Spouse thinks reef lighting is tacky...

[sarcophytonIndy]

Guess I’m lucky that I prefer a more natural spectrum. But if you must have some blue time do it during the middle of the day and then ramp it to white in the evening

 

[CasaReefer]

Wow...

 

[fish farmer]

I'm going to address the "view from outside the home."

It amazes me how many people don't draw their shades at night. I don't live in a high crime area but still don't want people looking into my home. My wife and I usually walk the dog at dusk and she really likes to see how people live.....yep we're looking IN your windows, watching you eat, play with your cat, fight with your wife, seeing all your nice things! My young neighbor never drew his shades....we walked by on two occasions and he was watching **** on a big screen tv. That dark windowless van parked down the street...he's not your neighbor...he's looking for stuff to steal or worse...

I can understand wanting to keep shades open during the day to let outside light in...the tank shouldn't be an "eye sore" during daylight hours. I still draw some of my shades when I'm not home at least the ones at street level.

 

[jtl]

I cannot relate to the spousal issues but I would never have a tank that was not in the main living area where it can be enjoyed and I have had many tanks over the years.

 

[sarcophytonIndy]

I cannot relate to the spousal issues but I would never have a tank that was not in the main living area where it can be enjoyed and I have had many tanks over the years.

Totally agree with this. It maximizes enjoyment and also forces you to keep up with maintenance and looking top notch.

 

[Bpb]

I'm going to address the "view from outside the home."

It amazes me how many people don't draw their shades at night. I don't live in a high crime area but still don't want people looking into my home. My wife and I usually walk the dog at dusk and she really likes to see how people live.....yep we're looking IN your windows, watching you eat, play with your cat, fight with your wife, seeing all your nice things! My young neighbor never drew his shades....we walked by on two occasions and he was watching **** on a big screen tv. That dark windowless van parked down the street...he's not your neighbor...he's looking for stuff to steal or worse...

I can understand wanting to keep shades open during the day to let outside light in...the tank shouldn't be an "eye sore" during daylight hours. I still draw some of my shades when I'm not home at least the ones at street level.

Same here. This entire post I agree with to the word. I hare people seeing in my house, but my neighbors leave their shades wide open day and night and you can’t NOT look in.

 

[hart24601]

I do agree with others the easy solution is just to not run a blue tank. Heck 20 years ago there were very few blue tanks. It can take a bit more to find color that show up well under white lights, but they are out there. Lots of non-fluorescent corals with pinks and blues, Oregon tort is a great example of a ultra blue coral under white light, purple stylos too.

Heck you could even run blue heavy (if you really wanted to) during the day for a couple hours for your viewing enjoyment and then go to more white in the evenings, just making sure intensity is suitable. With all the options we have now the light spill and color is a pretty easy issue to have.

 

[Bpb]

I do agree with others the easy solution is just to not run a blue tank. Heck 20 years ago there were very few blue tanks. It can take a bit more to find color that show up well under white lights, but they are out there. Lots of non-fluorescent corals with pinks and blues, Oregon tort is a great example of a ultra blue coral under white light, purple stylos too.

Heck you could even run blue heavy (if you really wanted to) during the day for a couple hours for your viewing enjoyment and then go to more white in the evenings, just making sure intensity is suitable. With all the options we have now the light spill and color is a pretty easy issue to have.

Sanjay said in an interview he runs blue heavier during the day when he’s not home and turns them way down in the evening when he’s home for a very white look

 

[GregDaKeg]

If you are building a house add a man/fish room

 

[Admann]

So... yes, another thread on this topic.

A little background: My wife is VERY into aesthetics. If something doesn’t perfectly fit the room or it doesn’t look chic or stands out, she thinks it’s tacky or trashy. I don’t think she is completely opposed to the idea of me having a tank after she saw how great it looked and how much my little 9 month old daughter loved watching it before.

I was able to get a small tank Red Sea E170 with white cabinet in our current place we just sold since she worked with me to design a room around it, so it looked like it fit in more. The room was a loft on the interior of the house and was not visible from any windows. She hated the higher kelvin temp lighting because she thinks it looks tacky, especially if you could see it from a window from the outside of the home.

