Are AquaMedic powerheads known to emit alot of heat in the tank? I have 3 Aquamedic powerheads and a Rio Hyperflow and I can't figure out why my temperature is so high. I'm not running a thermometer anymore, and my tank is still around 81. When I turn on the MH's, it hits 82.5. It's a 120G tank, and I'm running 2x250W. How hot can a tank get and still be okay?
Heat Problems
- Thread starter wsun083
- Start date
beefjerkygood
New member
My tank is 83.7 right now@ 2:30AM with lights off! My fish, softies, and few sps are ok, but snails look slow. My temps reached 85-86 this afternoon - slowly changing light cycle and getting a chiller soon. Last year, my tank ran 82-83 constant (before closed loop pump added) and my tank was fine. I guess it depends on what you have in there. One thing i noticed is that temp fluctuations will help unwanted algaes grow. Hopefully my chiller will help out some.
NicoleC
New member
Max temp depends on your animals. Some fish and corals are barely tropical, and will get stressed at 80F. Some are just getting comfortable at that temp and are happy up to 86F. Many snails available in So Cal are collected in Baja and are not really tropical snails, so they do very poorly at hot reef temps, and when temps spike... they cook.
It's more important that you keep the tank temp steady. A couple of degress of swing is fine and normal in the wild -- going from 77-78F and spiking up to 84-85F will cause some damage!
Without a chiller you need fans, fans, fans and good ventilation. Get the hot air from your lights blown away from your tank (fans in the canopy and stand). Get air blown over the water to encourage cooling by evaporation (fan over the sump.) Keep the water aerated with vigorous overflows and good skimming, which will also help evaporation.
Keeping my stand doors open and canopy doors open in the evening does a LOT to bring the temp under control on hot days. This is just ventilation; basically the hot air doesn't stay inside the stand and heat the water more.
Emergency cooling: water change with cooler water, frozen 2-liter bottles in the sump, turn off the lights and extra pumps (like the skimmer).
Here in So Cal it gets cool every night, so as soon as the temp outside drops under 80F, get the windows and doors open on the shady sides of the house and start up fans in the windows/doors. When the sun goes down you can open up the west side of the house, too. A big box fan in my door, with the back door and windor open, will blow (or suck) air right through my house and ool it off.
Don't forget good blinds or curtains, even if you have good quality windows, insulating drapes/blinds will cool the house by several degrees on hot days.
It's more important that you keep the tank temp steady. A couple of degress of swing is fine and normal in the wild -- going from 77-78F and spiking up to 84-85F will cause some damage!
Without a chiller you need fans, fans, fans and good ventilation. Get the hot air from your lights blown away from your tank (fans in the canopy and stand). Get air blown over the water to encourage cooling by evaporation (fan over the sump.) Keep the water aerated with vigorous overflows and good skimming, which will also help evaporation.
Keeping my stand doors open and canopy doors open in the evening does a LOT to bring the temp under control on hot days. This is just ventilation; basically the hot air doesn't stay inside the stand and heat the water more.
Emergency cooling: water change with cooler water, frozen 2-liter bottles in the sump, turn off the lights and extra pumps (like the skimmer).
Here in So Cal it gets cool every night, so as soon as the temp outside drops under 80F, get the windows and doors open on the shady sides of the house and start up fans in the windows/doors. When the sun goes down you can open up the west side of the house, too. A big box fan in my door, with the back door and windor open, will blow (or suck) air right through my house and ool it off.
Don't forget good blinds or curtains, even if you have good quality windows, insulating drapes/blinds will cool the house by several degrees on hot days.
cediss
New member
I completely agree with Nicole. I never have used a chiller. I always rely on fans! Especially to induce evaporative cooling. Just make sure you set-up a good top off system. You don't want dramatic salinity flucuations or over dosing of freshwater. What you are doing with switching the photoperiod work very well too. I used to run my reefs with lights coming on (actinics) at 6 or 7 PM to 6-7AM and halides on 7-8PM etc. Many of us can't view our tanks during the day anyway.
Also if you can afford it don't let your house temp go over 78. Most tanks will trend toward minimum of 2-3 degrees warmer than ambient house temp if all equipment is on.
