Comments on: Green Reefing – Earth Day Thoughts

By: stonyreef

stonyreef — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 19:55:19 +0000

Yeah, I’m not sure how effective they’d be here in Chicago either. Great for a couple months, but we have it pretty rough for a good portion of the year. On some of the later pages of the thread, 24 / 25 ish, there’s talk of using photo cells + a controller to have halides pop on when too overcast outside – now that would be a fantastic set up.

By: Maxima

Maxima — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 04:15:37 +0000

Hmm, I don’t get much sun here but sola tubes are awesome sources for green light.

By: stonyreef

stonyreef — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:37:13 +0000

Excellent suggestions & info – thanks Mike! Poor reflectors = wasted energy, wasted light. re: spotlights, I really do hope we start to see more of them on our side of the pond. Definitely gear I would incorporate into my next set up.

Another thought, not seen as often but a seemingly excellent way to reduce the number of halides required over the tank are light movers. I must admit, I wouldn’t go this route without an in-wall set up – they can be rather unsightly… but a single MH on a light mover with a few spotlights could be dynamite… (mental note)

By: Mike Clifford

Mike Clifford — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 18:38:26 +0000

Edit: Meant to say that T5s or LEDs with proper reflectors, which focus light into the aquarium, and reduce wasted light that escapes to the room, allow less light to do more.

By: Mike Clifford

Mike Clifford — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 18:37:18 +0000

Great write-up. A few comments I might add on lighting is that use of efficient and directional lighting can save big time wattage. For example, T5s or LEDs with proper reflectors, which focus light into the aquarium, and reduce wasted light that escapes to the room, allow less light. If using MH, reflectors such as lumenbrights can also be used to increase efficiency so that 250w, rather than 400w bulbs can be used. With MH, planning for a wider system also helps with lighting – a 30″ or 36″ wide system that is 4 ft. long (i.e. 150 or 180g) can be lit by 2 halides, just as a 120g (48x24x24). Designing lighting around an aquascape and using spot lighting, as Eric has shown in the glassbox, also allows for significant energy reduction. As spotlights become more widely available it will allow aquarists to save money by focusing light only in the areas where there are corals.

Another suggestion is designing an open top system, along with efficient lighting to reduce energy demands from the chilling standpoint. My 300+ gallon system (240 display), which is open top and lit by 648w of T5s, occasionally uses a heater in the winter to stay at 76-77 (probably a few hours a day at most), and stays at 78-79 with no cooling whatsoever.

And one last lighting item, refugium lighting can be done very efficiently with a CF bulb from Home Depot. I’m using a 15w bulb with a $15 reflector from HD, rather than the 100w halogen bulb I’ve seen many use, and my chaeto grows well under it.

By: stonyreef

stonyreef — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:47:47 +0000

For the temperatures, I’ve found 84 is about my upper limit. I have seen 85+, but usually with some ill effect (closed polyps, STN on one occasion). Our A/C went out last summer while we were out of town, and temps hit 88. I lost nearly all azooxanthellate coral in that tank by the time we got back in town (~48 hours), and the rest of the non-photosynthetics fell shortly thereafter. It was pretty rough to get constant texts from the AC3, knowing I couldn’t get anything done about it. However, all stony coral made it through – not a single loss.

Thinking about it, I suppose the ambient temp point is dependent on your individual tank and its inhabitants. I most certainly will not set up the next azoox tank without more cooling gear, nor would I adjust to ambient if I had some deeper water fish that need those mid 70′s temperatures.

The “lights out” really does seem to refresh the tank. Such an easy thing to do, just flip the switch! … but definitely remember to turn it back on