how to keep an aquarium cool wihtout a chiller?
- Thread starter gsechen
- Start date
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Premium Member
Thats going to be the best way....anything else will shift the temp too much with that water volume......Before I got a chiller, I controlled the temp in the house around the tank........yes, obsessive......but worked.
Turn off the lights sooner and open the top if you have one.
Turn off the lights sooner and open the top if you have one.
MrMikeB
New member
Controlling tank temps through the ambient temperature was near impossible for me during the summer mos. When its 110 outside and trying to keep the place at 75, well it gets expensive and indirect heat and light always pushed the temps up.
I agree with the fans. Changing the light schedule of course will trade off your coral growth and possibly tank stress due to changes in the photo period, so its more a short term fix in my book.
In the end I think I have come to realize when you you have a typical Sac summer, well you will need a chiller or lots 'o ice.
I agree with the fans. Changing the light schedule of course will trade off your coral growth and possibly tank stress due to changes in the photo period, so its more a short term fix in my book.
In the end I think I have come to realize when you you have a typical Sac summer, well you will need a chiller or lots 'o ice.
I'm considering doing a reverse photo period when temps get out of control. I will likely run a fan across the surface during the day and no lights. Then I'll flip on the lights at night when I'm sleeping. I figure lighting is a huge factor that heats up the tank so why not run them during the night when it's cool out? Any input on this...?
CaptiveReefSystems
In Memoriam
depending on the lighting and pumps used, I have found you can expect a 8 to 12 degree temp differential between the room temp and the water temp. Keeping your house below 78 degrees might be necessary.
MrMikeB
New member
I would think the indirect lighting of day would not give your system a true lights out period unless you have the system in a dark room and undisturbed. Another more pragmatic response would be why would you do this? I love to see my system, in fact if it was not so nice to look at, I surely would be thinking twice on having it in the first place.
kevin95695
Member of the Registry
w/Mike on this one... The logic is sound to have lights on when cool... but if the tree falls when you're not in the forest, does it really make sound? Make sense?
If for some reason you tank got really hot, and you need to cool down your tank relative quick - you can try ice is a zip loc bag.
geschen - I forwarned you about xenia. When you get a chance, I might want a frag. I just started my wife's new 12G nano, and she loves xenia.
Minh
geschen - I forwarned you about xenia. When you get a chance, I might want a frag. I just started my wife's new 12G nano, and she loves xenia.
Minh
