Tank temperatures -- dang this summer

[Archit]

How are the temperatures doing in everyone's tanks? I try to keep my tank from 76-77, but it is impossible for me to keep them below 79 now-a-days ... even though the entire setup is in my basement! Freaking out a little bit because I have a few colder water fish and corals in there, that aren't supposed to do too well in warmer tanks ..

Tried popping in ice bags, my AC just broke from trying to keep up, tried a fan (probably need to get a different mesh top as my current one has too tiny holes ... so probably the fan isn't as effective because of that .. I ordered a new AC and am on a lookout for more "aquarium fans" -- anyone use anything they want to share pics of?

Curious to hear about temps in everyone else's tanks and what you guys are doing to manage it ...

- Archit

 

[Marshall O]

I use fans on my tanks, with LED lighting. Without the AC on, my 125 will get as high as 78. With AC, I can easily maintain 77.

 

[s_kelley]

I have fans on my sump hooked to my reef keeper in the basement and ac upstairs for the display, it's a bit warmer than usual but doing an ok job keeping stable I'm at 79

 

[phg1960]

chiller time

 

[mnavick]

Hit 84 late today.
Since sun has set below trees back down to 82.
1st summer with LED's. If it were my MH they'd of shut off by 4pm (off if temp=84).
I know if I turn bsmt a/c on I can get it back to 78 in a few hours ( DT on main level, Sump/Fuge is bsmt).

 

[freakit]

Get ready for tomorrow... In the 90's.


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[iroc2zep]

1st summer with leds and my 150 sump in basement, my heater is still going to maintain 78 tank temp. House ac set at 78 also

 

[Platehead]

With ac, fans and the Apex mine is 78 and stable.

 

[reefstarter]

I have found that the higher the humidity the faster tank temps rise. Last year I tried ac but then I had halides . Now with LEDs all I do is put a couple fans in basement Windows pushing out. Basement is dry and tank temps stay between 77 and 79 I have a chiller that is set to come on at 79.5. I also have a cheap $12 fan from Walmart over display . My chiller has not run this year yet. Keeping the top off reservoir full is key .

 

[dz6t]

I have found that the higher the humidity the faster tank temps rise.

That is very true, a dry basement helps evaporation and keep the tanks cooled.

 

[wdebenedettojr]

That is very true, a dry basement helps evaporation and keep the tanks cooled.

+1! My tank stays between 77-78 consistently. I leave the thermostat at 74 during the day when I'm gone and don't have heat issues.

 

[Archit]

what kind of fans do you guys use?

the humidity thing makes sense. for some reason it's on the more humid side in my basement, so that would explain the higher temperatures. hopefully the new ac will do a good job at keeping that in check too

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[dz6t]

Just a large window fan will do the trick.

 

[wdebenedettojr]

what kind of fans do you guys use?

the humidity thing makes sense. for some reason it's on the more humid side in my basement, so that would explain the higher temperatures. hopefully the new ac will do a good job at keeping that in check too

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Archit I used a clip on fan that I bought at target. Controlled it with my apex. Did the trick. I no longer need so if you want to take the trip to Tewksbury you can have it as I don't have a use anymore. Text me.

 

[reefstarter]

Running an ac in a very humid room will cause water vapor to condense and start shorting things out, trust me. A dual fan in window or a box fan whatever will take care of it then a clip on for tank plus running an ac gets expensive

 

[Greg Hiller]

I allow my tank to run up to 83-84 in the summer. I put an AC unit in the window of the basement sump room to keep the humidity and temps down. I generally start this unit about this time of year, but run just window fans up until now.

 

[KSC]

I allow my tank to run up to 83-84 in the summer. I put an AC unit in the window of the basement sump room to keep the humidity and temps down. I generally start this unit about this time of year, but run just window fans up until now.

I always found it odd that some reefers would take measures to keep their tanks at unnatural levels. I get nervous when I see 78 on the display as I usually run 80-84 for a few months in the summer. I keep meaning to hook my window ac (it's been about 3' from the tank for the last 8 years) to the controller so it comes on when the tank hits 83, the temp. where my halides turn off..

 

[Archit]

thanks guys, I have been running a window fan for last few days and while I have noticed a difference in humidity, not so much in the temp.

on the positive side, I calibrated my apex probes and they were 2 degrees off! so I'm at 78 and happy.

I am in touch with a few divers and collectors (comes with the territory especially when you are an coral addict), and most of them mention the lower temps where the corals are collected. For example, the high end zoas are all deep water zoas that like to be at around 74-76. The high end indo acros are also recommended to be kept at 76. Of course corals can adapt to higher temps, but why stress them out when not necessary? Even some fish, like the ventralis anthias (these come to mind because these are what I have) are collected in very deep waters (relatively) and prefer water be at around 72-76. Majority of people that have long term success with them attribute it to keeping the temps in their tanks on the lower side.

I was also reading a thread from a couple of years back regarding ideal temps on RC. One of the posts mentioned a scientific study done that found that while corals will adapt to higher or lower temperatures, it is a lot less stressful for them to adapt to colder vs higher temperatures. I can try to find that thread .. I didn't read the actual linked study because quite frankly, I'm a cliff notes kind of guy, not a reader just the synopsis that the poster posted.

- Archit

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[Greg Hiller]

> The high end indo acros are also recommended to be kept at 76.<

That may be, but I've been diving many times throughout the Indo-Pacific and have experiences temps in the low 80's many a time, and that's at depth.

 

[Jim Tansey]

Later in the summer it is not unusual for water temps on the south side of Cape Cod to reach the low 80's.

Jim