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Sola Tubes In Iowa?

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Andy The Reef Guy, Dec 12, 2010.

  1. Dec 12, 2010 #1
    Andy The Reef Guy

    Andy The Reef Guy Inactive User

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    Would Sola Tubes be feasable for lighting at this Lattitude? Perhaps with some (minimal as to not defeat the purpose) supplemental T5's or VHO actinics? Thoughts, opinions, experiences?
     
  2. Dec 12, 2010 #2
    Gered

    Gered Experienced Reefkeeper

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    Not sure how well they would work here. I know I have read that is not worth using solar panels in our area unless you feel like blowing some money. I am thinking I need a few windmills to power my tank....hmmmm
     
  3. Dec 12, 2010 #3
    JohnL

    JohnL Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    I've been looking into it myself. The only problem I see is the fact that the peak of my roof runs north/south so my solatubes would be on the west side of the roof. The sun doesn't reach it until mid morning in the summer and past noon in the winter. I think summer daylight hours will be long enough and intense enough to get by with little to no supplemental lighting. During the winter I'm positive I'd have to run supplemental lighting most of the time, The sun is to far south and would only hit the solatube for about 4-5 hours.
     
  4. Dec 12, 2010 #4
    Andy The Reef Guy

    Andy The Reef Guy Inactive User

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    Yeah def in the summer time. You know though, depending on the intensity they provide 5 hours of light a day may work just fine. I have a pair of 400 watt MH's on my 120 and I only run them 5-6hrs a day with good results.
    Does anybody know if there have been any par studies on these things? I'd like to see (at any lattitude) the difference between morning and evening intensity as compared to high noon. Morning and evening intensity in calif should be close to what we see for 7 hours a day here in the Iowa winter.....maybe? idk....hmmmmmm (thoughts, not motors) I'll do some looking lemme know if anybody's got ne linx!
     
  5. Dec 12, 2010 #5
    JohnL

    JohnL Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    There are several threads on RC about it.
    If I get back to work I'd like to do a small greenhouse plumbed to a basement sump. I collected everything to test a small system but never got it setup before it got to cold to mess with.
     
  6. Dec 12, 2010 #6
    JohnL

    JohnL Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    Here you go...this thread will keep you busy for a few day lol http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=56125
     
  7. Dec 12, 2010 #7
    Andy The Reef Guy

    Andy The Reef Guy Inactive User

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    Yeah I saw that one, skimmed through a lot of it, but found this one imbedded in it; http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1457056&perpage=25&pagenumber=1

    All these guys are in Alabama, or Florida, California, Arizona. Idk I'd like to get one and just test the par on it for a few months to see how it would do around here.
     
  8. Dec 13, 2010 #8
    xroads La Porte City, IA

    xroads Veteran Reefkeeper Vendor

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    A friend has one in their living room. Ir really lights up the room alot, even on a cloudy day. I would say 4 ft or so off the tank would work good.
     
  9. Dec 13, 2010 #9
    Andy The Reef Guy

    Andy The Reef Guy Inactive User

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    Will you ask him politely if I can come over to his place once a week for an entire day and measure the PAR values in a 5 gallon bucket of water beneath the light? lol That would be great!
    Good to know Craig, I'm anxious and excited to explore the future of these units for applications in our northern lattitudes. I think many reefers throughout the 42 deg lattitude will be anxious to find out my conclusions as well!
     

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