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simike

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Location
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With freshwater tanks i know it is very bad to place a tank in direct or in direct light. is the same true with SW. I am looking for a place to put a new tank, where i origanally wanted it wont work( at the corner of a L between 2 counches in my living room, too much light, siting too close and low next to tank) . Another option is near a wall by a window, tank wont get direct sunlight, but a lot of ambient light. Any concerns for light or heat, im thinking no bc aren't we trying to replicate some spec of sunlight??

also would it be too much light time wise, stress for fish?
 
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First I must disagree with your statement about FW tank being not suitable next to a window. It all depends on how the water pars are and inhabitants of the tank. Most of my tanks are next to windows and they rarely have algae issues or heating issues.


SW tank, assuming your are keeping corals and a reef, is worse to sit next to a window because of the temperature requirements. Unless you have a chiller, the temperature could rising 6F in afternoon!!!! Of course, if you are talking a tropical Sw fish only tank, then the story is different.

As for the algae issue, same with FW, you just have to either control nutrients in water column or have something out compete them.
 
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simike

Senior Member
Location
Staten Island
Rating - 100%
7   0   0
most fw tanks are not as pure as reef tanks, unless you are very into FW. Phos arent really an issue in FW tanks and lighting is usually just to provide viewing of the fish, exception to all this is planted FW where light and nutri are most impt.

like i said the tank wont receive any direct sunlight, even if it did it would be nothing compared to a 250 halide on the tank. What do you attribute a 6f rise in temp to, do your tanks stay stable by the window.
In the summer the a/c is on ant the tank would be closer to it than it would be across the room, where i worry it may get too warm without a chiller.
in the winter a good heater should take care of any temp drops , Right????
 

simike

Senior Member
Location
Staten Island
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is there any type of bad allgae that results from the light spectrum of indirect sun light, or is it based on water pars .
I know my old fw guppy tank would grow some spot algae when the bulb was old.
 
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simike said:
like i said the tank wont receive any direct sunlight

......


in the winter a good heater should take care of any temp drops , Right????

Sorry did not read that part that "the tank will not receive direct sunlight." The 6F rise, I mentioned, is attributed to the direct sun and the hot air from the concrete patio in a lot of setups I have seen.

Direct sun light is no less than a 250MH unless you leave no room from the water surface, thus stopping the heat to dissipate. I tested a 55G tank in my backyard and the temperature under direct sun can reach 104F(2PM) in the afternoon from 86F(around 8:00am) in the morning. NOTE:the water temperature is higher than room temperature in this extreme case where 3 sides of the tank is receiving light. I am studying the effect of heat and light to algae(both micro and macro) with this tank.
 

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