Cooling down the tank....

[Anonymous]

Ok.. 'got a 55g, running warm. ~87 degrees. I bought a fan from staples and it's now blowing over the sump. The temperature has dropped a bit, ~81-82 degrees now since last night when I put it in.

Can I expect it to go lower?
Can I get away with this temp if it doesn't?

I don't want to spend 4-800 bucks on a chiller. Beside the $ factor, the noise is too much.

 

[Anonymous]

Oh..wanted to add that ambient air is 76 degrees (central air) throughout the summer months.

 

[WRASSER]

How cool do you want to get it?

 

[Anonymous]

Well, I was at the LFS yesterday and they suggested like 75 Degrees. I think that's a bit cold, but what do I know?

 

[Anonymous]

I run mine at 79 degrees. I run a fan in my canopy blowing across the water in my tank. Once the ambient room temperature reaches 75 degrees in my house the tank temp starts to go up. I run my house AC to keep the tank and me cool.

 

[WRASSER]

Do you have a canopy, if so can you install a fan or two there?

 

[bleedingthought]

I probably couldn't get my tank to be 75 F even in the winter, unless I had a chiller. 81-82 should be perfect. JMO.

 

[WRASSER]

Remember you will increase evaporation too

 

[Anonymous]

80- 84 seems fine to me for the summer.
Several other RDO members have seconded this emotion in the past.

I even seem to remeber someone having a tank in the high 80s for an extended period of time with no adverse effects.

75 would be great, but not worth the money of cooling the tank more than your home.

 

[Anonymous]

Do you have a canopy, if so can you install a fan or two there?

Nope.. got glass tops, which are opened, and PC lighting sits on 3/4" blocks on top of the glass. (There's a 3/4" space between the PCs and the glass canopy.)

 

[WRASSER]

Do the lights have built in fans?

 

[bleedingthought]

Do you have a canopy, if so can you install a fan or two there?

Nope.. got glass tops, which are opened, and PC lighting sits on 3/4" blocks on top of the glass. (There's a 3/4" space between the PCs and the glass canopy.)

What do you mean "opened"? This might be contributing a little.

Also, the more evaporation the more cooling happens... But more top off too.

 

[Anonymous]

Could you get rid of the glass top nad use eggcrate instead?

 

[Anonymous]

Do the lights have built in fans?

They do.

 

[Anonymous]

Could you get rid of the glass top nad use eggcrate instead?

Oh...this might be a good Idea! :idea:

...which leads to the obvious question... Where can I get my hands on that stuff?


Thanks in advance, guys/girls... I really appreciate all the input here!

 

[Anonymous]

Wings - what type of livestock is in the tank?

 

[Anonymous]

Remember you will increase evaporation too

Yeah, this is fine...I have no problem with topping off more often. Thanks!

 

[Anonymous]

Could you get rid of the glass top nad use eggcrate instead?

Oh...this might be a good Idea! :idea:

...which leads to the obvious question... Where can I get my hands on that stuff?


Thanks in advance, guys/girls... I really appreciate all the input here!

Any home improvement store, lighting section. Ask for floursent light difusser pannel.

Right around 80deg should be fine.

 

[Anonymous]

Wings - what type of livestock is in the tank?

4 fish,
2 serpent stars,
a whole mess of nassarius snails,
~5 blue leg hermits,
assortment of margarita snails,
lavender shrooms,
purple shrooms,
riccordia shrooms,
--------wake up call---------
yellow leather that appears to be shrinking.
--------wake up call---------

All parameters are fine, dkh, ph, salinity, but temperature is on the high side. According to the LFS, this seems to be the problem. Aside from the leather, everything looks healthy.

 

[Anonymous]

Could you get rid of the glass top nad use eggcrate instead?

Oh...this might be a good Idea! :idea:

...which leads to the obvious question... Where can I get my hands on that stuff?


Thanks in advance, guys/girls... I really appreciate all the input here!

Any home improvement store, lighting section. Ask for floursent light difusser pannel.

Right around 80deg should be fine.

cool...Home Depot here I come!