temp to high need help asap

[kazaray72]

Yes i have a temperature problem I have my heaters set at 24 and it climbs to 29 and today 30 i am very worried how can i keep the temp at the right degrees?
I have asked my lfs about this and they told me about a chiller . For my size tank a would need a large one costing around $1.400 dollars is there any other way as i'm very worried as the days are becoming much warmer need help asap
?

 

[symon]

what kind of lighting schedual are you on, If it is a lighting issue you may want to invest in a reefkeeper II, it alows you to cut your lights off at a set temp, also you can add more flow, fans in your hood to pull the heat out!
I have thought of a chiller myself but these things i mentioned helped me considerably!
Good Luck!

 

[mandarin w]

There are several things that could cause the temp in your tank to raise. It would help if we knew a little more about your setup.
1. What type of lights are you running?
2. How far above the tank do you have them?
3. Do you have glass covers over the tank?
4. How many powerheads do you have in your tank?
These could all make a big difference in how cool you can get your tank down.
Lighting - There are three types of lighting, Metal Halides - Very hot!!!, Compact Floresence- they are warm but cooler than MH, and T-5's - which are the coolest running.
If your light sit right on top of your tank they will blast the heat from the lights right into the tank. If you have the glass cover on top of the tank the glass just intensifies the heat. Just as the windows in you car.
Suggestion, Get the lights at least 6 to 8 inches off the top of the tank. Find a fan of some sort to blow air across the top of the tank. (Not into, just across the top) This will help to blow a lot of the heat from the lights away from the tank. Take the glass tops off the tank, replace it with eggcrate if you are worried about fish jumping from the tank. (Check out the other post on here, there was one not too long ago asking what eggcrate was. you can find a picture of it if you don't know what we are refering to when we say eggcrate.) This is very important in two ways, 1. the glass isnot there to intensify the heat from the lights. and 2. This will allow the tank to sweat. Proper evaporation in important to the tank just as it is for humans when it is hot. It allows for proper gas exchange. But keep extra RO/DI (Fresh, NOT Saltwater) water handy for toping off the tank.
The last thing is to check your powerheads. Remember there are little motors running 24/7 in those. And with that those motors do put off heat. And if one is not the best quality it could put off even more heat to heat up your tank.
Beleive it or not, I had a rio and an aqua med in my 180, the temp was running 87. and that was with the light off and at 7 am. After checking the powerheads and switching them out my tank hasn't gotten above 82.
Lastly if your home is warm that will help heat up your tank, Keep the AC on, or put a window unit in the room that your tank is in. and keep fans blowing cool air on and around the tank.
If none of these help, I am sorry to say you will more than likely need a chiller.

 

[bang guy]

I second the fans!

 

[petieaztec]

i bought some fans for fish tanks at my lfs and they worked really really well. they sell them for anysize tank. i wouls make the blow on the water. and they are not thousands more like $50.00. good luck

 

[kazaray72]

Thanks for all the the people who got back to me. well i have 540 liltre tank a large light it is a aqualina light slim looking and it gets very hot ............. my power head havn't checked it but it is running 24 7 so im guessing it would not be helping I have the light sitting on the glass covers of the tank .it has a wooden hood on it . the cab is wood, also. how long should i run my lights for ? I have a reef tank tank will corals anenmones 11 fish . How long should i be having my lights on ? AND will there still be enough light if it gets raised up ? again thanks for your help

 

[mandarin w]

If you have a wooden canopy, why have glass tops on the tank? There propose is to keep fish from jumping out.
If I read your post right, you have a light unit that is self contained. Then you have this in side a wooden canopy. Are you getting what I am getting at. The light unit produces heat and then you keep it incased in a wooden box to help hold the heat in. Nowhere for the heat to go except your tank. When people use canopies, they use retrofits in side. so all that is inside the canopy is the light bulb, fitting for the light bulbs, and the wiring, The cut out holes on the sides and the tops for fans (computer type fans) to be mounted over the holes to pull the heat out. That is about the only way I have seen to have a canopy successfully. Also these canopies are made usally about 12 inches high. If you have good strong lights. It wont hurt it at all to be off the top of the tank any.

 

[helpme74]

I have a 75 gal this worked for me :cheer:
i have it in my sump blowing on top of the water

 

[kazaray72]

Originally Posted by mandarin w
If you have a wooden canopy, why have glass tops on the tank? There propose is to keep fish from jumping out.
If I read your post right, you have a light unit that is self contained. Then you have this in side a wooden canopy. Are you getting what I am getting at. The light unit produces heat and then you keep it incased in a wooden box to help hold the heat in. Nowhere for the heat to go except your tank. When people use canopies, they use retrofits in side. so all that is inside the canopy is the light bulb, fitting for the light bulbs, and the wiring, The cut out holes on the sides and the tops for fans (computer type fans) to be mounted over the holes to pull the heat out. That is about the only way I have seen to have a canopy successfully. Also these canopies are made usally about 12 inches high. If you have good strong lights. It wont hurt it at all to be off the top of the tank any.
yes thanks for all your advise but i have a flame hawk that loves to jump out he has twice already. i had the glass of and he with through the small gap on the back of the hood so i can't do that. i will try the fan and the other tips you gave my .thanks.

