keeping tanks cool tips please.

[dad]

Ok, here is the story;
I have found myself confined to my house due to a accident I had at work.
I have way too much time on my hands and was thinking. Hot weather is coming soon with alot of people asking ways to keep their tanks cool.
So why not make a list of things you can do?
Besides home made coolers, how many ways are there?
example: ice packs,fans,cooling off your top water, etc.
I wish everyone would put there methods or ideas here and help me put together a list that everyone could use to answer the hundreds people that will be asking this summer.
Thanks, dad

 

[nm reef]

Whats worked for me is having a fan blow across the open top surface of my refugium and insuring that power heads agitate the surface of my display(tends to increase evaporation which in turn lowers temp)....using these methods my systems stay within 78-82 even in the middle of New Mexico summers. Also I really try to keep the house around 80 that helps too.Good idea making a list of options cause the questions about high temps are already increasing huh!!

 

[wamp]

Fans, fans, and more fans..
If you have heat problems, a fan in your canopy will elp cool the heat being introduced into the aquarium via lights. A fan across the top of your sump will help.
Thats about it.. I really don't have a heat problem so I only use 1..

 

[richard rendos]

I use a 1/4 HP chiller. Works great. Keeps temperature within 1 degree of where I set it. I set mine at 77 degrees Farenheit.

 

[rickt4du]

I keep the air conditioning on at 73deg so I still have to use the heaters in the summer.

 

[tru conch]

fans mostly, along with the ac set at 75 keeps the tanks at 78 or so. also i did make wood blocks to set my pc lights on, i know it decreases the power of the lights, but helps keep the tank cool.

 

[joe's reefer]

i use a fan and occasional sandwich bags of ice

 

[dad]

OK, Thanks to the ideas so far!

 

[psumba]

I am definetly going to need this.
Just moved to Boston, and the old homes have no AC.
The heat wave we had last week took my tank up to 82.
So here is a stupid question. When I install a fan, should the blowing air point into the canopy to push the air across the surface or out of the canopy to pull the hot air out from underneath.
Will both work adaquetly?

 

[dirtybilge]

I think the best way to cool a tank without spending $800 on a chiller is just buy a window AC unit. Then you can stay cool with your fish, I have a $400 unit that keeps my 650 Square foot apartment at 75-80 when its 100 outside and 70-75 when its 90 outside. I stay cool with my fish. I will be buying a second unit for my bedroom as a backup. SOON!

 

[drkegel]

Dirtybilge-
A window AC unit is a good way to stay cool with your tank.
There are two reasons (I'm guessing) as to why people are looking at cooling just their tank. For starters, the cost of a window AC unit for a larger area is $400 or more, while the cost of a DIY chiller is half that or less.
Second, the electric bill to cool the entire space is A LOT more than the bill would be for just the tank.
In my case, I wouldn't put a window AC unit in because of the neighborhood I live in. Too easy a target.

 

[shel]

Speaking from Arizona here, I have 2 fans that come on periodically (SP?) in the canopy for the MH. I also have a fan in the cabnet that blows accross the sump it comes on 3 times a day for like 2-3 hours at each time. I also keep the A/C set at 78. I do have a alot of evaporation but at least my fish are happy and cool.