Heat from MH's

[g13]

Hello, I have a 45 gallon under 250W of HQI 20K DE bulbs. It is the ocean light pendant fixture. What can I do about the heat output? I have the pendant 10" above the water line. I think the few corals are getting enough light. I have mushrooms on the bottom of the tank and they are not reching for light and they are still flat.
The heat keeps raising the temp and was wondering that I might have a problem in the summer (I live in chicago). Buying a chiller is out of the question.
I do not have any sps frags just some lps and mushrooms.

 

[golfish]

is the pendant hanging above the the tank and not mounted in a hood or canopy? the tank is open top with no glass covering it?
BTW, Loacl 86 in So Cal here

 

[bang guy]

What temperature are you trying to maintain? I'm having a tough time picturing a single 250 lamp heating the water all that much in Chicago.
A fan blowing across the water surface will increase evaporation and that will lower the water temp.

 

[g13]

@golfish...The pendant is hanging from the ceiling. There is no hood or glass on my tank. Only glass is the 3/8" glass that covers the bulb. By the way what trade are you in? I'm a sheet metal worker (dealing with HVAC).
@Bang Guy...I'm trying to keep a 78-80 degree temperature. My living room is pretty cold during the winter about 65 degrees but my heater keeps the tank tmperature in my ideal range at night but during the day when the light kicks in my tank will go as high as 84-86 degrees ( I have a sticker thermometer at the top and bottom of the tank and they both read that high during the day, so I'm positive the light is heating the whole tank).

 

[johnbaker]

How about just using a small fan set on a timer for a quick fix. It's nice to see another brother in the hobby and close enough to do some frag swappin. Im I.B.E.W. Local 117 out here in the N.W. burbs. Let me know if your interested in swappin frags and we can hook up somewhere. Good luck with the heat prob.

 

[msd2]

You can safely keep your tank warmer than 78, mine is kept at 81 constant w/o any problems at all. Also it sounds like you have a lot of light going over the tank w/low light demand animals. A solution could be to simply run the lights less. Just have it kick on while your home to enjoy it. How many hours is it running currently. If your tank is full shrooms and softies I would say you could get away with 4 hours of that mh, maybe even less.

 

[golfish]

Originally posted by G13
@golfish...The pendant is hanging from the ceiling. There is no hood or glass on my tank. Only glass is the 3/8" glass that covers the bulb. (dealing with HVAC).

Like Bang suggested, a fan blowing over the top of the tank should do the trick. Keeping the room temp at or below the desired tank temp is a good idea also.
Originally posted by G13
By the way what trade are you in?
I guess you would say I'm a bottler..I started out loading trucks for Carnation milk Co back in 1978, then went to work for Baskin N Robbins in 1983 making IC, closed that plant in 1999 and went to work making soda pop for Joka- Cola...Right now I blend the syrups used to make the products....I'm 45 now, in about 7-8 years I'll be able to retire. I only work to bring in the benefits, my wifes the money maker in the family.

 

[golfish]

opps

 

[flatzboy]

Do you have a sump? I'd add one and that should help with the tempratures plus you'll benefit from having the sump. I'd just go to target and by a $7 hang on fan and you'll be fine.

 

[g13]

@Johnbaker, I don't have any frags really just getting started with the reef stuff but I will keep it in mind.
@Flatzboy, I guees I'll look into the fan. $7 bucks can't beat that..
@msd2, I run my lights for 7 hrs. I guess, I'll see how they react to 5 hrs of lighting.

 

[plumbjohn]

local 525 plumbers & fitters Las Vegas reading over your shoulder

 

[bang guy]

My suggestion is to set your heaters to 82F or 83F and then set up a small muffin fan and plug it into the same timer the light is on.

 

[johnbaker]

G13
If your interested we are trying to get a frag swapping club started in the area. You should get involved even if your just starting. I have tons of finger leather frags, your more than welcome to HAVE and any others in the area interested in showing up. Save the reefs, frag and trade! Let me know.
:happyfish :happyfish :happyfish :happyfish :happyfish :happyfish

 

[saltydog]

Originally posted by Bang Guy
My suggestion is to set your heaters to 82F or 83F and then set up a small muffin fan and plug it into the same timer the light is on.
I'm with Bang. I keep my heater at 83F and run two small fans set to run when my MH's are on. Seems to keep a constant temperature.
-Salty