Skimmer airline outside during winter

[Alanc425]

I just finished running my airline outside with some nice effects on the tanks ph, should I expect a drastic effect on the tanks temperature during the colder months? My LFS has some nice sales on heaters so idk if I should grab a second or a larger one.

Thanks

 

[143MPCo]

should I expect a drastic effect on the tanks temperature during the colder months?

Yes, you will see a big swing both in heat and cooling effects. I don't bother to chase PH anymore just leave a window cracked open and I hover about 8.17 -8.33 year round.

 

[Alanc425]

Thanks. I try not to chase nor dose anything for it either but at night it started to drop to 7.75 and swing to 8.18, so I was trying to reduce that swing range. Lowest it goes now is 7.86 and 8.22 high

 

[riche]

How much will the temp fluctuate if running a air line to the outside? i cant imagine it would effect the tank that much?

I was going to do this to my skimmer since its in the basement

 

[143MPCo]

With 96 - 99 degree temp, I hit 85 degrees; well out of my comfort zone.

 

[143MPCo]

Food for thought...

 

[riche]

I respect your input and that is why I am asking.

Im just baffled at how the temp could rise so much in the tank from the air line drawing fresh air in.

My sump is in the basement( cold year round) and the tank is on the living room floor which is half below ground as we live in a quad.

If it will affectthe temp that much is a co2 scrubber the only other choice or would pulling air from the room that the actual tank is in be ok?

 

[zoomonster]

Can't imagine that much swing but probably dependent on tank size. I don't do outside air (and I use CO2 with CaRx) but I have 45g of ATO (2-3g a day) outside where its been 90-100 all summer and that has no impact on tank temp and with no chiller the most I hit is ~82 and thats when the AC can't keep up with heat/humidity. With CaRx (that drives down PH) and Kalc stirrer (ups PH) on ATO I maintain something like 8.15-8.35 and avg in 8.2's. There's always the option of just kalk to negate your CO2 impact.

 

[143MPCo]

Im just baffled at how the temp could rise so much in the tank from the air line drawing fresh air in.

My sump is in the basement( cold year round) and the tank is on the living room floor which is half below ground as we live in a quad.

If it will affectthe temp that much is a co2 scrubber the only other choice or would pulling air from the room that the actual tank is in be ok?

For me the warm air was only one part of the issues, other factors like internal return pumps, big skimmer pump, T5 w/LED lighting combo, and powder-heads played a factor in the warm up. As each system is different in it's configuration and layout you might see more or less of an issue but it's hard to say if it will be a high as I saw. Winter time was worse for me, my temp drop to 73 one day and I wasn't home to pull the line off, that's when I decided I'd had enough and stopped pulling in air from the outside.

You might be able to get away with it if you take precaution, open canopy being one, vented stand, external return pumps and so on. In the end the only real way to know is to try it, but be home or have someone home when you do as a precaution.

I tried a co2 scrubber for a while but as soon as the air inlet 1/4" tubbing started to clogged with dust my skimmer overflowed.

 

[CoralNerd]

Try a C02 scrubber, it works great for stabilizing ph.

 

[CoralNerd]

That's some thick dust to clog a skimmer. I bet that's never been done before.

 

[Ocelaris]

Have you considered an ERV or HRV (Energy Recovery Ventilator or Heat Recovery Ventilator) ? We put one in our basement when we finished it, it has a heat exchanger to capture the heat/cool going out of the house and brings in fresh air continually. They make expensive units that fit into your duct system, but Panasonic makes a nice stand alone unit. It has a 4" air duct going out and 4" coming in. You can buy a 5" adapter so you have a single penetration from the house. Works great in the basement as we sealed it up very tightly.

http://business.panasonic.com/FV-04VE1.html

 

[Sabellafella]

Try a C02 scrubber, it works great for stabilizing ph.

You like using media? I have my airline outside also but considered getting a c02 scrubber. Just not sure if it will effect the air draw, have you seen a difference with skimmate?. Op ive always ran a skimmerline outside, depending on your system my temp flux is minimal with the outside temp. On the otherhand, really hot days my ph is .1 lower then on a normal cool day.

 

[CoralNerd]

If there was a difference in skimate it was minimal. I don't run my skimmer 24/7 anyways. Yeah, I love the scrubber.

 

[Syntax1235]

I ran my skimmer air inlet tube outside and never noticed anything unusual about the temperature swings. I've got a 125 gallon tank.

 

[Ocelaris]

I ran my skimmer air inlet tube outside and never noticed anything unusual about the temperature swings. I've got a 125 gallon tank.

Wouldn't running a long run of 3/8 tubing cut down on the volume of air that can be pulled by the skimmer?

 

[Syntax1235]

Wouldn't running a long run of 3/8 tubing cut down on the volume of air that can be pulled by the skimmer?

I didn't notice a difference and I ran about 12 feet of tubing. I used 3/8 inside diameter so it fit snugly over the skimmer air input. I ran the tube to a window with a screen and put air conditioner type foam insulation to keep it sort of tight.

 

[3mm3]

Have you considered an ERV or HRV (Energy Recovery Ventilator or Heat Recovery Ventilator) ? We put one in our basement when we finished it, it has a heat exchanger to capture the heat/cool going out of the house and brings in fresh air continually. They make expensive units that fit into your duct system, but Panasonic makes a nice stand alone unit. It has a 4" air duct going out and 4" coming in. You can buy a 5" adapter so you have a single penetration from the house. Works great in the basement as we sealed it up very tightly.

http://business.panasonic.com/FV-04VE1.html

Thanks for the heads up on this

 

[143MPCo]

Have you considered an ERV or HRV (Energy Recovery Ventilator or Heat Recovery Ventilator) ? We put one in our basement when we finished it, it has a heat exchanger to capture the heat/cool going out of the house and brings in fresh air continually. They make expensive units that fit into your duct system, but Panasonic makes a nice stand alone unit. It has a 4" air duct going out and 4" coming in. You can buy a 5" adapter so you have a single penetration from the house. Works great in the basement as we sealed it up very tightly.

http://business.panasonic.com/FV-04VE1.html

Now you tell us (;)), I needed this 2yrs ago... ordered and thx!

 

[Mortie31]

I'm in the UK, I have run my skimmer line outside for a couple of years, without any noticeable difference in either heating or cooling, saying that it will probably depend in your local ambient temps, I'm sure -20C would have some effect, I didn't see any change with a few days at -9C last winter or any noticeable increase in the tank heater use.