Help!!! My new tank won't come down to temp!

[CFQTPye]

I set up my tank on sunday. Filled it with regular tap water and have been running it without lights for two days now. I set the heater that came with my Red Sea C250 to 77 degrees. I checked my thermometer and found that it was reading nearly 88 degrees. Mind you I haven't been running it at all with lights and cooling fan.

I ended up turning my thermometer off this morning to see where my temp. goes to figuring perhaps it's my apartment's environment (which is not hot, I actually ran my AC last night and still didn't have a good drop in temp.). In the event I can't get temp. down, I'm concerned about when I start running my lights... I'm planning on purchasing my live rock today... Can anyone recommend an affordable chiller that is suitable for a 65 gallon tank? I don't know much about them so recommendations and input is appreciated.

Best,
Corinne

 

[coralcouple]

Take the heater out of the tank, it may be the problem. Also why are you going to put live rock in plain tap water?

 

[CFQTPye]

I'm emptying out the tank and putting in my live rock and RO water later this evening. Sorry I didn't clarify.

 

[CFQTPye]

As well as mixing in my salt... Doing the whole set up.

 

[sk8elenex92]

are your sure your temp guage is correct?

 

[CFQTPye]

I'm not sure. I'm going to be picking up another heater and another thermometer to check. I've had the heater off all day and the temp is still 84 degrees.

 

[sk8elenex92]

Yea that doesn't sound right. You house must be like 90 degrees then.

 

[CFQTPye]

It's definitely not I had my AC on last night set to 62 degrees. My apartment is usually very cool hits 78 the highest. I don't know what's wrong. I'll check the thermometer first.

 

[james2369]

I agree take out the heat some times they can be broken from the start and I always keep a cheep thermometer the one with the suction cup on hand to help with any doubt and maybe do a partial water change just my thought

 

[tanksman]

you shouldn't need a chiller it's probably going to be your heater or your thermostat I've been running my 100 gallon tank for a year with metal halides lighting and I just use a fan, no problem.but it sounds like you don't have livestock in your fish tank so there's nothing to worry about anyway. however here's a trick for you to get it down in the future if this happens to you just freeze a gallon of water in a milk jug or similar container and float it in the tank

 

[james2369]

you shouldn't need a chiller it's probably going to be your heater or your thermostat I've been running my 100 gallon tank for a year with metal halides lighting and I just use a fan, no problem.but it sounds like you don't have livestock in your fish tank so there's nothing to worry about anyway. however here's a trick for you to get it down in the future if this happens to you just freeze a gallon of water in a milk jug or similar container and float it in the tank

Thats a great idea ill have to remember that for myself

 

[Jimbo662]

Could it also be the return or skimmer pump causing extra heat?

 

[saltyphish]

What size tank, what type of lights, and does your tank have a canopy or is it open top? The reason I ask is for example, I own a 29 gallon biocube and those are notoriously known for running hot from the compact fluorescents and the canopy on them. In most cases just blowing a fan across the top of the water surface will drop the temp 3-5 degrees but will increase your water evaporation. Make sure you keep an eye on top off.

 

[CFQTPye]

SaltyPhish - 55 Gallon, T5's it does have a canopy and I have a fan blowing across the top of my water.

 

[ammari33]

Do not use Tap Water, this is the 1st mistake

 

[PapaDragon]

My 150g was getting up to 86 until I bought 3 $12 fans from Walmart. I put 2 blowing across the top and 1 blowing across the sump. My tank now is running at 78.8. I have an apex that turns the fans on if the temp hits 79.4. I'm running 3 250W MH's and 8 T5's. When my MH's are on for 4 hours my temp triggers the fans. Running fans increases evaporation so watch your ATO reservoir.

 

[jt17]

Thats a great idea ill have to remember that for myself

Make sure the water is rodi. Sometimes plastic containers can crack with the expansion of freezing water and you wouldn't want tap meltwater going into your tank.

 

[james2369]

K thanks for that tip

 

[CastAway]

Corinne - If it's still running hot, you might check the submersible pumps, if you can reach them (I'm not familiar with the C250). Perhaps they're running hot due to some defect. I would expect them to be warm, but not hot. Also, evaporative cooling is really dependent on the humidity in the room, just as much as air flow and surface area. There may not be much one can do to affect a change in humidity, but, so you'll know. Having two or three small cheap thermometers, and averaging them all will help to set your heater thermostat.