Fan direction question for a DIY hood..
- Thread starter doublezero
- Start date
rsd
Member
I agree with "what the neighrbors might think" idea.
When I first moved into my house, the first thing I did was set up my tank ( the lights were on aleter cycle than the normal day...got dark at midnight). I am self employed and at that time spent most of my week at my home office. My neighbors saw a young couple move into the neighborhood....strange lights coming out of the house... they never seem to go to work, lots of cars coming and going, 1 family car, 1 truck, and 1 convertible in the driveway, and a 20' jet boat in the side yard... after 3 months of the neighbors never talking to me I finally approached one.
I asked: "...so is everyone here a little anti-social or is it just me?"
he replied"... well, actually, we are concerned about the drugs."
LOL !!!
I took him on a tour of my tank, office, and explained that I actually work about 70-80 hours per week... I just do it from home.
After that... my neighbors have accepted me and are quite interested in the tank.
Thank god no one called the cops!
LOL
When I first moved into my house, the first thing I did was set up my tank ( the lights were on aleter cycle than the normal day...got dark at midnight). I am self employed and at that time spent most of my week at my home office. My neighbors saw a young couple move into the neighborhood....strange lights coming out of the house... they never seem to go to work, lots of cars coming and going, 1 family car, 1 truck, and 1 convertible in the driveway, and a 20' jet boat in the side yard... after 3 months of the neighbors never talking to me I finally approached one.
I asked: "...so is everyone here a little anti-social or is it just me?"
he replied"... well, actually, we are concerned about the drugs."
LOL !!!
I took him on a tour of my tank, office, and explained that I actually work about 70-80 hours per week... I just do it from home.
After that... my neighbors have accepted me and are quite interested in the tank.
Thank god no one called the cops!
LOL
vyperone
Member
Blow in or Blow out... I think both sides of this issue have their valid points...
The answer then is... It depends on the purpose of the fans in the first place...
Is it to cool the water, lights or both.
Personally I would go with the opinion based upon aquarium testing, not electronics... But then thats yet another opinion added to the pool...
The answer then is... It depends on the purpose of the fans in the first place...
Is it to cool the water, lights or both.
Personally I would go with the opinion based upon aquarium testing, not electronics... But then thats yet another opinion added to the pool...
jag3365
Member
I am going to be building a canopy soon and have two fans, BOTH BLOWING IN!!!!!! on each of the 72" canopy. My question is what are the benifits and cons to having a slightly open back or closed? Does it matter about having a prefilter on the tank that may move?
Also I was thinking of maybe adding 1 on the top of my canopy probably blowing out in the middle. Would this be ok? I am thinking of how I have my computer at home. Air flow through the case and a blow hole on top.
Dangit and I can't believe I came into this "discussion" so late. I'd love to argue the point of computer cases blowing in and out and how pressure can build up in a canpy that isn't airtight!?
Also I was thinking of maybe adding 1 on the top of my canopy probably blowing out in the middle. Would this be ok? I am thinking of how I have my computer at home. Air flow through the case and a blow hole on top.
Dangit and I can't believe I came into this "discussion" so late. I'd love to argue the point of computer cases blowing in and out and how pressure can build up in a canpy that isn't airtight!?
rsd
Member
Being Italian I love a good arguement.... we call it a family get together!
The advantage of the prefilter is that it grabs alot of the dust, cat hair, pollen, etc. that the fans are sucking in. Since I have 2 cats... it gathers a fair amount of stuff. the disadvantage is that you have to remember to remove and clean them now and then.
As for the fan in the middle.... I wish I had thought to add a vent in the top center of my hood that I could close or open. The reason I would like one is this:
In the winter... I don't need the extra cooling...close the top vent and shut off 1 of my fans.. keeps the tank at the right temp through-out the day. (right now I just shut off 1 fan's timer for the winter months...no vent to worry about.)
In the summer or really hot days, have both fans on and open the top vent to do what heat does...rise and leave the tank.
As it is I may cut a vent in if this summer/my new lights, create more heat than last year.
Just my opinionated $.02
The advantage of the prefilter is that it grabs alot of the dust, cat hair, pollen, etc. that the fans are sucking in. Since I have 2 cats... it gathers a fair amount of stuff. the disadvantage is that you have to remember to remove and clean them now and then.
As for the fan in the middle.... I wish I had thought to add a vent in the top center of my hood that I could close or open. The reason I would like one is this:
In the winter... I don't need the extra cooling...close the top vent and shut off 1 of my fans.. keeps the tank at the right temp through-out the day. (right now I just shut off 1 fan's timer for the winter months...no vent to worry about.)
In the summer or really hot days, have both fans on and open the top vent to do what heat does...rise and leave the tank.
As it is I may cut a vent in if this summer/my new lights, create more heat than last year.
Just my opinionated $.02
B
bluedolphi
Guest
Yes..... that is an excellent idea. Having the exhaust fan at the top of the canopy (heat rising).
Lets call this a canopy/hood "blow hole".
Lets call this a canopy/hood "blow hole".
vyperone
Member
I wanted to check my tank beofre finishing my .02 cents of opinion. When I originally built my tank I put two fans blowing out.... When I met up with one of my LFS's here who is the Marine Biologist he told me that I should have my fans blowing in. This would help facilitate the water evaporation thus the cooling of the water.... As well as filling the hood with fresh air ( read oxygen) I see alot of concern for the cooling of the lights, but if your lights are cool and your water is hot, well we all know what boiled fish look like.... I installed four more fans all blowing in.... I notice one thing now months after doing this... The fans blowing out are completely corroded and are now running at about 35 r.p.m. In other words they are about shot... The fans blowing in still look brand new.... The idea of the fans are to keep the water cool, not the electronics ( bulbs )
Just more fun babble to think about....:jumping:
Just more fun babble to think about....:jumping:
broomer5
Active Member
As mentioned, I've got my fans mounted in the top, both blowing warm air out.
