Help: Temperature issues

[atrialfib22]

Hi everyone, so I have started my 20g nano...it's been cycling for about 3 weeks now. I have 21 lbs of LR (from LFS), 20 lbs of LS, mixing IO salt. All my parameters have actually leveled off at:
SG = 1.024
pH = 8.0
Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 5.0
dKH = 9, 161.1 ppm
Ca 2+ = 280
The problem is that the temperature has been ranging from 84 to 88 F. I know that's wayyy too high. But I am not sure how to fix it. I've been leaving the top open hoping that it will cool off and I've cut down the lighting time from 9 hrs to about 6.5-7.
I ordered a dual Azoo Fan...it clips on to the aquarium wall and I have also ordered legs for my T5 fixture to raise it up about 3 in off the top. I plan to get rid of the aquarium top altogether and just use egg crate instead.
The fan and light legs won't get here for about another 3-4 days. Anyone have any advice as to how I can cool off the tank in the meantime? I don't wanna have a lot of die off from the LR/LS while I wait...or is that even an issue at this point?

 

[michaeltx]

do you have the galss tops on the tank? and what is the ambient temp of your home. and does the tank get any direct sunlight on it.
Mike

 

[atrialfib22]

Yea it is a glass top that i've been keeping open lately since I saw the temperature getting out of range.
The temperature in the house is set for 76F.
And unfortunately the tank had to go near a window that faces east. I keep the wood blinds closed all day and night. And the back of the tank is painted black. I was careful that no direct sunlight hit the tank, but I am not sure if it is affecting it indirectly.

 

[t316]

Take the tops completely off imediately and set up a fan, any household fan, and direct it straight at the water surface. Should drop several degrees in a tank that size

 

[michaeltx]

can you remove the tops all together?
and place a desk fan blowing directly on the water and add some more circulation at the water surface. it will increase you evaporation rate so be prepared for that.
mike

 

[t316]

Originally Posted by AtrialFib22
http:///forum/post/2553613
Yea it is a glass top that i've been keeping open lately since I saw the temperature getting out of range.
The temperature in the house is set for 76F.
And unfortunately the tank had to go near a window that faces east. I keep the wood blinds closed all day and night. And the back of the tank is painted black. I was careful that no direct sunlight hit the tank, but I am not sure if it is affecting it indirectly.
You are going to continue to have some temp issues if you keep the house temp at 76. If you are going to keep it that high in the house, you are going to have to compensate by leaving the tops off and running fans.

 

[atrialfib22]

Originally Posted by T316
http:///forum/post/2553615
Take the tops completely off imediately and set up a fan, any household fan, and direct it straight at the water surface. Should drop several degrees in a tank that size

Thanks, I will try to look around the house and see if we have any kind of fan available. I may just run out to walmart and buy a cheapo clip on...
...another thought that just came up in my mind...am I running too much stuff in the tank? I currently have a MJ1200 PH, one Koralia #2, the AquaC Remora skimmer w/another MJ1200 for inflow and a HOB fliter that is running w/out any filtering media right now. I know that running equipment can contribute to heat in a tank, but I didn't think I was doing too much. Any ideas about that? or am I just way off track (I hope I am!)

 

[michaeltx]

it can add to it but I dont see anything that if working properly will increase temp that high. you can check to see by putting your hand on the equipment and see what temperature its running at and see if there is something adding to the heat issue.
Mike

 

[t316]

Originally Posted by AtrialFib22
http:///forum/post/2553626
Thanks, I will try to look around the house and see if we have any kind of fan available. I may just run out to walmart and buy a cheapo clip on...
...another thought that just came up in my mind...am I running too much stuff in the tank? I currently have a MJ1200 PH, one Koralia #2, the AquaC Remora skimmer w/another MJ1200 for inflow and a HOB fliter that is running w/out any filtering media right now. I know that running equipment can contribute to heat in a tank, but I didn't think I was doing too much. Any ideas about that? or am I just way off track (I hope I am!)
I wouldn't worry too much about anything you listed. The high temp is coming from A) tops on the tank B) lights with no fans blowing the heat away C) no fans on the water surface, which causes evaporation thus lower water temp and D) slightly high temp setting in the room