 

[kazaray72]

Originally Posted by mandarin w
If you have a wooden canopy, why have glass tops on the tank? There propose is to keep fish from jumping out.
If I read your post right, you have a light unit that is self contained. Then you have this in side a wooden canopy. Are you getting what I am getting at. The light unit produces heat and then you keep it incased in a wooden box to help hold the heat in. Nowhere for the heat to go except your tank. When people use canopies, they use retrofits in side. so all that is inside the canopy is the light bulb, fitting for the light bulbs, and the wiring, The cut out holes on the sides and the tops for fans (computer type fans) to be mounted over the holes to pull the heat out. That is about the only way I have seen to have a canopy successfully. Also these canopies are made usally about 12 inches high. If you have good strong lights. It wont hurt it at all to be off the top of the tank any.
yes thanks for all your advise but i have a flame hawk that loves to jump out he has twice already. i had the glass of and he with through the small gap on the back of the hood so i can't do that. i will try the fan and the other tips you gave my .thanks.

 

[bang guy]

The fan won't work to cool the water if you have a glass hood.
Can you put something in the gaps of the hood? Screen material, Eggcrate, foam? The glass hood should be removed IMO.

 

[saltn00b]

those of you with the clip on fans, are they all battery operated??

 

[mandarin w]

That is why I told you to use the eggcrate.

The white platic stuff on top of the tank. It has little squares so the heat can escape from the tank. But they hole are usally small enough that most fish can not jump through. I've had it over my tank for the last five years. My purple tile fish, firefish, and wrasses (all well known jumper) have never made it out of the tank. I really don't know of anyone who has had trouble with jumpers useing this.
Just get a sheet or two, depends on the size of your tank. They normally sell this at hardware stores, in 2 x 4 foot sheets. Might be in little different sizes in Australia. But get the sheet, and you can easily cut out slots or holes for any of your equipment. The glass is typically intended for use of a freshwater tank. And when you use the little floresent strip that typically come with those tanks to keep the moisture from getting into the light strips. They are not meant to be used under the very hot lights used in the saltwater hobby. It has been know to happen, but the heat from these strong lights could crack the glass or even shatter it. You do not want broken glass in your tank.

 

[petieaztec]

my fans are not battery operated and there is sopposed to be a space in the back of the tank where you feed the fish and what not. where your skimmer and filter goes. thats where my fans go. and evaporation happens, so watch your salt levels. the egg create idea sounds pretty useful, never thought of that.

 

[kazaray72]

Originally Posted by mandarin w
That is why I told you to use the eggcrate.

The white platic stuff on top of the tank. It has little squares so the heat can escape from the tank. But they hole are usally small enough that most fish can not jump through. I've had it over my tank for the last five years. My purple tile fish, firefish, and wrasses (all well known jumper) have never made it out of the tank. I really don't know of anyone who has had trouble with jumpers useing this.
Just get a sheet or two, depends on the size of your tank. They normally sell this at hardware stores, in 2 x 4 foot sheets. Might be in little different sizes in Australia. But get the sheet, and you can easily cut out slots or holes for any of your equipment. The glass is typically intended for use of a freshwater tank. And when you use the little floresent strip that typically come with those tanks to keep the moisture from getting into the light strips. They are not meant to be used under the very hot lights used in the saltwater hobby. It has been know to happen, but the heat from these strong lights could crack the glass or even shatter it. You do not want broken glass in your tank.
thanks for all the help everyone its so good to have people that know what they are talking about.I will remove my glass and the hood and i will get a fan to blow on the surface i will put the egg crate and give it a try . ps do i still need to raise the light .i guess i do because it will melt i think . whats a good way to raise the light its a compact slim one and as i said it gets so hot.

 

[renogaw]

by the way, in an emergency where you have to reduce your temperature you could always use ice cubes made out of RO water.
but like others have said (chiming in late) you should definitely get rid of the glas cover and get the egg crate. cut right, it looks like it belongs.

 

[kazaray72]

Thank for the tips i will go to the hardware today .just on the fan matter what sort of fans one my local fish store here doesn't sell them .what kind is that one in the post? Also would i need to put a fan in my cab as well it gets pretty hot in there with all uv pumps etc ?

 

[f14peter]

Originally Posted by kazaray72
Thank for the tips i will go to the hardware today .just on the fan matter what sort of fans one my local fish store here doesn't sell them .what kind is that one in the post? Also would i need to put a fan in my cab as well it gets pretty hot in there with all uv pumps etc ?
Many of the auxillery fans I've seen are simply general use clip-on fans, available in many places (department-type stores such as Wal-Mart, etc). You can also look into computer-type fans that are physically installed in a canopy, but those usually have to be hard-wired electrically instead of a plain-ol' plug.
A fan in the cabinet probably wouldn't hurt either.

 

[kazaray72]

Yes i will check out some fans. Also thanks to everyone who gave advice as it was very helpful . Have a great day everyone.

 

[mandarin w]

Originally Posted by mandarin w
That is why I told you to use the eggcrate.

The white platic stuff on top of the tank. It has little squares so the heat can escape from the tank. But they hole are usally small enough that most fish can not jump through. I've had it over my tank for the last five years. My purple tile fish, firefish, and wrasses (all well known jumper) have never made it out of the tank. I really don't know of anyone who has had trouble with jumpers useing this.
Just get a sheet or two, depends on the size of your tank. They normally sell this at hardware stores, in 2 x 4 foot sheets. Might be in little different sizes in Australia. But get the sheet, and you can easily cut out slots or holes for any of your equipment. The glass is typically intended for use of a freshwater tank. And when you use the little floresent strip that typically come with those tanks to keep the moisture from getting into the light strips. They are not meant to be used under the very hot lights used in the saltwater hobby. It has been know to happen, but the heat from these strong lights could crack the glass or even shatter it. You do not want broken glass in your tank.
I found that fan at Home Depot or Lowes, I can't remember which, I spend so much time going to both. But since the summer season is just starting up for you, you should have a large selection at one of the major types of DIY home remodleing centers.
As far as the light see if you can find a way to hang it from the ceiling. and suspend it so it is about 6 inches over the top of your tank.