Since I'm getting into SPS, Is it Chiller Time?

[ChicagoReefOne]

The halides are only raising the tank temp about 1 degree with the canopy doors open and fans on, so I'm currently focusing on keeping the room temp cool via room air conditioning

Good to hear, keeping the room cool will definitely help, but of course running the AC will drive your electric bill up, so you may want to put the AC on a timer if you haven't already.

Sounds like you've solved your problem well enough! :dance:

 

[E.intheC]

Good to hear, keeping the room cool will definitely help, but of course running the AC will drive your electric bill up, so you may want to put the AC on a timer if you haven't already.

Sounds like you've solved your problem well enough! :dance:

Haha.. Let's hope so. Although, today was an extra humid day here, and it evaporated almost 1.5 gallons.. that's a lot on a 45 gallon tank /55 total system volume.

Hopefully the AC won't raise the electric bill too much. :hmm1:

 

[seminolecpa]

I think you are going to need a chiller soon. 83.9 is pushing it. I keep mine between 78-79. If the extra fan does not keep it down. You may need to consider the chiller soon.

I agree. If you are having heat issues like that in early May, you are likely in a world of hurt come the dead of summer. Why not add both a fan and a chiller? Let the fans do the work for you 90% of the time and have the chiller as a fail safe on those really hot days.

 

[craps_dealer]

Chiller time if its going to get much hotter.

 

[mutateddogbone]

how about turning down the thermostat in your house a few degrees? the cooler the surrounding air is along with the fans and your temp should go down. it will cost less than buying a chiller and the extra expense of running one

 

[E.intheC]

I think that's really the best way to go about temp control at this point. Just set the room ac units to go on when the mh lights are on. Too bad I can't set the thermostat for a certain temperature and leave it like that.

Do you think that 1-2 gallons of evap per day is a real cause of concern? It seems like a lot right now, and I don't have the ATO yet so I'm manually topping off 2-3x per day.

 

[wmilas]

I have a 1000 gallon system that I cool exclusively through evap. In the hight of the summer, when tis 90-100 degrees out I still am able to maintain 82F at the peak (Ok every now and then it pushed 83).

At the height I'm evaping 55 gallons a *week*. Don't underestimate the amount of heat evap can handle. I calculated that if I had to do it with a chiller I'd have to buy a split AC system and have the heat exchanger outside. No way could I dump that much heat into my fishroom. I'd still end up evapping with the split ac system.

IMHO the only way a chiller makes sense (financially) is if you do not have a dedicated fishroom and you keep your house relatively cool, OR you can put the heat exchanger for the condenser outside. You are dumping all the excess heat from your tank back into the air and it has to go somewhere.

At the end of the day, the trick is to contain the heat and humidity and get it out of the house, no matter which method you use. (if you want the lowest cost of cooling)

 

[fishyfish8]

Definately no lower than 73 and no higher than 81 or else they'll KO

 

[mutateddogbone]

do a DIY auto topoff and save 400 bux on a chiller and just get sum cheapo wal mart clip on fans and turn down your thermostat and you'll be ready to rock

 

[E.intheC]

Haha. I'm going to order an ATO from autotopoff.com this afternoon.

 

[iap]

Definately no lower than 73 and no higher than 81 or else they'll KO

SPS can't handle temps higher than 81??

 

[E.intheC]

I think SPS can handle temps higher. My tank has been 82-83 for a few weeks and so far so good. I've also never read anything that would suggest otherwise.

 

[Gills 619]

GARF recommends not more than one degree C over a 24 hour period.

 

[mutateddogbone]

SPS can handle a range of temps as long as those temps dont swing more than a degree or two

 

[juicesay]

I'd advise only to get a chiller if you have high temperature fluctuations and such.

If your tank is indoors and the temperature is controlled constantly, running a chiller would be a waste of money!

 

[scaryperson27]

Right. Stability is key with SPS, that's for sure. I have to admit though; I'm hesitant about adding a chiller as it's costly, but also because it's another piece of equipment that can go bad.

It sounds like it would be the same if your fan were to fail. If your chiller fails, it is time to turn your light of so that you can resolve the problem. I usually make it so the chiller does not cool the water that much. In your case i would set it to 80 so that it comes on once maybe twice throughout the day. They do not go out often though. I have watched chillers in operation for 5+ years without a hiccup. I say go for it. It is a smart investment for your tank. I would keep your eyes open for a used unit.

 

[Orr2003]

SPS can handle a range of temps as long as those temps dont swing more than a degree or two

rubbish

My tank temp swings 4 1/2 degrees daily. Its 78 in the morning when I wake up and my halides shut down at 82 1/2.

 

[mthomp]

how about turning down the thermostat in your house a few degrees? the cooler the surrounding air is along with the fans and your temp should go down. it will cost less than buying a chiller and the extra expense of running one

yeah i was going to mention this as well. what you are not taking into consideration is your ambient temp, as things warm up outside your ac is going to come on and that along with your fans will most likely keep things in check.