First post

[fly75]

First post but long time reader. First off, I appreciate all the help and advice you guys give.
To give a little history about the tank; 75 gallon reef in the works. My tank was set up the first week of Feb. 2006 with 80lbs LS, 77lbs LR (fiji, marshall, and tonga), wet-dry sump (125gal), mag 7 return pump, Euro-reef RS5-2 protein skimmer, Seio 820 power head, maxi-jet 400 power head, 260 watt power compact lighting.
The tank took about 6 weeks to cycle with partially cured rock. It is now covered in coraline algae on rock and back of glass
Fish: 2 false percs, 3 green chromis, 1 sm blue hippo (added yesterday).
Inverts: 4 turbo snails, some small astria snails, blue and red legged hermits, 1 halloween hermit, 1 coral banded shrimp, and 1 gorrilla crab ( unwanted hitch hiker)
Coral: Blue muhsroom rock, green mushroom rock (bleached in begining, temp issues), 1 green wellsophyllia, 1 rock w/ star polyps, 1 rock green zoos, 1 small piece of pulsing xenia (not currently pulsing).
Parameters: Ammonia 0, trite and trates 0, 1.024 sg, temp 78, ph 8.0, 10dKH, Ca 400. 15 gal water changes every 2 weeks.
FINNALY a question: I am looking at upgrading the lighting now that the tank is starting to mature. I would like to keep the pc's for actinics and add a halide retro kit, 150-175 watt into the hood I am making. Hood will be 24" tall and incorparate 2 4" fans on the sides and 1 24" window fan (idea I got from target) in the back. would this be possible without a chiller? I would like to add some Acropora, montipora, and MAYBE a clam or 2.
Sorry this is so long. Thanks!!!

 

[tat2d]

There are a lot of variables here- House ambient temp, tank equipment (Not just the lights producing heat). Where is all that air you are moving going to go?
It really is just kind of "try it and see" with fans. I have 2- 5inch fans pushing in, and a bathroom fan ducted throught the wall pulling the hot air out, and I'm still gonna have to get a chiller. It still gets to almost 81 by the end of the day when it's real hot outside. I do have AC, but to keep it cold enough to put the tank at 77 all the time would require parkas for us. Some people have great luck with them, and they do a great job on my tank. Just not quite enough for me.
Bobby

 

[teresaq]

most people keep thier tanks at 78 to 80 all the time,. Mine runs 80 to 82.

 

[fly75]

My plan was to have the 2 4" fans blowing the hot air out and the 2 10" fans blowing cool air in. My house is set at 75-76 and I use a floor fan in that room. That same floor fan was used while I was cycling my tank and the temp went real high 86 or so and I brought the temp down to 74 but had no livestock in it. That is the reason I am curious who is suceesful with halides and no chiller and what they are doing to achieve this?