Does anyone use regular sunlight for their tank?

[Aaron]

What if I put the tank by a windows? Is that good? Do anyone
do that?

Thanks for the info.

[Elaine T]

Aaron wrote:
> What if I put the tank by a windows? Is that good? Do anyone
> do that?
>
> Thanks for the info.
>
I do. I have a 10 gallon currently running on only sunlight. There are
a few problems, but they can be overcome fairly easily. Plants grow
sideways towards the window so you don't get an ideal shape. Sunlight
is also bright, and you will have a fair amount of algae to control with
cleaning, heavy planting, and algae eaters. Also, tall plants at the
back tend to block the light so you have to use low light plants in the
front if you want a backdrop. Low plantings over the whole tank work
really well. Finally, the sunlight can heat the water so be sure the
tank is adequately heated at night.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

[Aaron]

Thanks. I'm thinking of a lazy man's aquarium, like my last.
Easy plants, no lights no timers, propagates itself. I just
need to add fish food.

In article >,
says...
> Aaron wrote:
> > What if I put the tank by a windows? Is that good? Do anyone
> > do that?
> >
> > Thanks for the info.
> >
> I do. I have a 10 gallon currently running on only sunlight. There are
> a few problems, but they can be overcome fairly easily. Plants grow
> sideways towards the window so you don't get an ideal shape. Sunlight
> is also bright, and you will have a fair amount of algae to control with
> cleaning, heavy planting, and algae eaters. Also, tall plants at the
> back tend to block the light so you have to use low light plants in the
> front if you want a backdrop. Low plantings over the whole tank work
> really well. Finally, the sunlight can heat the water so be sure the
> tank is adequately heated at night.
>
>

[bassett]

You will be battling Algae growth, to the point that it will become
established, and nothing will shift it.
As for Heating, You will still need a Heater, and it's thermostat will not
cut in until the water drops in temperature. Do not rely on sunlight to heat
the water.
As for a Lazy mans aquarium, that's easy, Place the tank out of any
sunlight, set the thing up correctly, buy a BIG canister filter and you
will only need about an hour a week in maintenance
bassett

"Aaron" > wrote in message
.net...
>
> Thanks. I'm thinking of a lazy man's aquarium, like my last.
> Easy plants, no lights no timers, propagates itself. I just
> need to add fish food.
>
> In article >,
> says...
>> Aaron wrote:
>> > What if I put the tank by a windows? Is that good? Do anyone
>> > do that?
>> >
>> > Thanks for the info.
>> >
>> I do. I have a 10 gallon currently running on only sunlight. There are
>> a few problems, but they can be overcome fairly easily. Plants grow
>> sideways towards the window so you don't get an ideal shape. Sunlight
>> is also bright, and you will have a fair amount of algae to control with
>> cleaning, heavy planting, and algae eaters. Also, tall plants at the
>> back tend to block the light so you have to use low light plants in the
>> front if you want a backdrop. Low plantings over the whole tank work
>> really well. Finally, the sunlight can heat the water so be sure the
>> tank is adequately heated at night.
>>
>>

[Elaine T]

bassett wrote:
> You will be battling Algae growth, to the point that it will become
> established, and nothing will shift it.

And this is from your extensive experience with sunlit tanks, or a wild
guess??? I'm running my THIRD sunlit planted tank and all have been
stable with algae easily controlled.

I've actually had MORE algae from overlit 3 WPG flourescent lights than
sunlight.

> As for Heating, You will still need a Heater, and it's thermostat will not
> cut in until the water drops in temperature. Do not rely on sunlight to heat
> the water.
> As for a Lazy mans aquarium, that's easy, Place the tank out of any
> sunlight, set the thing up correctly, buy a BIG canister filter and you
> will only need about an hour a week in maintenance
> bassett
>
> "Aaron" > wrote in message
> .net...
>
>>Thanks. I'm thinking of a lazy man's aquarium, like my last.
>>Easy plants, no lights no timers, propagates itself. I just
>>need to add fish food.
>>
>>In article >,
says...
>>
>>>Aaron wrote:
>>>
>>>>What if I put the tank by a windows? Is that good? Do anyone
>>>>do that?
>>>>
>>>>Thanks for the info.
>>>>
>>>
>>>I do. I have a 10 gallon currently running on only sunlight. There are
>>>a few problems, but they can be overcome fairly easily. Plants grow
>>>sideways towards the window so you don't get an ideal shape. Sunlight
>>>is also bright, and you will have a fair amount of algae to control with
>>>cleaning, heavy planting, and algae eaters. Also, tall plants at the
>>>back tend to block the light so you have to use low light plants in the
>>>front if you want a backdrop. Low plantings over the whole tank work
>>>really well. Finally, the sunlight can heat the water so be sure the
>>>tank is adequately heated at night.
>>>
>>>
>
>
>