Wsun083, you will be amazed what some good fans can do. As Nicole said, "Without a chiller you need fans, fans, fans and good ventilation." You would still benefit from fans with the chiller. The fans will decrease the load on the chiller, and they are cheaper to operate!
Also if you can afford it don't let your house temp go over 78. Most tanks will trend toward minimum of 2-3 degrees warmer than ambient house temp if all equipment is on.
Wsun083, you will be amazed what some good fans can do. As Nicole said, "Without a chiller you need fans, fans, fans and good ventilation." You would still benefit from fans with the chiller. The fans will decrease the load on the chiller, and they are cheaper to operate!
I was going to get a 1/4 HP chiller but my parents gave me the okay on a 600-750G in wall system once they move into a new house. My 120G is only temporary. I will try the fans. I had one against the back of the canopy, but it didn't do much? Does it make a huge difference if the fans are blowing across the water?
cediss
New member
Absolutely. The more air contact with the water the better. Just be careful to secure the fans properly, and they should be on GFI circuits to prevent electricution. Any good air flow will help, but if the air flow blows against the surface of the water, evaporation will increase, which in turn drops water temp (and water level).
Agreed that chillers are good for water cooling and secure control of temp. But they to can fail and do. Just last week my buddies chiller stuck in the on setting. His tank dropped down to 57. When ever posible build in redundancy and remember the more complicated the system the more chance there is for something to go wrong. When things go wrong it usually happens when you are out of town. I always try to have someone who knows my system, watch my tank when I'm gone.
If you can connect the fans to a temp controller that would be best. Otherwise make sure you watch that you don't leave the fan(s) on when you don't need them. I have cooled my tank down into the low 70's before. Not likely in this heat,but beware. At the minimum I recommend putting them on timmers. You may need to experiment to decide how long your fans need to run.
Agreed that chillers are good for water cooling and secure control of temp. But they to can fail and do. Just last week my buddies chiller stuck in the on setting. His tank dropped down to 57. When ever posible build in redundancy and remember the more complicated the system the more chance there is for something to go wrong. When things go wrong it usually happens when you are out of town. I always try to have someone who knows my system, watch my tank when I'm gone.
If you can connect the fans to a temp controller that would be best. Otherwise make sure you watch that you don't leave the fan(s) on when you don't need them. I have cooled my tank down into the low 70's before. Not likely in this heat,but beware. At the minimum I recommend putting them on timmers. You may need to experiment to decide how long your fans need to run.
NicoleC
New member
I just run my fans on timers, in fact on the same timer with the lights. When the lights are on in the canopy, that fan runs. When the fuge light is on in the sump, that fan runs.
For example, as of 5 minutes ago my thermometer out back (in the shade!) is reading 98F. My internal house temp is 85F; my tank is at 81 -- it's only gone up <1F today.
My chiller is busted, so that's with just one fan!
For example, as of 5 minutes ago my thermometer out back (in the shade!) is reading 98F. My internal house temp is 85F; my tank is at 81 -- it's only gone up <1F today.
My chiller is busted, so that's with just one fan!
SurferStevo
New member
I agree on the chiller - And get a good one mine is a cheapo 1/4 hp with intergrated controller that runs constantly!
As far as your corals being wiped out in a day.....Depends on what your livestock is but you should always be aware of the higher temps.
glaudds
New member
Man it is hot outside today!!
No chiller here either.....I have no heat issues for several reasons.
I've got a fan over my sump connected to a temp controller. The fan kicks on when the tank temp hits 80.5 and won't go off until it goes down to 80.
In addition, my canopy is vented out the side of the house with fans sucking the hot air out when the halides are on.
Lastly, we set the AC so that the house never gets over 80*(even when we go on vacations.)
No chiller here either.....I have no heat issues for several reasons.
I've got a fan over my sump connected to a temp controller. The fan kicks on when the tank temp hits 80.5 and won't go off until it goes down to 80.
In addition, my canopy is vented out the side of the house with fans sucking the hot air out when the halides are on.
Lastly, we set the AC so that the house never gets over 80*(even when we go on vacations.)
