Cooling Saltwater Storage Container

[Mikedawg8898]

How is everyone cooling there saltwater storage container? i usually use Ice while first mixing but the pumps i use generate a lot of heat. over 24 hours the temp could increase around 10 degrees. I want the mixing container (a 32 gallon brute trashcan) to stay heated and circulated around 78 degrees. I know fans cause evaporation, so theyre a no go. let me know what you all use for a permanent solution, not like ice which is only temporary.

 

[Retro Reefer]

Just curious why you would want to maintain a certain temp in your holding container? mine runs warm also but I just unplug the pump a few hours before water changes and it’s fine, even if temperature is dramatically different than tank it typically only moves my display temp maybe .5 - 1 degrees doing a 10% water change.

 

[Silent]

How hot is your house? Always had to add a heater to get water change water up to display tank temp.

 

[Mikedawg8898]

I like to maintain that temperature because i mostly have 10 gallon Nanos that hold 8 Gallons of water and every week i do a 5 Gallon water change. The pumps i use generate a considerable amount of heat when running. for instance the other night i left the circulation pumps in 5 gallons of water and vinegar and when i woke up in the morning the Temp if the 5 gallon bucket was 90 degrees. i also keep my house at 76 degrees which it stays at year round as i live in florida

 

[Mikedawg8898]

Heres a picture of my JBJ 10 gallon Desktop Nano that ive been doing 5 Gallon water changes on for the last 3 years

 

[Bryknicks]

I like to maintain that temperature because i mostly have 10 gallon Nanos that hold 8 Gallons of water and every week i do a 5 Gallon water change. The pumps i use generate a considerable amount of heat when running. for instance the other night i left the circulation pumps in 5 gallons of water and vinegar and when i woke up in the morning the Temp if the 5 gallon bucket was 90 degrees. i also keep my house at 76 degrees which it stays at year round as i live in florida

I use a DC pump for mixing so it really doesn't generate heat. But being that I'm in S. FL and my mixing station is in my garage, there are days in the summer that my mixing barrels are in the 80s-90s. When this happens I fill a 5 gallon bucket in the morning and bring it in the house to acclimate before a water change in the evening for my nano. For my larger tank I just do the water change and there isn't much of a swing in the water temp.

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

TBH I have a nano and this have never been an issue. KISS.. Just try the unplugging an hour before and judge the reaction of the corals. I would advise against a cooling system for a WC but if you are stuck with the idea you can look up something similar to a beer chiller system or switch to an airstone after 12 hours of mixing.

Just my $0.02.

 

[Bryknicks]

Worst case, you could always plumb a chiller to your mixing station, but IMO the cost would not be worth it.

 

[Mikedawg8898]

I use a DC pump for mixing so it really doesn't generate heat. But being that I'm in S. FL and my mixing station is in my garage, there are days in the summer that my mixing barrels are in the 80s-90s. When this happens I fill a 5 gallon bucket in the morning and bring it in the house to acclimate before a water change in the evening for my nano. For my larger tank I just do the water change and there isn't much of a swing in the water temp.

you know you brought up a great point. i wonder if a DC pump would put out less heat than my AC pumps i have in there now.

 

[Mikedawg8898]

TBH I have a nano and this have never been an issue. KISS.. Just try the unplugging an hour before and judge the reaction of the corals. I would advise against a cooling system for a WC but if you are stuck with the idea you can look up something similar to a beer chiller system or switch to an airstone after 12 hours of mixing.

Just my $0.02.

Its not really that i need it exactly that temperature, but more or less trying to find a way to keep the water well circulated without overheating the water station. like i said before, my Ac pumps in there heat up the water pretty high

 

[rushbattle]

After mixing well you don’t need to circulate the saltwater reservoir. You can also use a low wattage propeller pump like a jebao that uses very little power.

 

[Bryknicks]

That's what I use, a cheap Jebao 6500 for my mixing station. It puts out almost no heat at all, granted it is plumbed externally. OP, I would have to say that a DC pump would drastically cut the heat generated by an AC pump if you were to make the switch. I think I got mine off Amazon for around $60. I also like the fact that I can adjust the flow. I put it up high when initially mixing the salt and then put it on the lowest setting to keep the water flowing in between water changes.

 

[Mikedawg8898]

Just looking into the Jebaos and they are very affordable! i think thats what i will go with. and i like how you can adjust the flow. i never thought to mix at max and then slow down the flow afterwards just to keep some circulation. Thanks @rushbattle and @Bryknicks for the help!