TEmperature problems already.... help!

[nano reefer]

Well my BC 14 is already at high temps and June just started. I keep my tank at 80 year round. But now since i added my maxi 1200 and its abot 80 degrees outside, my tank temp is at 83 degrees with the lights on or off because the fans cool enough so the lights dont affect the temp. But, my halogen lightbulb that is lighting the refugium is adding another 3 degrees to the tank, even though it is 1 inch away from the back of the tank. How can i cool things down w/out buying a chiller. I tried an icepack for one day and absolutely nothing happened.

 

[nuro]

I've had luck with fans, they make these neat little clip on fan for like personal/office cubicle use. throw on or two of those on it maybe. It'll of course make you have to top off more often tho

 

[mkzimms]

i used to use icepacks as well... i would buy a 12 pack of bottled water and freeze them all and then change them out all day. they melt in about 3 minutes.
so i switched to fans... i prop the front of the hood open a little and let the fan run across the surface of the water. i'll get a little less than 1/4 gallon a day of evaporation. but i can cool it down to around 79 in a matter of minutes, better get yourself an RO/DI unit to go with it.

 

[peef]

The fans work very well or you could just simply open the front access hatch. The air circulation will help cool it. An open hatch and a fan blowing across the surface of the water will cool it like 6 degrees. Good luck!

 

[nano reefer]

can I get pics of these fans in action please?

 

[earlybird]

Can you ditch the halogen light and find a cooler light? 82-84 is perfectly fine. My tank seems to do better at 84 than at 78.

 

[oceana]

you can ditch the light for a cooler one. no need for that sort of light on a fuge. if it was me i would not do anything. keep that temp steady and you should have no trouble. that is not to hot. I keep all of my tanks at 81-82 by choice

 

[nano reefer]

well, i opened up the front hatch, and have a 10x3.5 piece of eggcrate over the opening to prevent my yasha goby from umping out. i did that last night and this morning it was 83. I'll check the temp when i get back from work.

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by Nano Reefer
http:///forum/post/2631196
Well my BC 14 is already at high temps and June just started. I keep my tank at 80 year round. But now since i added my maxi 1200 and its abot 80 degrees outside, my tank temp is at 83 degrees with the lights on or off because the fans cool enough so the lights dont affect the temp.
First, there's nothing wrong with 83F. Sounds like an ideal temp to me.
Second, make sure the fans are pointed at the water surface. The way to cool water with fans is to increase evaporation.
Halogen are wasteful bulbs because infrared is a major component of the light they produce. Try a PC bulb or perhaps a used light from the display tank.

 

[nano reefer]

OK, so this morning my tank was 83 with only the pump as a heat source. Today i came home and the temp was 82, and that's with all the lighting on. When i got home i flicked on refugium light. Before lights out tonight i will check the temp.

 

[peef]

I will agree with bangguy and oceana that 83 degrees is not necessarily a bad thing. The most important thing is the consistancy of the temperature.

 

[nano reefer]

it is 86 degrees with the refugium light on. I need to change that bulb out.

 

[oceana]

Originally Posted by Nano Reefer
http:///forum/post/2632335
it is 86 degrees with the refugium light on. I need to change that bulb out.

i would say that is a good idea. 83 is fine but 86 is pushing it for some corals and fish.

 

[florida joe]

Originally Posted by oceana
http:///forum/post/2632799
i would say that is a good idea. 83 is fine but 86 is pushing it for some corals and fish.

 

[yerboy]

Originally Posted by Nano Reefer
http:///forum/post/2632335
it is 86 degrees with the refugium light on. I need to change that bulb out.
are you running your fuge light the same time your other lights are on? My fuge light only turns on when my tank lights turn off, from what i have read that also helps keep your Ph stable as well and disbursing some of the heat.

 

[nano reefer]

its in my bedroom and puts off a lot of reflected light on the wall behind it, so i run it at same time. How will mkaing it on at night keep pH stable?

 

[yerboy]

has something to do with photosynthesis is all i know.

 

[yerboy]

next time you check your Ph doing after your lights have been on for a few hours then again once the lights have been out for a few hours. You should see a small change in PH after your lights went out.

 

[bang guy]

Algae uses light and Carbon dioxide to produce sugar. Dissolved Carbon dioxide forms Carbonic Acid and lowers PH so when Algae consumes CO2 the PH rises. At night with nothing consuming CO2 the PH can drop.
Lighting the refugium opposite the display means algae is consuming CO2 all the time and this can have a stabilizing effect on PH.

 

[yerboy]

Originally Posted by Bang Guy
http:///forum/post/2633694
Algae uses light and Carbon dioxide to produce sugar. Dissolved Carbon dioxide forms Carbonic Acid and lowers PH so when Algae consumes CO2 the PH rises. At night with nothing consuming CO2 the PH can drop.
Lighting the refugium opposite the display means algae is consuming CO2 all the time and this can have a stabilizing effect on PH.
what he said