Crazy idea - Planted tank WITHOUT light !

[ox777]

From what I've seen and heard from others, most of those 'solar tubes' don't focus light on a point or direction. They are basically more efficient sky lights, but I still think you're going to have a hell of time aiming it to hit the tank for more than an hour or so.

If you really want to control natural light, look into fiber optics. you can solar colectors, which kind of look like small satellite dishes, and pipe natural light anywhere in your house.

[Mori]

I think this has left the realm of low tech. Now I have crazy ideas for my next remodel.

[gus]

I've seen Java fern grow under ceiling floros in an office. If that's your idea of a nice planted tank, go for it.

[ouranos]

After looking at your setup I think you can definitely go unlit if you kept to Anubias, java fern and java moss.

Years ago I left a 20 long completely neglected except for monthly-ish topoffs, and no lighting fixture. It only got ambient light in a fairly well-sunlit room (but no direct light) and the Anubias' grew to an incredible size, a couple grew well out of the water. I had java fern and java moss in there as well, and they also grew fairly well. When I broke it down after sitting for a year, every square inch of substrate had tremendous root masses running through.

Go for it - I think that tank would be incredible completely open ontop. Good Luck!!

[sarahbobarah]

I second, (third?) the suggestion to go no light. My anubius nana has sprouted new leaves in months of no light except a funky blacklight.

[windsurfer]

We have a walstad style low-tech 20tall mounted in a window on the west side of the house which has no lights - just the window. For this tank we have parchment paper and bubble wrap behind it to attenuate the light. otherwise it gets too much light and grows algae.

we also have a 90 gal in the dining room on the north side of the house directly in front of the window. it has CO2 injection and the only lighting is 2x54w T5HO 4hr/day + lots of indirect sun.

additionally, a 10 gal half-full shrimp breeding tank in front of a sliding glass door with a patio roof outside. no direct sunlight light and no artificial light, still grows great.

if you plan things out right, it is possible to have a tank with little or no artificial light.

check out this monster thread on reef central for info about sola-tube lighting.

Reef Central Online Community - SolaTubes for reef tanks

-jd

[Sietch31]

OK, Thank you all for your ideas !

It seems that my crazy idea gives you all a lot to think of !!!
And I had lot of fun reading through, specially when you came discussiong th idea of the skylight above the tank !!!
And knowing that our bedroom is on the second floor just above that tank, I would have to build a glass floor in the bedroom as well, but it will be nice at night to have a look on the stars at bedtime !

In the mean time, have completed my light setup, and planted my tank !

Photos will come soon. And we can discuss if my present setup could accommodate that no-light idea....

But I will continue my researches.
Anymore ideas are welcome, and may be one day I will remove these lights to achive my "water cube in the middle of the room" idea !!!