlight.

It doesn't directly hit the tank though.

I notice I tend to get cyano in my tank during the summer months when there are more hours of sunlight.

I have a low nutrient tank. I aggressively skim, run a BRS GFO reactor, have a large fuge with chaeto, use RO/DI water with 0 TDS and rinse off the mysis shrimp before feeding. I I still get some cyano. I swear that stuff lives off indirect sunlight!

J-P · 05/13/2011, 01:34 PM

not reef specific, but coming from planted tanks, any direct light AND ambient light will contribute to algae growth.

When I was discussing photo periods in planted tanks we ALWAYS considered ambient light as a factor.

b0bab0ey · 05/13/2011, 01:59 PM

IME, nothing good comes from having a reef aquarium in a well lit room. Direct sunlight hitting a reef tank is an absolute nightmare!

charleneatkins · 05/13/2011, 02:49 PM

I have 5 tanks about 15 ft from 2 bay windows and don't seem any algea problems but they do not get direct sun

wbdevers · 05/13/2011, 10:20 PM

Sunlight doesn't cause algae blooms--nutrients do, i.e. nitrate and phosphate. If sunlight did, then every natural reef on the planet would be covered in algaes. The only negatives that I know of against natural light hitting your tank is the poor color and possible heating.

05/12/2011, 03:51 PM	#1
lacosta28 Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Albuquerque Posts: 632	Sunlight and tank I setup a new tank in my living room. There is a big window that allows sunlight in the room. None of the light directly hits the tank but the room is lit up. Will this cause an algae issue?

05/13/2011, 02:49 PM	#7
charleneatkins Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: andover ct 06232 Posts: 1,819	I have 5 tanks about 15 ft from 2 bay windows and don't seem any algea problems but they do not get direct sun __________________ Hope keeps things alive and looking forward Current Tank Info: 28,55 & 90g mixed reef,10G FW

05/13/2011, 10:20 PM	#8
wbdevers Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: MS Gulf Coast Posts: 754	Sunlight doesn't cause algae blooms--nutrients do, i.e. nitrate and phosphate. If sunlight did, then every natural reef on the planet would be covered in algaes. The only negatives that I know of against natural light hitting your tank is the poor color and possible heating. __________________ Wes Beatings will continue until morale improves!!! "I've sentenced boys younger than you to the gas chamber. Didn't want to do it. I felt I owed it to them."--Judge Smails Current Tank Info: 125g ML dual corner OF mixed reef, Custom stand and canopy, 40g custom sump, lighting (in flux :( )

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05/12/2011, 03:59 PM	#2
disc1 -RT * ln(k) Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Little Rock Posts: 9,705	No. It's direct sunlight that's sometimes a problem.

05/12/2011, 04:12 PM	#3
lacosta28 Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Albuquerque Posts: 632	Awesome thanks.

05/13/2011, 01:25 PM	#4
Aquaman101 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 420	I wouldn't hold your breath. I have my tank in a room that gets a lot of natural sunlight. It doesn't directly hit the tank though. I notice I tend to get cyano in my tank during the summer months when there are more hours of sunlight. I have a low nutrient tank. I aggressively skim, run a BRS GFO reactor, have a large fuge with chaeto, use RO/DI water with 0 TDS and rinse off the mysis shrimp before feeding. I I still get some cyano. I swear that stuff lives off indirect sunlight!

05/13/2011, 01:34 PM	#5
J-P Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 102	not reef specific, but coming from planted tanks, any direct light AND ambient light will contribute to algae growth. When I was discussing photo periods in planted tanks we ALWAYS considered ambient light as a factor.

05/13/2011, 01:59 PM	#6
b0bab0ey Moved On Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 2,564	IME, nothing good comes from having a reef aquarium in a well lit room. Direct sunlight hitting a reef tank is an absolute nightmare!