Reefing in tha desert

DiverGirl82 · May 19, 2015

I'm researching starting a reef tank and I was wondering if there are any reefers on here that live in a desert environment? I live in a desert and I'm wondering if there are issues specific to this environment I should know about? I have ac and a swamp cooler but I prefer to run the swamp cooler as much as I can to cut down cooling costs. Do you think I'll need a cooling system for my tank? Also, will I need to top off more often than usual?

Thanks

Aquaph8 · May 19, 2015

DiverGirl82 said:
I'm researching starting a reef tank and I was wondering if there are any reefers on here that live in a desert environment? I live in a desert and I'm wondering if there are issues specific to this environment I should know about? I have ac and a swamp cooler but I prefer to run the swamp cooler as much as I can to cut down cooling costs. Do you think I'll need a cooling system for my tank? Also, will I need to top off more often than usual?

Thanks

Kinda depends on what the temp in your house stays and what equipment you choose. Halides are gonna be hotter than LEDs and every pump adds a little bit more heat to the tank. On my 225, Id say I go through about 3-4 gallons of topoff water a day. My tank actually runs a little cooler in the summer with the AC blowing on it than it does in the winter. A cooling system doesnt always have to be expensive though, you can get away with a couple fans blowing across the water in most occasions.

Pete polyp · May 19, 2015

I would think that evaporation will be greater in a dry environment. An auto topoff will be a really good investment. I know here when the temp gets around 75 it will cause the room the tank is in to heat up enough to cause a little bit of overheating. I have a window air conditioner in that room and run it if the temperatures outside get into the mid 70's and turn on the ceiling fan.

Tahoe61 · May 19, 2015

I live in the desert, LED's and ATO make a huge difference. Ambient room temp is 78 with the AC 24/7.

DiverGirl82 · May 19, 2015

Thank you everyone.

joshbbert · May 21, 2015

I live in the az desert and the ac is on 24\7 so my tanks always stay room temp 78 deg I dont even think I need a heater lol just have it. If anything its been helpful keeping my water temp stable becuase your house is always temp controlled. Keep your house @80 or below and avoid windows and your gold, unless your ac goes out then your screwed son sorry

its happened to me 14 hours of r/o ice bags so now I keep plenty in the freezer for just such an emergency

snoopie · May 21, 2015

Live in midland, tx and it gets hot out here. I run my AC at 78 degree all day long. But I run my tank between 81-82 degree. I use to always run at 78 but I have notice my coral like it much better at 81-82. But as Josh said if AC goes out get ready to use ice a lot.

joshbbert · May 21, 2015

Its a good idea to make about 50 or so pounds of r\o ice and set it in the freezer

AZDesertRat · May 21, 2015

Im in Phoenix and cooled my home strictly by evaporative cooler until 13 years ago. I have kept saltwater tanks for over 35 years and reefs for 30 and never had any major issues. I started out with metal halide and VHO fluorescent lighting and a 1/4HP chiller but eventually through the use of strategically placed fans was able to sell the chiller after only two years and never went over 81 in the reef.

Even today with a heat pump AC on the house we still use the evaporative cooler until the dew point gets so high it is not efficient. I will switch over the AC in mid June and back to the evap around September 1. I switched to LED lighting 3 years ago and don't even use fans anymore but still have them as back up in an emergency.

Ice is a very inefficient way to cool a tank, even in emergencies as it has a limited BTU value and does not last long. Fans are far more efficient and can easily lower the tank 5-7 degrees or more very quickly. The downside is evaporation so an ATO is a good investment.

acolotto · May 21, 2015

When i first set up my reef tank it was in a house with a swamp cooler and no chiller and in Tucson, AZ. Needless to say when summer came around everything in my tank was wiped out. Now I live in Las Vegas, and the summer is always a scary time as I always end up buying something else when i get the money for a chiller lol. As long as you run your ac and keep fans blowing over the top of the water you will be fine, if not its nearly impossible to keep the tank temp down without a chiller, at least IME living in Tucson, Phoenix, and Las Vegas. If you run the swamp cooler primarily and not AC you will not be able to keep anything in the tank during the summer months unless you get a chiller. At least I wasn't able to in Tucson, then moved to a house in Vegas with AC and its a breeze now keeping the tank at 78

AZDesertRat · May 22, 2015

Chillers are not necessary. Fans can and do work wonders, easily lowering a tank 5-7 degrees. This tank is with a swamp cooler in Phoenix

joshbbert · May 22, 2015

AZDesertRat said:
Im in Phoenix and cooled my home strictly by evaporative cooler until 13 years ago. I have kept saltwater tanks for over 35 years and reefs for 30 and never had any major issues. I started out with metal halide and VHO fluorescent lighting and a 1/4HP chiller but eventually through the use of strategically placed fans was able to sell the chiller after only two years and never went over 81 in the reef.

Even today with a heat pump AC on the house we still use the evaporative cooler until the dew point gets so high it is not efficient. I will switch over the AC in mid June and back to the evap around September 1. I switched to LED lighting 3 years ago and don't even use fans anymore but still have them as back up in an emergency.

Ice is a very inefficient way to cool a tank, even in emergencies as it has a limited BTU value and does not last long. Fans are far more efficient and can easily lower the tank 5-7 degrees or more very quickly. The downside is evaporation so an ATO is a good investment.

So in the event of a broken ac or power outage in 115 degree weather ice is useless? 100% false my reef would have died 6 months ago without that ice and no power. Tank went from 85 to 75 and stayed there with replaced bags for 14 hours. Keep some ice around sir magic wont chill your tank in a power outage lol ice will. RODI ice mind you as it will leak