DIY Cooling Fan help

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Jackie
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Tidal Gardens
Thank you! I will be needing four fans. How loud are the ones you bought? These will be going on a canopy end walls which one end wall is clearly visible. It's a peninsula 180g.
 
You can buy a 120vac to 12vdc adaptor just about anywhere

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The fans from newegg.com have 3-4 prong plug end. That is why I can't find one. AZDesertRat suggested these fans.

Jackie
 
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Top Shelf Aquatics
The answer to your question is that, YES, they can be all connected. You will want a power supply that is 12 volts (or less if you want them to run slower (and quieter)) and one that is at least (0.08 mA x 4), 0.36 milliamps. Note that milliamps are additive, so with four of these 0.08 mA fans, the power supply needs to be at least 0.36. It doesn't matter if the mA is larger on the power supply. That should be an easy wall wart to find. I've got them laying around the house from other older equipment that has since been thrown away.
 
Cut the plugs off the fans. You will use only the red and black wires, ignore the yellow or white wire as it will not be needed.

I use variable voltage "wall wart" type plug in power supplies that have 3v, 4.5v, 6v, 7.5v, 9v and 12v settings so you can vary the fan speed according to your coooling needs. You will also cut the DC plug, not the 120v wall lug, off the power supply then attach the fan wires to those two wires using crimp lugs, wire nuts or similar.
I had a big write up on exactly how I did mine on AZReefs.com but the site recently folded up so lost all my threads on builds. I may have it somewhere else and will look.

You can find the power supplies at WalMart in the camera/electronics dept. They are used as universal power supplies for cameras, cell phones and similar DC products. Should be $10-$15 at most, I paid $4 for mine at Harbor Freight Tools but I don't see them there anymore.
 
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AZDesertRat said:
Cut the plugs off the fans. You will use only the red and black wires, ignore the yellow or white wire as it will not be needed.

I use variable voltage "wall wart" type plug in power supplies that have 3v, 4.5v, 6v, 7.5v, 9v and 12v settings so you can vary the fan speed according to your coooling needs. You will also cut the DC plug, not the 120v wall lug, off the power supply then attach the fan wires to those two wires using crimp lugs, wire nuts or similar.
I had a big write up on exactly how I did mine on AZReefs.com but the site recently folded up so lost all my threads on builds. I may have it somewhere else and will look.

You can find the power supplies at WalMart in the camera/electronics dept. They are used as universal power supplies for cameras, cell phones and similar DC products. Should be $10-$15 at most, I paid $4 for mine at Harbor Freight Tools but I don't see them there anymore.
Click to expand...

I have several wall wart plugs in my "kids electric stuff" junk box (lol). The first one pulled out was a 12v. So I need to find one that is variable? I have never seen one of those.

Jackie
 
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Deltec
Going to go order the fans and head to walmart to see if they have one. If not there is ebay. Radio Shack also has one for $20.

Im going to also read up on Az's links. I will need extra wire too

Thanks everyone!
 
AZ, should I need to get 4 fans or will 2 do? I don't own a heater, never needed it, and frankly I'm paranoid of them doing evil things when they decide to mess up. My house is set at 73 deg year round except when weather is around those temps and I can open the house up. My tank stays 78-79 always. I also purchased a dc12000 pump to replace a mag 9.5 to go in the 180g and I understand it runs cooler than the mags too.

We are going to cut out a 10"x 18" rectangle in the top center of the canopy then put 1" legs on the piece and put it back in place. This will be a raised vent with a 1" gap around it in the center of the canopy.

I'm going to have the light layout below :)
Front to back and all ATI T5s are 60" bulbs.

Blue+
Purple +
2x ai sol blues
Aqua blue special (or coral+)
Blue plus

So will 2 fans be good?

Jackie
 
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I used two fans with 2x250w metal halides and 2x140w VHO fluorescents and could keep my tank at 79-81 in the hottest summer months and we have a digital setback thermostat on the house AC so it was much warmer than 73 in the house while we were away at work. I think two is all you would need also.
 
AZDesertRat said:
I used two fans with 2x250w metal halides and 2x140w VHO fluorescents and could keep my tank at 79-81 in the hottest summer months and we have a digital setback thermostat on the house AC so it was much warmer than 73 in the house while we were away at work. I think two is all you would need also.
Click to expand...

Thanks Az :D On my way to order them right now.

Lol, I can't wait to get the tank set up!

Jackie
125g mixed reef peninsula
 
Calculate the cubic feet of volume (LxHxW) you have in your canopy to see how many complete air changes two 53 CFM (cubic feet per minute) fans will provide. In my case its over two complete air changes per minute
 
Tidal Gardens
I mispoke, on mine it is 10 air changes per minute.
In your canopy at 15"x24"x72" that is 15 cubic feet so 7 complete exchanges per minute. I would that that would keep it plenty cool
 
Perfect! I just ordered the 2 fans from newegg.com :) I'll get the power supply this week also. What guage wire should I get? Im going to need about 15' each color.

Jackie
 
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