Garage tank and cold weather
- Thread starter Reefugee
- Start date
MrMikeB
New member
Its funny you ask. I am cleaning out a 150 gallon setup and left a bit of water to soak in the dried sand and other things in the bottom. I did not even think about the freezing temps. Luckily the salt in the water (from the sand I was freeing) kept the water from freezing and potentially cracking the tank. I imagine it was a sight to see me wake up at 4AM realizing my error and running out to the shop with the WetVac to suck up the water in boxers and a tee. 
My pool has not iced up yet, but the neighbors' have been threatening to go ice skating on theirs. I think the pool guy added a bit of salt or something to keep it from freezing over and busting a pipe. Either way, I am on vigil watch. Only in CA you can 115 in the summer and now 22 in the winter...
My pool has not iced up yet, but the neighbors' have been threatening to go ice skating on theirs. I think the pool guy added a bit of salt or something to keep it from freezing over and busting a pipe. Either way, I am on vigil watch. Only in CA you can 115 in the summer and now 22 in the winter...
Last edited:
pepe.king.prawn
New member
My garage tank is ~60F (w/ 1000w of heaters).... i guess my live rock doesn't care though. No fish yet... not until I can convince the landloard to let me move it inside.
No fish yet... not until I can convince the landloard to let me move it inside.
pepe.king.prawn
New member
Well.. it's about 7am... and I'm leaving to ride up to sacramento for work... try 45 minutes on a motorcycle in this weather... it's the most miserable commute EVER.
As for tanks in a garage, the trick I learnt from a fellow reefer is to put some insulation over top of them after the lights go out. That applies to sumps also. The evaporation is doing more to bring down the temps than anything that "leaks" though the side glass/acrylic.
MelodyCorals
In Memoriam
I have my sump&fuge in the garage and main display in the house - no tank temp issues as the lights/heaters seem to be keeping up without too much of an issue - although it does drop more then before the cold weather hit by a degree or two. I have my lights on over the fuge at night, so that probably helps too. Definately no freezing or anything.
-- Josh
-- Josh
plankton
Premium Member
Garage tank has been running for 2 years now. During winter I seal the garage up and it has insulated garage door. Lowest garage temp has been 60 deg F (even with outside temp of 27 deg F). I also use 1000W of heater since I have a glass 210G tank.
Tank temp stays at 78 deg F.
Biggest problem is summer. When outside temp is 115 deg F, the garage can get to 90 DegF even with an 80 CFM fan I installed. I've recently installed a 1/3HP chiller outside of the garage for the tank and also bought a 170 CFM fan to help get through 2007 Tracy summer. 2 honywell fans help keep tank temp below 80 but the evaporation is rather severe. I do use an auto top-off but still too much evap in one day is just not good. Let's see how the upgrade 170CFM fan and 1/3HP chiller works out this summer.
Tank temp stays at 78 deg F.
Biggest problem is summer. When outside temp is 115 deg F, the garage can get to 90 DegF even with an 80 CFM fan I installed. I've recently installed a 1/3HP chiller outside of the garage for the tank and also bought a 170 CFM fan to help get through 2007 Tracy summer. 2 honywell fans help keep tank temp below 80 but the evaporation is rather severe. I do use an auto top-off but still too much evap in one day is just not good. Let's see how the upgrade 170CFM fan and 1/3HP chiller works out this summer.
dots
Premium Member
Thats what I was asking about the other day......might as well put the equipment in a spare bedroom closet if you can and take advantage of the central air control in the house for a more constant set up......its the summer time that worries me and the chiller working all day. Heck, my chiller just came on 10 minutes ago.......one of these days I may have to give my buddy some cash for that thing.....had it nearly a year now.....love it!!!
plankton
Premium Member
Yeah, Ideally the tank would be in the house to take advantage of central air as well as for enjoyment of everyone IN the house.
But, put the tank against a wall (or inwall) so you can plumb all your equipment behind the wall and in your dedicated fish room with running water and drain.
Chiller are great in case of emergency and best plumbed outside if you can do it.
dots - any pics?
But, put the tank against a wall (or inwall) so you can plumb all your equipment behind the wall and in your dedicated fish room with running water and drain.
Chiller are great in case of emergency and best plumbed outside if you can do it.
dots - any pics?
dots
Premium Member
I am planning my next tank in my head as of yet, so no pics of that yet. When I graduate in May and move out of apartment hell, I hope to get a place with a "guest" bedroom to take over the closet for this exact thing. The garage thing better than having out in the open, but the mechanical efficiencies and the temperature differential of the house and the garage could suck the heat out or dump it into your tank. Personaly, to make equipment last longer I try not to work it as hard, so overbuy a chiller so it cools quickly and efficently and buy two larger heaters and hopefully put them on a controller......but to pay to heat or cool the water in the garage seems harder to control and keep stable due to the potential daily variations, versus the constant whatever one keeps their house at. In addition, remember thats where all your maintence is done......who wants to go out and play in the cold garage at night this time of year?....But one of the best designs I ever saw was a guy who had built a temp controlled room sheetrocked and all inside the garage complete with frag tank, seperate fuse panel with homeruns, computer desk for "research"......thats what I would like to have ultimatly, best of both worlds.
Sump pic?.....here is an older one.....not very proud about this part of the tank, because I know my living situation is temporary I didn't get all crazy in hardlining it.......it has insert refugium with a SSB now I designed and had Tap make, other than that looks the same. not shown is a little via aqua polar bear chiller that sits to the side of the tank. I went with the "keep it simple" technique since it was my first sump and have had great success and no problems......I think I have been lucky in a word. Its something that will be redone......eventually
Like the custom made water level indicator with all the params......thats called the girlfriend tank sitter list. I can make those for people if they want......say ohhh.......$50 each....
Sump pic?.....here is an older one.....not very proud about this part of the tank, because I know my living situation is temporary I didn't get all crazy in hardlining it.......it has insert refugium with a SSB now I designed and had Tap make, other than that looks the same. not shown is a little via aqua polar bear chiller that sits to the side of the tank. I went with the "keep it simple" technique since it was my first sump and have had great success and no problems......I think I have been lucky in a word. Its something that will be redone......eventually
Like the custom made water level indicator with all the params......thats called the girlfriend tank sitter list. I can make those for people if they want......say ohhh.......$50 each....
