NanoCube Overheating

[drew96]

OK, usual NanoCube overheating problem. I have the JBJ 24 cube. For what ever reason the tank is running really hot. I was getting ready to convert it to a seahorse tank and was doing a good clean up before I started changing my aquascape. Anyway water felt warm so I put a thermometer in there and it read 87 degrees. WOW, that is high. I did all the usual stuff. Turned off the heater just in case its faulty. Cleaned the MJ1200 pump in the sump, took out the minijet from the main tank. Check fans and grills to make sure the were free of debris and running. Even reversed one fan so that one is blowing and one is sucking.
Changed out the mj1200 with the stock pump, etc... Anyway woke up this morning, only had the mj1200 running, no heater, lights off, AC in house was set to 75 degress. Temp in tank was 80 degrees. I either have a faulty digital thermometer or it is really 80 degrees. I have one of those Lifeguard little time and temp thermonitors. It was in a box and has not been used in a while but I replaced the battery and it seems to function fine. I am going to buy a differant type of thermometer today to see but can anyone else think of what is possible causing such high temps? It would be great to keep this below 80 to keep the horses but at these temps it not an option now.

 

[flameangel88]

If the temp is still high after testing with the new thermomoter then I would suggest changing the MJ1200 to the MJ900 that's another 7W you will save and this may bring it down 1-2 degree for you. In my case changing the stock pump out and replacing it with the MJ900 the temp went down about 1 1/4. If your temp continue to remain high your other option is to have a open top and have a fan blowing across the water surface.

 

[drew96]

Hell if thats my only option besides a chiller which I dont want to buy then I might as well just remove the top and get a Viper light even though if I go to a horse tank I dont need that much lighting and the cost of them is not cheap. I cant believe the MJ1200 can run that hot. The whole reason I switch was becasue it was suppose to run cooler and have better flow.

 

[flameangel88]

I didn't want to get a chiller myself and went with open top. I'm running 175W MH and the temp been ranging 77-78.5 but last night it was a bit warmer in the room and it was almost 80 and I will have to put up the fan soon.

What is the ambient temp?

 

[drew96]

Room temp is usually around 73-76 degress.

 

[Dan Thrash]

in my 12 gal nano, i replaced the stock pump with an MJ900, it has 72W of PCS from nanocustoms...so i think they also add a heat sink plate and better fans. but it was still running a bit hotter than i would like...around 82. i wanted it closer to 80. just turning the heater down a bit more and making sure the room doesnt get too hot (keep it around 72) did the trick. i would think that if your room is at 76 degrees, then you'll have a hard time keeping it below 80.

 

[Newreeflady]

I feel your pain. I'm even running topless with the Viper 70W on my 12g and if it is a hot day and I don't open all of my windows my house and tank bake. No fault of the lamp, what can you expect when the room temperature is 79 or higher? I'm looking into a chiller or something, but right now i've decided to change my photoperiod to early in the day so that the light will be off when it gets hot in here (about 4pm.)

If you calculate GPH (check Marine Depot's info on Maxijet) you will see that 2 MJ900 will run with less watts than just one MJ1200, and give more flow. Just a thought.

Best,
-A

 

[flameangel88]

The saving on the Maxi-Jet 1200 vs 900 is 11.5W--20W vs 8.5W (and flow rate is--295gph vs 230gph).

 

[intenseimage]

Yea but 2 MJ900s will be 17w vs the MJ1200's 20w .. and a flow of 460 gph vs the 1200's 295

 

[natureboy]

You shouldn't have one fan blowing in and the other out. They should both be going in the same direction. Otherwise, you'll get no airflow across your bulbs.

 

[Bonebrake]

In all likelihood it is a bad thermometer. I do not trust digital thermometers unless they are lab grade. Get a $1.50 thermometer from Wal-Mart and double check it, they work just as good as any, but they are ugly so don't leave them in your tank.

 

[steelhealr]

My 24G NC runs at 81.5-82.7 degrees for over a year now. Average ocean temps in the Carribbean are 83 degrees. A tank temp of 80 degress is not an issue in my books. SH