Help my tank is getting too hot!

trinette02

trinette02

Member
The tank is at 85-90 right now and the lights just came on. I can't find a chiller at any local stores. Could I freeze some water from the tank to chill it down. Live in Texas AC just not kicking enough to cool the house down enough for my tank....
 
fishkid13

fishkid13

Active Member
Unplug your lights sense they will generate heat, if you have some ice in a frezer or if you can get some put it in a zip lock baggy.
 
juniors04

juniors04

Member
Im having the same problem right now. Im at 82 right now. Im keeping my lights off and turned down the heaters.
 
windlasher

windlasher

Member
Originally Posted by trinette02
http:///forum/post/3085415
The tank is at 85-90 right now and the lights just came on. I can't find a chiller at any local stores. Could I freeze some water from the tank to chill it down. Live in Texas AC just not kicking enough to cool the house down enough for my tank....
so with all the temperature emergencies, I have been thinking about a cheap way to chill an aquarium inexpensively. To this end, you need the following:
Styrofoam cooler: $5
20 feet of ½ OD tubing from home depot: $7
1 maxijet 800 pump available from *****: $15
many bags of ice: $2 each
salt: $1
temp monitor: $80 on a certain auction site. not necessary but helpful.
1st end of hose goes onto the maxijet and drop in the sump/tank.
Coil hose up so that it fits inside the cooler and hang the other end at the other end of the sump/tank.
Fill cooler with ice ensuring that it surrounds the hose.
Sprinkle salt on the ice. (it helps it stay colder)
Plug in max-jet and you have a chiller. If you did not opt for the temp monitor you need to watch this so it does not super chill your tank. The temp monitor will turn it on and off for you at a set temperature.
NOTES:
Yes you could freeze water in 2 liter bottles and drop them in your tank but then you have them bobbing around possible banging into your corals and such. With my way all you need to do to stop the cold is unplug the pump.
Ice in zip lock bags also works, but zip lock bags do leak. Don’t believe the hype.
Fans also work, but make your water evaporate.
My way you are introducing nothing into your tank.
You can substitute ICE with those foil freezer packs if you can find enough of them. Less mess, you don’t have to drain the melted water and you can re-use them.
I personally think this is a good substitute for those who only need cooling for a month or two during the hottest part of the summer. I could be wrong.
 
oceanboy13

oceanboy13

Member
Originally Posted by windlasher
http:///forum/post/3085603
so with all the temperature emergencies, I have been thinking about a cheap way to chill an aquarium inexpensively. To this end, you need the following:
Styrofoam cooler: $5
20 feet of ½ OD tubing from home depot: $7
1 maxijet 800 pump available from *****: $15
many bags of ice: $2 each
salt: $1
temp monitor: $80 on a certain auction site. not necessary but helpful.
1st end of hose goes onto the maxijet and drop in the sump/tank.
Coil hose up so that it fits inside the cooler and hang the other end at the other end of the sump/tank.
Fill cooler with ice ensuring that it surrounds the hose.
Sprinkle salt on the ice. (it helps it stay colder)
Plug in max-jet and you have a chiller. If you did not opt for the temp monitor you need to watch this so it does not super chill your tank. The temp monitor will turn it on and off for you at a set temperature.
NOTES:
Yes you could freeze water in 2 liter bottles and drop them in your tank but then you have them bobbing around possible banging into your corals and such. With my way all you need to do to stop the cold is unplug the pump.
Ice in zip lock bags also works, but zip lock bags do leak. Don’t believe the hype.
Fans also work, but make your water evaporate.
My way you are introducing nothing into your tank.
You can substitute ICE with those foil freezer packs if you can find enough of them. Less mess, you don’t have to drain the melted water and you can re-use them.
I personally think this is a good substitute for those who only need cooling for a month or two during the hottest part of the summer. I could be wrong.

maybe im a little slow but if u have the hose in the beer bucket holder lol...wouldnt it let the ice thats melting enter the tank or did i miss something...
 
juniors04

juniors04

Member
Im having problems with my QT tank temp. It goes up than comes back down than goes up and comes back down. I currently have a Dog face puffer and a velvet damsel in the QT tank. Can this be a problem to the fish? My 300 gallon DT is at 80 degrees now still little high.
 
smoothie

smoothie

Member
Originally Posted by trinette02
http:///forum/post/3085415
The tank is at 85-90 right now and the lights just came on. I can't find a chiller at any local stores. Could I freeze some water from the tank to chill it down. Live in Texas AC just not kicking enough to cool the house down enough for my tank....
Had this happen when my heater stuck ON. Keep the lights off for now and keep air blowing across the top. Do you have a closed canopy and what lights are you running?
 
