Whats a cheap way to control fans? Temperature

[Paradox009]

Hey guys, Whats the cheapest way to control fans for cooling the tank. Is there a cheap temperature controller or another method to do this? I dont need it to control a heater..just the fans..

Thanks!

 

[tmz]

I put my fan(s) on the same timer(s0 as my more intense lights.

 

[scaryperson27]

I got it, leave them on...

Do they make a lot of noise? You can put them on a timer or you could also get a controller for a heater and run the fan on it.

 

[Paradox009]

I have them on a timer, but the place I live fluctuates in temperature a lot, so I was looking for a controller that will turn them on if the temperature in the water reaches a certain degrees.

Will a heater controller work for fans? I always assumed the heater controller would turn the fan on if it was too cold, as if it was a heater. Do they work in reverse?

 

[Puffer Daddy]

Take a look at the ranco controller. Just what your looking for. Will control heat/fan (chiller). Got one for sale if your interested.

 

[scaryperson27]

Yeah, you are right. I meant to say a chiller controller. Sorry.

 

[aninjaatemyshoe]

Running them on the same timer as the lights is the cheapest method and usually rather appropriate. I have mine controlled by my ACJr and I've noticed that they more or less operate around the same schedule as my lights. Icecap fans have a little temperature sensor that adjusts their speed to coincide with how hot it is. However, I have one and have not noticed much of a fluctuation - I think it's mostly gimmicky.

 

[ordy1]

I'll be doing the same thing. I'll be using a Aqua Controller Jr. to cycle the hood fans on when the temps rise to 80.5 deg F. If the temps continue to climb to 81.5 deg f. the controller will turn on my chiller. Once the temps get back down to 80 deg F the controller will shut the fans and the chiller off. From what I've seen, and I could be wrong, this is one of the only controllers that will allow you to manipulate devices this way for temp control. I have a Octopus 2000 that doesn't have any where near the temperature control abilities that the AC jr. has.

You can run your heaters and your lights and (with the serial port upgrade) you have one digital output that can control a pump connected to a solinoid that's connected to a float switch. It's a handy little gadget. Think I payed $135.00 off of some sight on ebay.

Ordy

 

[bstreep]

If your fans are 120v, you can always use a thermostat that is used to control attic fans. They are about $13 at HD. You WILL have to wire them in.

 

[dpstrand]

Those attic fan thermostats don't have external temperature probes though...

 

[Rouselb]

just want to tag along. Looking for info on temp controllers.

 

[HBtank]

I run them with my lights on my AQ jr, but I need to since I am using T5's and cooling the lights is as important as cooling the tank.

I do use variable Icecap fans with their own thermostats as well. I attached one probe to a main lights reflector and one to the a dawn/dusk light reflector. It ensures that the fan connected to that reflector will run full speed when that set of lights is on (the ambient canopy temerature is to low in my experience). Basically one fan runs full speed all the time and one fan runs at low speed during dawn/dusk and full speed while the main lights are on. This helps lower wattage and noise during dawn/dusk (which is 2/3 of my lighting schedule) while still getting fans from both ends of the lights all the time.

I have also set a program into the Aq jr to run both the fans at low speed if the temperature is above my preference when the lights turn off.

I really could just have bought some cheapo low wattage fans and run them on the same cycle as my lights though, I just like gadgets