 

[t316]

Originally Posted by MichaelTX
http:///forum/post/2553630
it can add to it but I dont see anything that if working properly will increase temp that high. you can check to see by putting your hand on the equipment and see what temperature its running at and see if there is something adding to the heat issue.
Mike
We need a delay feature on here...are we repeating each other

 

[atrialfib22]

Ok, great. Thanks for the reassurance everyone. I will get rid of the tops and get a fan on that water surface ASAP. I don't mind doing frequent topoffs if at least I know my tank is not gonna boil everything in it.

 

[michaeltx]

Originally Posted by T316
http:///forum/post/2553637
We need a delay feature on here...are we repeating each other

your about a minute behind me LOL
Mike

 

[michaeltx]

Originally Posted by AtrialFib22
http:///forum/post/2553639
Ok, great. Thanks for the reassurance everyone. I will get rid of the tops and get a fan on that water surface ASAP. I don't mind doing frequent topoffs if at least I know my tank is not gonna boil everything in it.

if you can get it to 80-81 your fine I run mine that high because I dont like the cooling bill and everything is fine just get it down to that,. the main thing is to stop the swing in temp it can cause problems in the long run. its all correctable though.
Mike

 

[t316]

Originally Posted by MichaelTX
http:///forum/post/2553646
if you can get it to 80-81 your fine I run mine that high because I dont like the cooling bill and everything is fine just get it down to that,. the main thing is to stop the swing in temp it can cause problems in the long run. its all correctable though.
Mike
Agreed...and if you have a heater, go ahead and set it to 80. Sounds high, but since you are running high, it will keep the fluctuations narrower, instead of dipping down to 78 or so at night.

 

[mojohoojo]

umm....sorry to bug but i have a 10G nano FOWLR, BT, Shrooms and Sebae. The most cool that i can get my tank is about 86F........ (i Know thats supper high) my tank been running close to 4 months and my chiller is running late to be delivered to me, Currently i am using 1 Fan blowing the water surface and the room fan switched on during the day time......i am bit suprise all of my live stocks are doing good.....is this normal? i tot the cant survive? please help

 

[t316]

Originally Posted by mojohoojo
http:///forum/post/2553715
umm....sorry to bug but i have a 10G nano FOWLR, BT, Shrooms and Sebae. The most cool that i can get my tank is about 86F........ (i Know thats supper high) my tank been running close to 4 months and my chiller is running late to be delivered to me, Currently i am using 1 Fan blowing the water surface and the room fan switched on during the day time......i am bit suprise all of my live stocks are doing good.....is this normal? i tot the cant survive? please help

Unless you are on the outskirts of AFRICA, this all sounds a little suspicous to me...

 

[mojohoojo]

hahahaha.....close. im in Borneo (Tropical Rainforest Region). but really...i'll post some pics after work. Maybe you guys can spot any abnormallities.

 

[emtguy]

It aint the temp that causes trouble as much as the swing in temp. you need to be around 80 but being at 83 and staying around 83 is not as bad as being at 81 and droping to 75 at night then back again to 81 in daytime...IMHO.

 

[atrialfib22]

Just an Update on my temperature issues:
I got rid of the top altogether and replaced it with eggcrate just to keep stuff from falling into the tank. Yesterday I got my order in the mail with the Azoo dual fan fixture and I installed it.
In addition, I built legs for my lights (I found out they don't make actual legs to mount the Nova Extreme T5s that I have) and raised the fixture about 3 inches.
After running the fan for a few hours the temperature dropped from 85F to 80 and finally leveled off to 78.6F. I just have to tweak my heater now so that I can get rid of the big swings. Hopefully I'll be able to monitor the temperature changes throughout the day more over this weekend and tighten the range.
Thanks for all your help!

 

[michaeltx]

thats what I like to hear. alot of people with heat issues benifit from removing those stupid glass tops. and increase top rate flow and fans simple fix for a bad problem.
Glad you got it fixed.
Mike