Cooler ambient temp air is pulled in the rear of the canopy ( 5" gap at bottom of hood ) and this cooler air is drawn across the lamps.
Warm air exhausts out the top. Heat rises as well.
Warm air does not blow on people as they get near the ends of the tank, as would end mounted fans.
500 watts of MH and 440 watts of VHO = 990 watts over a 75 gallon tank.
Two IceCap 4" variable speed fans.
No chiller ( although we do have AC in the summer )
Works for me.
Cooler ambient temp air is pulled in the rear of the canopy ( 5" gap at bottom of hood ) and this cooler air is drawn across the lamps.
Warm air exhausts out the top. Heat rises as well.
Warm air does not blow on people as they get near the ends of the tank, as would end mounted fans.
500 watts of MH and 440 watts of VHO = 990 watts over a 75 gallon tank.
Two IceCap 4" variable speed fans.
No chiller ( although we do have AC in the summer )
Works for me.
rsd
Member
Jlem:
If someone had called the cops I probably would have been arrested for assaulting and officer (with way too much info about my salt water habit) and obstructing justice (by not letting them leave until they had the full tour of every 'pod, invertebrate, and diy project in my tank....) not to mention if they asked about any other hobbies I have: boating, golf, music....
It could have been ugly.
If someone had called the cops I probably would have been arrested for assaulting and officer (with way too much info about my salt water habit) and obstructing justice (by not letting them leave until they had the full tour of every 'pod, invertebrate, and diy project in my tank....) not to mention if they asked about any other hobbies I have: boating, golf, music....
It could have been ugly.
B
bluedolphi
Guest
VyperOne,
Sounds to me like its time to change out those fans
Sounds to me like its time to change out those fans
salt-e
Member
QUOTE]For most people this is not the goal. Most people want to cool the water. Believe it or not, very little of the heat in the air in a canopy is transferred to the water. The light energy itself transfers a fair amount of heat. To remove this heat you need to cool the water. Pointing the fans at the water cools it better than any other method in my experience.
why wouldn't you just put a fan blowing down at your sump? and not even put anything in the hood. if you are just trying to cool the water. the hot air would have to do something or they would not need fans in hoods at all.
why wouldn't you just put a fan blowing down at your sump? and not even put anything in the hood. if you are just trying to cool the water. the hot air would have to do something or they would not need fans in hoods at all.
suver569
Member
I think as long as part of your canopy is open, such as the back, air flowing in, preferably across the bulbs would be the ideal setup. I'm getting ready to install a 4", and I plan on having it run across the tank lengthwise, having the back of the canopy open to the wall will provide ample room for hot air to escape from the canopy. :jumping:
S
silencer
Guest
I know a little about this so I'll chime in. There is a reason why you would blow into a building to remove smoke. If you try to suck out you obviously need something to suck, so you'd have to open the windows, but when you do this it will just pull from the closest window and many of the other rooms wouldn't be helped very much. By blowing into the house, even with the windows open, you'll create a positive pressure that effects all of the rooms.
Now when it comes to computers, you generally want to have a balance of fans that blow in and fans that suck out. You want to blow cold air in over vital components and have other fans that suck the hot air away from these components and out of the case. You need both, one or the other just isn't going to do it.
When it comes to fishtanks I don't really know that much but I agree about having both suckers and blowers. If the canopy is large and doesn't have any gaping holes anywhere you would ideally want 1 fan on each end (with a dust filter) blowing cold air into the canopy and over the water. On the top at about the 1/3 and 2/3 mark you want two more fans sucking hot air out the top. If the canopy has an open back or isn't enclosed than you don't need exhaust fans, just the fans blowing onto the water.
Fans over the sump is also a good idea if heat is still a problem. Just build a rig that hangs several fans over the sump and blow air onto it. Keep in mind though that if the sump is in an enclosed area (like inside a solid tank stand) you will need to provide additional circulation. You'll need at least 1 fan pulling cold air into the cabinet and 1 fan blowing hot air out. If there is an open back or the sump has good air circulation around it than this shouldn't be an issue.
Now when it comes to computers, you generally want to have a balance of fans that blow in and fans that suck out. You want to blow cold air in over vital components and have other fans that suck the hot air away from these components and out of the case. You need both, one or the other just isn't going to do it.
When it comes to fishtanks I don't really know that much but I agree about having both suckers and blowers. If the canopy is large and doesn't have any gaping holes anywhere you would ideally want 1 fan on each end (with a dust filter) blowing cold air into the canopy and over the water. On the top at about the 1/3 and 2/3 mark you want two more fans sucking hot air out the top. If the canopy has an open back or isn't enclosed than you don't need exhaust fans, just the fans blowing onto the water.
Fans over the sump is also a good idea if heat is still a problem. Just build a rig that hangs several fans over the sump and blow air onto it. Keep in mind though that if the sump is in an enclosed area (like inside a solid tank stand) you will need to provide additional circulation. You'll need at least 1 fan pulling cold air into the cabinet and 1 fan blowing hot air out. If there is an open back or the sump has good air circulation around it than this shouldn't be an issue.
B
billb
Guest
Just wondering...what should we look for, as far as type of fan, how hard it blows etc...a radio shack item? I think I'm going to need one or two, to try this out. I'm at 80 degrees most of the time. (Without any heater on at all) and I will be putting hotter lights in at some point. I'd like to start on the problem now, because if I can't cool it down via fan, I want to start saving now for a chiller..
Billb
Billb