--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

[Justin West]

Okay here is a beginners dumb question, and perhaps I'll throw in a
second one just for good luck.

1) As I understood it from reading a lot of literature it is
unadvisable to place a tank too close to a window as the temperature
may rise beyond acceptable tolerances for your fish. Is this not the
case, or simply a matter of choosing species accordingly?

2) I have to admit my ignorance in plant choosing. As the store I have
been dealing with seem to label their fish only and not their plants.

However that being said, in a freshwater aquarium is it okay to
purchase the plants and leave them in the containers as they come? Or
should you remove them and plant them in the bed rock?

The store has indicated that I should be able to leave the ones I got
in the pot; however, I have been noticing that they are not doing too
well. There is one that has fairly wide leaves and seems to be
developing holes in the middle of them and are browning..

Any suggestions, Comments, Critizism, and general just " you idiot " ?
:)

TIA, JW

[Bill]

Elaine T > Spaketh Thusly:

>bassett wrote:
>> You will be battling Algae growth, to the point that it will become
>> established, and nothing will shift it.
>
>And this is from your extensive experience with sunlit tanks, or a wild
>guess??? I'm running my THIRD sunlit planted tank and all have been
>stable with algae easily controlled.
>
>I've actually had MORE algae from overlit 3 WPG flourescent lights than
>sunlight.
Just curious.... are you running CO2 in any/all of these tanks? My experience
makes me believe that the more light you have, the more you need CO2 to fight
algae. My low light tanks do well without it, my well lit tank bursts out in
algae if I slack off on mixing up a new yeast bottle. I guess strong sunlight
(I don't get enough at this latitude) is much stronger than most lighting
setups.

--
Bill H. [my "reply to" address is real]
www.necka.net
Molon Labe!

[bassett]

very few people in Australia bother with CO 2 set-up's in fact you would be
flat out finding anyone selling such contraptions.

As for the Sunlight issue, I have one tank that gets a shaft of sunlight in
the afternoons, and that tank grows more algae, then all the others
combined.
I have a large Sunroom [ 35 sq meters] that I would like to have some tanks
in , but as the room is half glass on three sides, it would be imposable .

I don,t think that sunlight, would be sufficient to actually heat a tank,
and I say that as someone who lives in the tropic's.
bassett

"Bill" > wrote in message
...
> Elaine T > Spaketh Thusly:
>
>>bassett wrote:
>>> You will be battling Algae growth, to the point that it will become
>>> established, and nothing will shift it.
>>
>>And this is from your extensive experience with sunlit tanks, or a wild
>>guess??? I'm running my THIRD sunlit planted tank and all have been
>>stable with algae easily controlled.
>>
>>I've actually had MORE algae from overlit 3 WPG flourescent lights than
>>sunlight.
> Just curious.... are you running CO2 in any/all of these tanks? My
> experience
> makes me believe that the more light you have, the more you need CO2 to
> fight
> algae. My low light tanks do well without it, my well lit tank bursts out
> in
> algae if I slack off on mixing up a new yeast bottle. I guess strong
> sunlight
> (I don't get enough at this latitude) is much stronger than most lighting
> setups.
>
> --
> Bill H. [my "reply to" address is real]
> www.necka.net
> Molon Labe!

