Hot weather has arrived in many states- How are you keeping your tank cool?

[vetteguy53081]

Its crazy to see many states . . . . Texas, Florida, Louisiana with Temperatures of 100+ degrees and no immediate end in sight. There are several methods to keep a tank cool. I use a TECO chiller unit and house is air conditioned. I hear of many reefers who do not have A/C or chiller units.

What is your method for keeping your tank temperature in check?

Some methods are use of fan, Ice packs, window a/c, and DIY methods.
For ice packs, obtain zip lock bags. You can buy a 30 pack for under $5. Place them in the sump, and use a size that will fit fine and the idea is to rotate them. fill about 5 of them with water and place in freezer. Place one frozen one in sump, allow to melt and lower temp. When it melts, pull a new frozen one from freezer and place melted one back in freezer

 

[Slocke]

I saw tunze released an aquarium fan for a ridiculous amount of money. Here's a question though. Does a powerhead just under the surface do the same thing as a fan?

 

[flashsmith]

 

[Tuan’s Reef]

I saw tunze released an aquarium fan for a ridiculous amount of money. Here's a question though. Does a powerhead just under the surface do the same thing as a fan?

No it does not. The fan cooling the surface of the water has the same effect as air conditioning while a power head under water will do the flow and gas exchange . You'll need both to cool your tank however.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I saw tunze released an aquarium fan for a ridiculous amount of money. Here's a question though. Does a powerhead just under the surface do the same thing as a fan?

No, that’s a surface t water exchange. A fan across the top would be an example

 

[Miami Reef]

All of the above.

Ac, chiller, and fans.

 

[RZGreef]

I'm in FL. A/C is set to 76F daytime, and 73F nighttime. Tank hovers at 78F mostly from the heat from pumps and lights, and heater only seems to kick in at night. I imagine if the A/C were to break down I'd probably float bags of ice because fans wouldn't be enough in our heat.

 

[Dburr1014]

Mostly basement sump, but I guess central air helps too!

 

[mijan]

I just use my A/C. My house is set for 72F 24/7. Tank temp is anywhere between 77.8 and 79.2 at any given time. I use no heater or chiller.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I'm in FL. A/C is set to 76F daytime, and 73F nighttime. Tank hovers at 78F mostly from the heat from pumps and lights, and heater only seems to kick in at night. I imagine if the A/C were to break down I'd probably float bags of ice because fans wouldn't be enough in our heat.

What is your average electrical costs with A/C running?

 

[ninjamyst]

I just use my A/C. My house is set for 72F 24/7. Tank temp is anywhere between 77.8 and 79.2 at any given time. I use no heater or chiller.

72?? dang....baller with the electric bill. What state are you in?

 

[zheka757]

My trick so far is turning my metal helides to only 4 hours a day, cooling fan on 24/7. And crank a/c at night. At least I'm not going over 83'F any more.
I'm in Florida with 500+ electric bill

 

[ninjamyst]

I have a ceiling fan right above my 200g. AC set to 77 during the day, 81 in middle of the night. Tank runs at 79-80. Our AC broke last year and I tried the ice cube method. Didn't make a dent with my 200g tank. Hahah. In Orlando, FL and it's been scorching hot the past few weeks

 

[hoffmeyerz]

Last year I was able to just keep the glass lid open and that was all I needed. I added a snowflake eel since last summer so leaving the lid open was not an option this year.
I used to tinker around and build our old desktop computers back in the day and I had a thought come to mind....I pulled one of the old case fans out, wires it to a orphaned 12v ac adapter lying in a drawer and plugged it into my EB8. Now my apex controls the fan and it comes on and off as needed....best thing is it did t cost me a cent

 

[djf91]

I have a ceiling fan right above my 200g. AC set to 77 during the day, 81 in middle of the night. Tank runs at 79-80. Our AC broke last year and I tried the ice cube method. Didn't make a dent with my 200g tank. Hahah. In Orlando, FL and it's been scorching hot the past few weeks

81 at night?? I would melt!

 

[StickyThwomp]

I've got an old water chiller (150W) which would need a pump and a heat exchanger of some sort in order to use it to chill a tank, since I doubt I could run saltwater though it... Anyone rig up a diy solution like that before?

 

[vetteguy53081]

My trick so far is turning my metal helides to only 4 hours a day, cooling fan on 24/7. And crank a/c at night. At least I'm not going over 83'F any more.
I'm in Florida with 500+ electric bill

Is this typical?

 

[Tnops]

An open top/screen net helps a lot in this case

 

[shakacuz]

air conditioning, with ceiling fans, with a fan over the DT.

The AC is for my GF and i, ceiling fans are to distribute the air around the apartment, and the fan above the DT is for the DT.

 

[Dburr1014]

My wife keeps the a/c 68 or sometimes colder.
Sometimes, I freeze in the middle of summer.
Happy wife, happy life/cold husband.