Tank temp issue

bucfan · Oct 21, 2013

I have been consistently having temp issues with my tank. It runs 83-84. I now placed a fan in the sump area and now the temp is ~81. Cannot get is < 80. I don't have space for a chiller so that is not an option.

The equipment I have in the cabinet includes skimmer, pump for the reactor, GHL doser & 2 Radion ballasts. In the tank I have 2 MP40s and 3 Koralias at the bottom since I have a BB and a Tunze nano at the top. What equipment could be generating the most heat? The Radion ballasts do feel warm but I have no where else to place them. In a side compartment to the main cabinet sits my electrical stuff which includes 2 Apex8 power bars. That area does get hot and I have no way to ventilate. However it is separated from the main cabinet by a 1/2" wood piece.

I need to get the temp down to 78. What is the best item/items to remove to accomplish that?

HumanMachine · Oct 21, 2013

As a temporary solution, you can float tupperwares of ice... but that's only temporary. You mention that you have a fan going already so that's taken care of... What's the ambient temperature of your home like?

Your return pump could, in theory, generate heat if it's an internal pump and cranked down to a low gph... but heat from internal pumps tends to be very low. I don't know if there's a way to get around the need for a chiller. I personally keep my tanks at 80 and have no problems whatsoever.

mike007 · Oct 21, 2013

What lighting are you using? Maybe you could raise them a bit. Also you might consider reducing the temp. in your house.

DSP · Oct 21, 2013

If 81 is the high that's fine I wouldn't worry about it to much I know a ton of nice reefs that keep there's at 81

bucfan · Oct 21, 2013

mike007 said:
What lighting are you using? Maybe you could raise them a bit. Also you might consider reducing the temp. in your house.

Using radions. House temp 78.

RacinRevo0818 · Oct 21, 2013

Unplug your heater and see what happens. I know that was my problem, but my chiller ran straight for a month before I figured it out.

Reefing Madness · Oct 21, 2013

Just use a fan blowing across your water, that will cool it down.
Or get the aquarium chiller fan:

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bucfan · Oct 21, 2013

Nice fan. Would I place that over the sump or aquarium? Also is that noisy since it's 6 fans?

Eric B · Oct 21, 2013

I would not chase a temperature reading as long as it is below about 83 then you are fine mine swings from about 80-82 throughout the day with no issues.

christo203 · Oct 21, 2013

If you keep your house at 78, it will be hard to ever chase your temperature bellow 80. For me I keep my house at 76 which allows my tank to stay at 78.

From what I am reading, is your stand open in anyway or not?

bucfan · Oct 21, 2013

christo203 said:
If you keep your house at 78, it will be hard to ever chase your temperature bellow 80. For me I keep my house at 76 which allows my tank to stay at 78.

From what I am reading, is your stand open in anyway or not?

Stand is unfortunately closed. I think that's the problem since there's no circulation of air. Need to figure out how to establish that.

christo203 · Oct 22, 2013

The entire back of my stand is open. If you do not have circulation through your stand, you will have issues. There are several different fan options where you can make a decent amount of air flow through the stand, otherwise you can take off the back panel to open up flow.

Reefing Madness · Oct 22, 2013

You don't need to use a 6 fan unit, I run 4 fans spaced out throughout an 8' tank. But I would place them over the tank and not over the sump. You can use simple CPU fans also.

bucfan · Oct 22, 2013

Tank is 42" X 22" will 4 still work?

Reefing Madness · Oct 22, 2013

Should be just fine, Im only using 4 and my tank is a hellofalot longer than yours, and Im using Halides. You can always add more.

eliramos · Oct 22, 2013

Reefing Madness said:
Just use a fan blowing across your water, that will cool it down.
Or get the aquarium chiller fan:

what is the name of the site you saw this at???

bucfan · Oct 22, 2013

Check EBay
Do search for aquarium cooling fan

rworegon · Oct 22, 2013

I would see what you could do to move your ballasts out of the cabinet. I have mine on the floor next to the cabinet. They generate a lot of heat and don't do well with salt creep.