Tank Temperature

[tangman99]

My 90 Gallon Reef tanks seems to stay between 82 and 83 degrees. This seem too high for me. I only have mushrooms and a devils hand and they seem to do ok, but I want to go to SPS and clams when I get my MH installed which is not going to help. I don't think my lights are really affecting it that much now though as the temp is still 82 when the lights are off. I think the biggest problem is the 2 Mag 7 pumps I have submerged in my sump. One is the return and one is for my AquaC Skimmer. Does anyone run these pumps external? If so, does it keep it from heating up the water. I have heard they are loud running external though.
I may change out my return pump. What is a good pump to use that is quiet and will not heat up my water. Do I need to go external for this?
Thanks

 

[phoenixfla]

I have 2 mag 7s and a mag 3 running submersed. I also have nearly 1200 watts on my 125 and I do not run a chiller. My temp stays between 82 and 84. The key was to mount the lights 12" off the water and add tons of ventilation to the canopy. I custom built the canopy to make it exactly the way I wanted it. I purchased 2 computer cooling fans from CompUSA and they move a TON of air. It actually runs cooler now with the MH than it did with just the CP, all because of a lot of ventilation in the canopy.

 

[phoenixfla]

By the way, I am using the Mag 7s not by choice, but because they came with the tank. I eventually will replace them with an external pump.

 

[ctgretzky9]

Originally Posted by TangMan99
My 90 Gallon Reef tanks seems to stay between 82 and 83 degrees. This seem too high for me. I only have mushrooms and a devils hand and they seem to do ok, but I want to go to SPS and clams when I get my MH installed which is not going to help. I don't think my lights are really affecting it that much now though as the temp is still 82 when the lights are off. I think the biggest problem is the 2 Mag 7 pumps I have submerged in my sump. One is the return and one is for my AquaC Skimmer. Does anyone run these pumps external? If so, does it keep it from heating up the water. I have heard they are loud running external though.
I may change out my return pump. What is a good pump to use that is quiet and will not heat up my water. Do I need to go external for this?
Thanks

You could run a small fan across the surface of the water in the sump, or on the tank. Evaporative cooling can make a huge difference. Keeps my tank 80 all through the summer, even during heat waves.

 

[mrdc]

When I switched to halides, I was worried about the temperature. I installed two 4 3/4" fans and mounted the halides between 8 and 10 inches above the tank. Water temp sits at 81 all the time. I think a fan would really help.

 

[tangman99]

I currently have one icecap fan in the end of my canopy for my 440 Watts of VHO lighting. When I put on my new canopy which is 14 inches high with the 250Watt MH, I'll have two icecap fans running.
I actually left my light off completely today to see what my temp would be without running the lights. They have been off for 21 ours and my tank temp is 82.3.
Someone said their tank was between 82 and 84. Is this temp even anything to worry about then? I thought it was too high.