Will Adding a Refugium Generate More Heat?

[dynagirl]

I have a 54 corner tank and I would like to get my Nitrate levels down. They are usually between 25 and 50. I am thinking about adding a refugium but my tank already gets up to 82 by the end of the day. I would like to avoid having to buy a pricey chiller.
I was thinking about adding a hang on type with its own light but I am guessing this would push me over the edge temp wise.
What do you guys think??? :notsure:

 

[ukcats]

In short No. But if your return pump gets unusually hot then it could raise the temp a degree or so. But another concern of yours should be that Summer is not yet here and it will be getting hotter each day. This MAY increase the heat in your tank. If you could plum the fuge to a cool area it may actuall reduce teh heat of your tank. However there are a lot of factors to be considered. Could you be more specific in your question? Like is your home AC'd, where will the fuge go? Under the tank or outside it? etc

 

[ukcats]

Sorry, did'nt read the entire post. Umm you may wish to consider something larger than the hang on type. I will benefit, don't miss understand me, but the larger the fuge the better.

 

[dynagirl]

My home is air conditioned so the tank won't get any hotter this summer. One of my problems is that with the corner tank, you don't get much room in the cabinet of the stand.
My trickle filter/sump takes up pretty much the entire space so I don't have any room to stick anything else underneath. My pump, skimmer, powerhead, and lights generate about all the heat I think the tank can take. To have a successful refugium, you have to have a pump in it and additional lights that run 24/7, right? In my thinking, this would definitely add more heat to the system, no?

 

[puffer32]

I run the lights on my fuge opposite my tank lights, no need to run it 24/7.

 

[volcom69]

Any refuge will help big or just a hang-on model everyone has there own presence, and i also run my lights opposite of the main tank to help control the ph.

 

[ukcats]

A refuge requires only regulaur florescent lights. They add almost no heat to the water. If the lights are your worries then your fine. Also, ever think of changing your wet dry to a fuge? I have heard of people doing that. Just a thought.

 

[pyro]

You could always point a fan easily at your fuge/sump surface to up evaporation and cool the tank off a bit.
I run flourescent lights on my 10g sump/fuge, I beleive it actually cools my tank down because of the overflow.
My $.02

 

[indymatt]

Originally Posted by Pyro
You could always point a fan easily at your fuge/sump surface to up evaporation and cool the tank off a bit.
I run flourescent lights on my 10g sump/fuge, I beleive it actually cools my tank down because of the overflow.
My $.02
Exactly what I was going to say as well. Also, I have heard of people just adding a ball of chaeto (sp?) to their main tanks. It helps with nitrates and does not attach to rock so it can be easily picked up out of the display tank to prune.

 

[dynagirl]

With the way my setup is, I have to get one of those skinny, hangon type refugiums. I have not see one that comes with a light, other than those that come with a skimmer as well. I don't need another skimmer and I am not confident with DIY projects for the tank. Has anybody seen a hang on refugium set that comes with a light or know where to get a small light to use with one?