gio28

gio28

Active Member
i use big zip lock bags full of ice from the freezer. if your worried about it leaking...put the bag with the ice into another zip lock to make sure. mine have never leaked though. and i have a glass top on my tank so i just shut the top on the bag to keep it from floating around.
 
bill109

bill109

Active Member
Originally Posted by oceanboy13
http:///forum/post/3085751
maybe im a little slow but if u have the hose in the beer bucket holder lol...wouldnt it let the ice thats melting enter the tank or did i miss something...
the tube goes from the end of the maxijet which the water gets sucked up thru the ph. then the water goes through all the coiled up hoses int he cooler with the ice and the water gets cooled down. then the now colled water goes back into the sump all cool.
i think this is how it works.
also i suggest makin ro/di ice cubesss
 
oceanboy13

oceanboy13

Member
mmk...if thts the case how does the water make it back to the tank or the sump cause its just one powerhead suckin water to the chiller not returning it to
 
reefforbrains

reefforbrains

Active Member
Think of it as a heat exchanger. The powerhead's output is inside of a closed loop....out of the tank through the coiled hose and then back into the tank.
The water from the tank (flowing through the hose) and the ice/salt mix in the cooler never mix with one another. They only exchange heat through the tubing by exposure to one another.
The option above is to plug the powerhead that is driving the flow into a temp switch. Or temp controller. When water in tank heats up, it turns on the powerhead, when tanks temp goes down, it turns off the powerhead.
Now thats clear- but I do have reservations about building a closed loop as you will need an awful lot of ice in order for it to be effective. Great idea in a pinch but cheaper to just get a chiller and keep the tank consistent and stable with proper means.
On a 300g, forget about it. The amount of ice required will be in the hundreds of pounds.
JMO
 
oceanboy13

oceanboy13

Member
ok got ya that makes perfect sense now...but like u said it would just be cheaper to get the chiller in the long run
 
windlasher

windlasher

Member
Originally Posted by oceanboy13
http:///forum/post/3086385
ok got ya that makes perfect sense now...but like u said it would just be cheaper to get the chiller in the long run
have you priced chillers?

I was thinking of it for a cheay DIY chiller for those that usually don't need one except when the freaky planet goes nuts during the summer. The advantage being that:
a: you dont have to buy a chiller.
b: it you use the frozen foil packs you can recycle them.
c: chillers also generate a lot of heat and if you cant vent that heat out of the room, they do not work very well because the heat just heats up the room again.
d: very little electricity required.
 
trinette02

trinette02

Member
Originally Posted by smoothie
http:///forum/post/3085917
Had this happen when my heater stuck ON. Keep the lights off for now and keep air blowing across the top. Do you have a closed canopy and what lights are you running?
I do have a close canopy and I'll have to check exact lights but nothing really special... I did keep lights off today been at work so I'm curious what temp got to today...
 
trinette02

trinette02

Member
Originally Posted by windlasher
http:///forum/post/3085603
so with all the temperature emergencies, I have been thinking about a cheap way to chill an aquarium inexpensively. To this end, you need the following:
Styrofoam cooler: $5
20 feet of ½ OD tubing from home depot: $7
1 maxijet 800 pump available from *****: $15
many bags of ice: $2 each
salt: $1
temp monitor: $80 on a certain auction site. not necessary but helpful.
1st end of hose goes onto the maxijet and drop in the sump/tank.
Coil hose up so that it fits inside the cooler and hang the other end at the other end of the sump/tank.
Fill cooler with ice ensuring that it surrounds the hose.
Sprinkle salt on the ice. (it helps it stay colder)
Plug in max-jet and you have a chiller. If you did not opt for the temp monitor you need to watch this so it does not super chill your tank. The temp monitor will turn it on and off for you at a set temperature.
NOTES:
Yes you could freeze water in 2 liter bottles and drop them in your tank but then you have them bobbing around possible banging into your corals and such. With my way all you need to do to stop the cold is unplug the pump.
Ice in zip lock bags also works, but zip lock bags do leak. Don’t believe the hype.
Fans also work, but make your water evaporate.
My way you are introducing nothing into your tank.
You can substitute ICE with those foil freezer packs if you can find enough of them. Less mess, you don’t have to drain the melted water and you can re-use them.
I personally think this is a good substitute for those who only need cooling for a month or two during the hottest part of the summer. I could be wrong.

This sounds interesting I may just try this for a fast fix... In two years it is the first time this has happened. I blame the 100 degrees outside.... Thank you
 
steve2121

steve2121

New Member
that chiller i got a couple weeks ago is the best investment ive ever made (just for my sanities sake) for my tank.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top