[Elaine T]

Bill wrote:
> Elaine T > Spaketh Thusly:
>
>
>>bassett wrote:
>>
>>>You will be battling Algae growth, to the point that it will become
>>>established, and nothing will shift it.
>>
>>And this is from your extensive experience with sunlit tanks, or a wild
>>guess??? I'm running my THIRD sunlit planted tank and all have been
>>stable with algae easily controlled.
>>
>>I've actually had MORE algae from overlit 3 WPG flourescent lights than
>>sunlight.
>
> Just curious.... are you running CO2 in any/all of these tanks? My experience
> makes me believe that the more light you have, the more you need CO2 to fight
> algae. My low light tanks do well without it, my well lit tank bursts out in
> algae if I slack off on mixing up a new yeast bottle. I guess strong sunlight
> (I don't get enough at this latitude) is much stronger than most lighting
> setups.
>
> --
> Bill H. [my "reply to" address is real]
> www.necka.net
> Molon Labe!

Ah. Yes, one had CO2, and the current one has Flourish Excel. Good
point there. I also fertilize with iron, trace elements, potash, and
nitrate if the tank needs it. My favorite "window" tank was a 55 gal
sitting next to a north window. It had 80W of fluorescent light plus
the sunlight. I had amazon swordplants flowering and throwing chains of
little swords across the tank.

My current one is in an eastern window with no supplimentary light and
is growing mid-light plants well, but not high light ones. Java fern,
Rotala indica, Saggitaria subulata and water sprite are all doing well
but the Alternanthera clippings from a high light tank are just sitting.
So the sunlight is not stronger than a lighting setup.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

[Aaron]

Ok, the more I'm trying to set this up, the more confused I
get. I thought about those Koi ponds outdoor in full sunlight.
How come they aren't covered in algae.

And what kind of stumps are you supposed to remove from the
tank? Is it the stumps of algae?


> bassett wrote:
> > You will be battling Algae growth, to the point that it will become
> > established, and nothing will shift it.
>

[Angrie.Woman]

"Aaron" > wrote in message
a.net...
>
> Ok, the more I'm trying to set this up, the more confused I
> get. I thought about those Koi ponds outdoor in full sunlight.
> How come they aren't covered in algae.
>

Well, over in rec.ponds algae control is probably the most frequent
discussion.

A

[Nikki Casali]

Aaron wrote:

> And what kind of stumps are you supposed to remove from the
> tank? Is it the stumps of algae?

Stump remover is potassium nitrate. It's primary purpose is to remove
tree stumps by burning them away. As it contains pure KNO3 some have
decided to appropriate it for use as a cheap tank fertiliser.

Nikki

[Aaron]

Thank you.

In article >,
says...
>
>
> Aaron wrote:
>
> > And what kind of stumps are you supposed to remove from the
> > tank? Is it the stumps of algae?
>
> Stump remover is potassium nitrate. It's primary purpose is to remove
> tree stumps by burning them away. As it contains pure KNO3 some have
> decided to appropriate it for use as a cheap tank fertiliser.
>
> Nikki
>
>

[Elaine T]

Aaron wrote:
> Ok, the more I'm trying to set this up, the more confused I
> get. I thought about those Koi ponds outdoor in full sunlight.
> How come they aren't covered in algae.

Koi ponds that are naturally algae free often use a bog filters. That's
a big tank or pool with lava rock in the bottom for biofiltration and
fast-growing plants like water hyacinth, anacharis, or watercress
growing in it. It's the same principle of fishtanks - higher plants
will outcompete algae if there are enough of them and the right kinds of
nutrients. Ponds are also generally shaded with lily pads or floating
plants to reduce the intensity of the sunlight hitting the water.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

[Kay]

Aaron wrote:
> What if I put the tank by a windows? Is that good? Do anyone
> do that?
>
> Thanks for the info.
>

I have a 30 gallon and a 55 gallon in front of a picture window and they
get afternoon sun, which is the longest. I don't have algae in the tank,
I do use Excel by Sachem. My brother says every time he is over, "I
can't believe you don't have a tank full of algae" I didn't do anything
special except the Excel and it just worked out I guess.

Kay

[rogerbinyy]

Plants grow sideways appear the window so you don't get an ideal shape. Sunlight is aswell bright, and you will accept a fair bulk of algae to ascendancy with cleaning, abundant planting, and algae eaters. Also, alpine plants at then back tend to block the ablaze so you accept to use low ablaze plants in the front if you wish a backdrop.