So, we are moving and building a new home, which meant renting for 3-4 months. Home should be done on March. I sold our tank and all livestock and shut everything down since I couldn’t have it while renting. Putting the money from sales aside to hopefully start a new tank next year. Of course being a reefer, I think about upgrades and having a larger system that is planned out to go in a specific room in our house and have a water station the the basement. She seemed on board and supportive at first, given our daughter’s interest in the tank.

As we are talking about the house and the design and look of the rooms, she just casually mentions, she has been thinking and she doesn’t want a tank in a place where people can see the “tacky bluish light” through a window... which rules out every room in the house other than the unfinished basement. So to me it feels like she just shut down the idea of a tank at all...

I really wanted the tank on the main floor, just so my daughter and I can enjoy it, and honestly don’t care about what people think of the color hue of light they can see through a window when they drive by our house... I think it is a little obsessive and frustrating that she cares so much that now I can’t have the tank in a main living space where I could enjoy it. I no longer see it worth the investment to put it somewhere where it is basically hidden and I don’t spend any time.

Any tips or ideas on how I can approach this? I know this hobby is a fulfilling and very fun one, and I’d rather not give it up if I don’t have to. Plus it might be a fun way to enjoy something and bond with my daughter as she gets older.

I don't want to sound harsh, but how long will it be before you are no longer aesthetically pleasing.

 

[tjnorthdakota]

I would just plan my blue spectrum to come on during daylight hours where blue light doesnt really get noticed outside from inside the house, sunlight just overwhelms it. It could also be just my house but we close the curtains at night. Maybe its been said before but you always have the option of doing a fish only with liverock rank, your daughter will still enjoy it. If you run leds you can use the white spectrum after dark but you still have the option to turn the blues on if you want to see the corals fluoresce. A wood canopy will also help keep stray light from being directed outside the aquarium

 

[Dierks]

Why not just build a built in with a canopy? I have very little light spill from my tank. Put it in your new office that you just decided that you were going to have!

 

[Dragon52]

Would she rather have you at home enjoying the tank or out & about looking at other peoples tanks ?????

 

[Gonzo74]

Why don’t you incorporate a tank with a hood that hides the lights or any light that may escape from the sides? This way, all the light goes into the tank and not the surrounding ambient area.

 

[Daniel92481]

Been chewing on this all day... what I figure is.. " The One That Makes The DOH..... Runs The Show " You will see this in a Fortune Cookie someday.

Sounds like you want your own house soon! She’s watching you man! Haha...I seen you turn your head!

 

[Thaxxx]

I didn't read the I entire thread. So forgive me if I repeat a suggestion.
Have you given any thought to the idea she doesn't want that tank anywhere in view in the house and the light thing is just the reason she came up with? You'll know for sure if you come up with a fix for the light problem and she thinks of another reason.

 

[KPK]

My wife whines and b!tches about the blue light too. I told her to look the other dang direction.
I don’t take much **** from her and she doesn’t from me. Works out well! Lol

 

[Unthinkable]

Goodness people take a dark turn so quickly about your wife’s opinion!

There are plenty of options, run the light on the white spectrum in the evening is a great choice. I run my lights blue during the day and more white later in the evening. I prefer the blues for coral viewing and whites for fish so I found a time where I can come home and enjoy both settings for a time.

You could also do a FOWLR setup as well, or worst case make a man cave and go nuts with a fish room etc.

 

[bdare]

I recommend lying. Agree you don't like the blue look. You want more whitish lights... then switch it up on her

 

[mrpizzaface]

I only have freshwater tanks. I have a small display in my living/dining room. I have 40 or so tanks in the basement. Those 40 tanks are all breeding and grow out tanks. By necessity I spend a lot of time in my basement. While I like my display tank I really enjoy my alone time in my basement with my breeding tanks. Having your own space can be a great thing.
If it is truly important to you, you need to find a way to speak with your wife. If it’s not truly important put it in the basement.