Beat the Heat

[Ocean Images]

With outdoor temps reaching the 95 degree mark over the last week or so in southern ontario anyways, :angry: how are you guys dealing with your tank temps? I am sure not everybody can afford a chiller, I am sure there are a still a few floating icecubes ;)
I am not bragging but I still have my heaters running, my tanks are in the basement and its pretty damn cold
:thumbsup:

[Flatlander]

We had the same heat wave leading up to the long weekend. Like you, my heaters are always running, as my tanks are in the basement also.

I run at about 79-80 usually. During the heat it went up to 82, which is not all that bad. Of course I had the tops all open and lots of fans running.

Must be hard without air and a tank in the living room.

[Mugster]

I was going to ask the same question. My tank is also in the basement but my temps have reached 86 - 87 even with the top open and a large fan blowing on the tank. I was thinking of filling 2 litre pop bottles and freezing them and then floating them in the sump but unfortunately there's not enough room. Floating ice cubes might just do the trick.

Has anyone tried using a small apartment freezer as a chiller? I've read about the small dorm fridges not being efficient enough to work and actually burning out from being overworked. I was thinking of running my spare Mag12 to pump the tank water into about 50 - 100 ft of coiled tubing in the freezer filled with a 50/50 mixture of glycol/water to prevent it from freezing (the water in the freezer, not the tubing) and back to the tank again. Could this work? :help:

[Ocean Images]

I know in the past I have filled those ziplock baggies with water and put them in the freezer. I used to keep 10 baggies and just switched them 5 in the water until they thawed / 5 in the freezer, that way you don't have to keep making a bunch of ice cubes.
I understand the heat wave is not going to end till early next week :mad:

[ajx22]

I'm lucky to have a large tank and also have air conditioning. My tank stays @ 78-81 with only one 4" fan directed at the sump.

I have used the frozen baggy idea in my past tanks, and it works - though it takes some work to keep them going.

I have heard that people have tried the fridge trick...but most have not worked that well. I have also heard that some people have used a pump (say a Mag) connected to a length of tubing that is run through the floor and into the basement. The water gets to cool while it goes through the coils of tubing in the basement, before getting pumped back up to the tank again.

I don't know if this would work - but it may be worth a shot.

Cool reefing to all....

[Aquatic]

My tank is close to a sink that I leave running with cold water. Very cold water is sucked out through a syphon, travels along lengthy clear tubing, and the other end back into the sink. Part of the long tube I leave in the tank. This acts like a heat exchanger. No electricity used at all.

This method will keep the tank cooler than even having a zillion fans running. No need to top up the water.

[afss]

the water through the hose would work well, but your water bill must be HUGE.

The thing i don't understand about chillers is why anyone would use one when you can get a window a/c just as cheap if not cheaper than a chiller. With the a/c not only are your fish happy, but so are you :D as you sit and enjoy your tank:cheers:

If you are willing to risk it you can get used units for less than 100 dollars, if not you can get new ones starting around 300. More than enough to keep one room pluss tank cool.
Scott

[Aquatic]

Actually I live in an apartment where utility is inclusive with the rent .......... in other words, electricity and water are unlimited.

You can fill the sink with cold water and let the tube loop circulate water until the sink temperature gets as warm as the fish tank temperature.

Or you can minimize water usage by just letting it trickle out cold water. This will keep the pool of water cool all the time, but just make sure the sink has an overflow.

If you aren't near a cold water source but have access to one, you can always use pumps and long tubes to circulate.

[Dman]

Fortunately I have AC, sumps in the basement and not so fortunate heaters that run almost all the time.
Bar fridges don't work and freezers are alot more trouble than their worth, I've not tried it myself but I have talked to others through the years who have tried.
As for afss' suggestion of a window shaker, you'll find that you are replacing them every couple of years as they burn out, subsequently making a chiller substantially cheaper in the long run, not to mention that they are alot more effiecient at absorbing BTU's directly from the water, than trying to do it through the atmosphere with a window shaker (window mounted AC unit).
I like the idea of runing a cold water ine through the water, provided you have deep pockets or really cheap (free) water, but alas, it's very environmentally unfriendly.Ziplock(tm) baggies or pop bottles and the like are great for short term fixes and if you use RO to fill'em, when the heat wave passes you can use them for top-off water.
Dman
:spin:

[Asmodeus]

I have the same situation with Dougie:thumbsup: I have my spare room in the back of my recroom... And my tank is in the wall so i have the whole room to let the water to cool down , and its always cool in there ... OH YA AND CENTRAL AIR :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: SO tha t's helping too...;) But i still somtimes see the water get to 82.3 F i think that is the hood i have is about 6 " from the top of the tank and i have VHO on with the actinic.. SO i can feel the heat brewing up even with VHO's...:rolleyes:

[ajx22]

Originally posted by Asmodeus
I have the same situation with Dougie:thumbsup: I have my spare room in the back of my recroom... And my tank is in the wall so i have the whole room to let the water to cool down , and its always cool in there ... OH YA AND CENTRAL AIR :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: SO tha t's helping too...;) But i still somtimes see the water get to 82.3 F i think that is the hood i have is about 6 " from the top of the tank and i have VHO on with the actinic.. SO i can feel the heat brewing up even with VHO's...:rolleyes:

Add a couple of 4" AC fans to your hood blowing onto the water surface to help cool things down. Depending on your normal tank temp - 82.3F is getting a little to the higher side and you may stress your livestock if the swings are drastic enough.

Where as you have the whole room hidden from view...you could get away with a stand-up or table-top fan blowing onto the sump to help keep it cooler. This is a big benefit of having a behind-the-tank fish-room!!

Cheers all...

[Asmodeus]

Good call on the fans i have a little one but i will get a bigger one ...size does matter ................:roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:

[Mugster]

I keep reading posts about 4" fans and I would like to ask a question or two. Other than the expensive Icecap fans, what other fans can be used and where can I get them from? I'm currently using used 4" fans (purchased from a surplus store) which I believe are from microwave ovens. The amount of air they move is not that great.

[ajx22]

Originally posted by Mugster
I keep reading posts about 4" fans and I would like to ask a question or two. Other than the expensive Icecap fans, what other fans can be used and where can I get them from? I'm currently using used 4" fans (purchased from a surplus store) which I believe are from microwave ovens. The amount of air they move is not that great.

Bar-None...the IceCap Fans (http://www.icecapinc.com/access.htm) are the best and nicest as they move 50-112cfm and have a sensor to vary the fans speed to the amount of cooling needed - but as we all know, they are not cheap either ($85.99 Canadian).

Some of the Radio Shacks sell them too, though they don't move nearly as much air: (65cfm)
RadioShack Fans (http://www.radioshack.ca/estore/Product.aspx?language=en-CA&product=2730241&category=Adapters+%2f+Chimes+%2f+Fans+Fans&catalog=RadioShack) I have one of these fans in one of my MH/PC hoods - and it does circulate the air - but the hood is still HOT.

I personally use the ones offered through HelloLights and they MOVE air like there is no tomorrow!! They move 105cfm @ 3000rpm - and are very quiet all things considered. I have one of these fans blowing on my sump as my ONLY cooling for the tank - and my tanks temp doesn't jump at all!

HelloLights Fans (http://www.lampsnow.com/fan4121.html)

Let me know if you would like one, and either way:

Good luck in your search!!

Cheers,

[canadawest]

Check out this thread for an inexpensive way of cooling your tank.

Cooling Fans Added! (http://www.canreef.com/ubb6/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=7;t=000122)

Since adding the cooling fans to my hood, my tank temps have never gone above 83F, and this is in my house that has no A/C and where house temps sometimes reach 85F during our hot periods of summer (like today!)

And completely quiet, unlike the AC fans from Radio Shack or Icecap which are like jet engines in your house!

[Greg Moore]

I've been running a DIY chiller for close to 2 years now, holds tank at a +/- 1F round the clock.

Posted the info last summer and again earlier this year for it, works well, runs basically free, cost about $100 (including a DIY digital temp controler)..

Used to use ice and still saw spikes up to 85+..

Greg Moore

[Lukan]

HI Greg,

Do you mind posting that plan again?

Thanks

[Greg Moore]

Never posted a plan, just a description, it's pretty basic if you plan on using it in manual mode. It is similer to the post above but it is actually built complete as a chiller/heater unit. You need access to domestic water, ideally below 60f from the tap. You need a short peice of 3" (or better 4") white PVC and 2 caps and you need about 50-100ft of 1/4" white/clear poly pipe. The polly is coiled inside the PVC. The PVC is capped and adapted to allow pump water to pass in and out. (this could probably be uncapped for those with a sump as that other post is similer to that). Run tap water through the 1/4"..

I ran a test on a system with 8 30g tanks and a 50g sump, our tap water during the test was around 55f, it dropped the tank 5f (from 82) in 40 mins. On our 90g where it now resides, it uses about 15 gallons a day (3 toilet flushes, which could be directed to gardens or something) peak summer to maintain 81f on a tank with closed top, in an un-airconditioned living room, running 4 VHO bulbs. The summer without it saw tons of ice and still dangerous peaks.

The version I made also have a heater installed ala fireplug style and is controlled by a DIY controller that should only be built by those with basic transistor knowledge. Both can be seen at www3.sympatico.ca/gdm (http://www3.sympatico.ca/gdm)

Greg Moore