How do you keep your tank cool?

mkroher

mkroher

Member
My tank goes from 79-85 degrees everyday. I raised the light higher off the surface. I have a large fan blowing across it as well.
I know that not everyone here has a chiller, so how are you keeping your tank from roasting your critters?
Also, room temperature doesn't go above 70.
75gal tank with sump, and 6-54w T5-HO.
thanks
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
If your ambient temperature is 70 and your tank temp goes to 85 I think you have to start by giving some more info. , What type of cover if any. What heat generation equipment do you have. Is your surface agitation sufficient EST.
 
mkroher

mkroher

Member
Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/3160724
If your ambient temperature is 70 and your tank temp goes to 85 I think you have to start by giving some more info. , What type of cover if any. What heat generation equipment do you have. Is your surface agitation sufficient EST.
Hi Joe..
No cover at all. All equipment runs 24x7 (execpt for the light obviously). My surface agitation are two 3/4" returns facing UP, giving ripples and little waves constantly. The light is about 8" from the top of the tank, so about 9-10" from the actual water surface. Should the light be higher? When I place my hand between the light and the water surface, it is VERY warm.. so I'm blaming the lights right now.
 
mantisman51

mantisman51

Active Member
Is it against the outside wall? When I had my 125g against the north side wall, it would overheat during the summer. I moved the 55g there, but left it about 7" from the wall and have no problems now. FWIW.
 
mkroher

mkroher

Member
Originally Posted by mantisman51
http:///forum/post/3160753
Is it against the outside wall? When I had my 125g against the north side wall, it would overheat during the summer. I moved the 55g there, but left it about 7" from the wall and have no problems now. FWIW.
It's on an inside wall. It only heats up after the lights have been on for a while.
 
mantisman51

mantisman51

Active Member
I would tend to think the lights are the problem. I have t5's over my 125-in a canopy, but I leave the top open and don't have an issue with heat.
 
globaldesigns

globaldesigns

Member
I don't run any chillers or heaters. I have a heater in the refuge, but I can say that I have never seen it on.
Reason for above is that I have a 4 tonne air conditioning system on the house, so with that and house heating I keep the house at a constant 20-21 Celsius... My tank is also at a constant 80F, it may sway about 1 degree. I am lucky, don't need to fight with temp.
If you can afford it, air condition your house, the benefit is coolness for you also on the hot days.
 
mkroher

mkroher

Member
Originally Posted by globaldesigns
http:///forum/post/3160856
I don't run any chillers or heaters. I have a heater in the refuge, but I can say that I have never seen it on.
Reason for above is that I have a 4 tonne air conditioning system on the house, so with that and house heating I keep the house at a constant 20-21 Celsius... My tank is also at a constant 80F, it may sway about 1 degree. I am lucky, don't need to fight with temp.
If you can afford it, air condition your house, the benefit is coolness for you also on the hot days.

i have two heaters, the only time i see them on are in the morning before the lights kick on. So i raised the light as high as it can go, and hopefully i'll see a difference. Hoping for a 5 degree difference is pushing it, but I don't want to see 85 anymore. Tomorrow i am going to buy a couple small fans that clamp on, and place them on both sides of the tank.
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Ok this is my very uneducated observation. I don’t think it’s your lights. Without a hood the air you lights are heating is rising. The space evacuated from the hot rising is filled with cool ambient air. This should in fact cool the surface area of your tank. BUT there is a down side. If you are generating heat from with in your tank the surface area is capped with the cooler ambient air and can not escape. I would disconnect the heaters and see how that goes do you have any electrical equipment other then the lights that come on during the day
BTW how do you like my aviator
 
mkroher

mkroher

Member
Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/3160902
Ok this is my very uneducated observation. I don’t think it’s your lights. Without a hood the air you lights are heating is rising. The space evacuated from the hot rising is filled with cool ambient air. This should in fact cool the surface area of your tank. BUT there is a down side. If you are generating heat from with in your tank the surface area is capped with the cooler ambient air and can not escape. I would disconnect the heaters and see how that goes do you have any electrical equipment other then the lights that come on during the day
BTW how do you like my aviator
I can unplug the heaters when the lights are on, but not during the night (it can reach the upper 30's here). As far as the electrical equipment: 2 koralia-1s in the display. In the sump i have an octopus 150, a Quiet One pump, and the two heaters. Since I raised my light higher today when the temperature was high, I have to wait until tomorrow after the tank cools through the night, and monitor the temps after the lights come on.
I like your avitar.. but it seems someone else is using one similar :)
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member

85 is not too high...your critters won't die at that temp.
You could try turning on your lights for about 4 hours and then shut them down, leaving only actinic on for about 3 hours, then cut the bright lights back on for another 3 hours. By breaking the light time up, you allow things to not heat up too much. I do this and it works good with the fans.
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
From the angle of the fan it almost looks like you're trying to cool your lights. That will actually make the flourescent bulbs last longer but it won't cool your water. If you want to cool the water the air needs to blow across the water. Point the fan down just a bit.
 
mkroher

mkroher

Member
Originally Posted by Flower
http:///forum/post/3160957

85 is not too high...your critters won't die at that temp. 70 however is way too cool. Running fans across the top of the water will cool things down to about 82 which would be fine for your critters..unless you keep sea horses. Even folks who keep horses keep the tank warmer than 70.
Also you could try turning on your lights for about 4 hours and then shut them down, leaving only actinic on for about 3 hours, then cut the bright lights back on for another 3 hours. By breaking the light time up you allow things to not heat up too much. I do this and it works good with the fans.
The water temp doesn't go down to 70, that's the room temperature. The lowest the water temp goes down to is 79.
You think 85 isn't too high? But isn't the fluctuation from 79-85 bad?
 
reefkprz

reefkprz

Active Member
I find it strange that t-5's would heat a tank so much. I run 2x250w halides 4 inches off the top of my 75g and my tank only heats from 81 in the am to 83 at night before they go out and I have my halides on for 14 hours each day.
I agree with bang about tipping your fan down so its blowing more at/across the surface of your water.
is your sump enclosed? if it is I would cut a hole in either end of your stand and place a fan drawing air out at one end to suck cooler air through your stand. this will help cool your sump
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
A few more thoughts. Are you sure about the accuracy of your thermometer? I think looking at the pic you posted your surface movement is adequate. If you can use an instant read thermometer and start charting your temp. From the time your lights go on in half hour increments. I would also leave the lights off for a full day monitoring the temp. I just do not believe the temp swing you are getting is caused by the lights. If your home has a constant ambient temp and your heat generating equipment runs at a constant you should stabilize your temp and then the only added heat will be your light. That is why I suggest to run your tank with out the lights for a 24hrs and monitor
 
mkroher

mkroher

Member
Sump is not enclosed. It's a 20 long completely open.
Joe, I have bought new thermometers to rule out any of them being defective. I am also going to try your advice and turn the lights off for a day, and see what it stabalizes at.
Thanks for the tips everyone.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by mkroher
http:///forum/post/3161106
The water temp doesn't go down to 70, that's the room temperature. The lowest the water temp goes down to is 79.
You think 85 isn't too high? But isn't the fluctuation from 79-85 bad?

Sorry...I misread the post. I fixed it. The fluctuation isn't all that bad with temp. In nature the temp changes pretty regular near the shallow reefs. You should try and bring it down because there is no wiggle room...85 is like the highest you want to ever allow it to get.
Try putting a timer on the lights and have them cut off and on through the day, and have two fans. One blowing air over the water and another pulling air out. Not at the lights but at the water surface. That should keep things in check if the heat source is the lights.
 
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