What a difference a fan can make

[ocd_mariner]

So, my aquarium has been running pretty hot. 400w halides, temp swing from 78 to 82 throughout the day. During the night, the mag pump for the skimmer gradually raises the temp, so the chiller would kick on twice a day. Add to that the AC I have to run to keep my office cool enough to step inside, and the coming 25% increase the electric company says is on the way, and you get a lot of cash blowing in the wind.

I vented my canopy on both sides with air conditioner covers (like you find on the floor in your house). Got two $10 honeywell 7" turbo fans and put one on the sump and one on the canopy.

My temperature has deviated .3 degrees since yesterday. Holy crap. Just fans. Kick on over 79 degrees. When it cuts off, it stays off for at least 10 minutes.

I should have done this before.

 

[crumbletop]

NICE!! Yep -- evaporative cooling can be purty effective.

 

[fallinapart]

Air flow sure makes a difference, I should add some to my sump, thanks for the reminder.

Norman

 

[platax88]

and all the evaporation is good for kalk dosing too!

 

[ocd_mariner]

Wow. Just one more update. The two 400w halides have been running together since 1:00. Temp still at 79.3.

Amazing.

 

[DMBillies]

I need to order probably 6 more of the Yate-Loon computer fans (what I have installed in my hood) for venting out from beneath my stand (2 fans) and blowing down directly on my sump (probably 4, which will be my last resort "chiller" before pumps and lights start turning themselves off). As it stands now, my closed loops shutdown for about 4 hours per day during the afternoon to evening. I still have the return and 4 powerheads, so there's still flow, but I'd like to cut down that amount of time. I think the new skimmer will help (external pump instead of internal) once I actually stop running both which I'm doing for a little while to get my water ultra cleaned up before I unhook my other.

I ought to open some vents in the top of the hood as well, but I really hesitate to take a saw to it in case I ever decide to do anything differently in the future.

 

[HowardCath]

Re: What a difference a fan can make

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13133397#post13133397 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ocd_mariner
Just fans. Kick on over 79 degrees. When it cuts off, it stays off for at least 10 minutes.

What controls the fans kicking and off automatically with the water temp?

 

[ocd_mariner]

Aquacontroller 3.

 

[NeveSSL]

Wow... nice man. So your chiller isn't kicking on, you're just using the fans for evap. cooling?

This makes me wonder if one could possibly get most of the heat out of the house by maybe doing something like a dryer vent to and from the canopy. Of course you'd want to make it look good and keep critters out, but just a thought. Especially with the 25% increase Chuck mentioned.

Hmmmm.....

Brandon

 

[DMBillies]

Not having 400W halides helps