Heat problem from my lights?

[newocean]

I've kept a 72 gallon quite successfully over the past year (Yellow tang, coral beauty, 2 cardinals, 2 sand gobies - mated pair, and 2 damsels that have been there since day 1. Also plenty of peppermint shrimp, crabs, anemones, feather dusters, and stars living quite happily on 120lbs of fiji live rock & a 2.5" sand bed). I only lost one fish (a cardinal), but that was some time ago and I could not determine the cause of death. Now, on to the issue. My tank is consistently at 84 degrees. Never varies no matter what I do. I have fans on the sump, and as a result have to replace about 3 gallons of water every 4 days. Yet, even with the fans blowing across the sump the temperature never changes.

I am convinced the problem is my Smartlite housing 2 65W 22" VHO fluorescent 50/50 tubes. This lighting setup just radiates massive heat (12 on/12 off cycle). I do not have room for a chiller in or near this tank. What can I do to alleviate the heat problem from the lights? Does anyone make a fan-cooled or otherwise cooled lamp housing? All help appreicated as this is really starting to bug me! :x The lamps sit directly on top of the tank, and hanging them above the tank is not an option for me (according to the wife). Thanks!

 

[Anonymous]

ok fans for the lamps might help. maybe buying some stand-offs or legs for your light fixture to leviate it off the aquaruim...thats not hanging though, would that be a possible approach? your wife may have to give in, given the cost on investment of the tank..

 

[Len]

Try propping the lighting enclosure up a couple of inches with wood or acrylic pieces. A few inches below the lights won't negatively affect the output much, but it will help prevent much of the transfer of heat. If you can, cooling the lights itself should help as well.

Evaporative cooling in the sump is probably doing its job. Without it, I would bet your tank's temp goes up several degrees.

 

[rwoolley]

I apologize if this sounds silly, but what is your heater temp set at? It sounds odd that the temp NEVER changes. Could it be you're cooling it with evaporation only to heat it with the heater? Just a thought... :?

 

[Anonymous]

It sounds more like your heater is off or one or more of your pumps are creating the heat. When the lights go out the temp would drop if they were the culprit.

 

[rwoolley]

It sounds more like your heater is off ......

I assume you mean the heater setting is off?

 

[reefland]

It sounds more like your heater is off ......

I assume you mean the heater setting is off?

He means it could be the thermostat on your heater is out of calibration. Meaning you have the dial on 80, but it heats the tank to 84.

Do you see the heater light on at all? if so lower the setting on the heater. I don't think it's your lighting. I'd also suggest you cross check the temperature reading with a second device.

Finally, 84 is nothing to worry about if it truely is a solid reading. 85 to 86 I would start to be concerned about it. Worried at 88 and over!

 

[shr00m]

im gonna have to agree on this one.... the tank temp should def be dropping during the 12 hours lights off... it really really sounds like your heater is doing this, otherwise the temp should go higher (or lower) there should be fluctuation of some type sometime.... what type of thermometer are you using.