Does anyone use regular sunlight for their tank?

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

Thanks for the info.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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!

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.

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.

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