Still high temps in my 14g biocube,and I give up.

[Oldsalt01]

I have looked under every stone, shaken every bush I can think of, and spent the last three days trying to add another fan to my 14g biocube hood, it's worn me out, and my wife's about ready to divorce me over it! I have an additional fan that came out of a PC power supply, but there's no way to power it. When I hook it to one of the stock fans it blows beautiful cool air! It also cuts the stock fan's RPM's by at least 1/3 which is pretty much self defeating. Does anyone know of a source for mini fans with their own power supply? I swear I saw one on youtube, retrofitting a biocube hood, but I'm danged if I can find the vid now. I can't afford to go to LED's and I sure am not going to put a chiller on it, and the hood has to stay on for now. I'm about ready to tear the whole thing down and toss it in the trash. African cichlids are looking better all the time. I just can't get the temps to stay below 85 if I have the lights on for more than 3 hours and I sure can't afford to keep the house at 70 degrees.

 

[Synodontis]

Might be a silly idea, but if you can't keep temps down by blowing cool air in, try reversing the fans & suck the hot air out.
Hot air coming out would draw cool air in. Just a thought
Have you got a pic of you have it set up now?

 

[Oldsalt01]

Yah. Reversed the fans and it helped marginally (which voids the warranty, BTW). My thought is to draw cool air into the open slot in the back of the hood with a mini fan, pushing it over and around the light cover and over the water surface, but I can't find a mini fan (50mm) with it's own power plug. They all come with 2 or 3 pin computer plugs. I need something with a transformer that I can plug into my power strip. It's making me a little crazy(er). The stock fans are just too small and move too little air for the CFL's, especially the actinic. From speaking with one of the reps, I get the feeling this is not an unusual scenario for Coralife tanks (29's too), and they're an improvement over the Oceanics!

 

[D maul]

Yah. Reversed the fans and it helped marginally (which voids the warranty, BTW). My thought is to draw cool air into the open slot in the back of the hood with a mini fan, pushing it over and around the light cover and over the water surface, but I can't find a mini fan (50mm) with it's own power plug. They all come with 2 or 3 pin computer plugs. I need something with a transformer that I can plug into my power strip. It's making me a little crazy(er). The stock fans are just too small and move too little air for the CFL's, especially the actinic. From speaking with one of the reps, I get the feeling this is not an unusual scenario for Coralife tanks (29's too), and they're an improvement over the Oceanics!

Have you looked in to the clamp on fans? I had one I clamped on the back of the tank I bought on eBay think I even still have it.

 

[D maul]

Found the fan I used when I was having heat issues. They also sold a 2 fan unit but Iwas running halides so I bought the 6 fan unit.

 

[Shep]

Yea look for fans to blow across the surface, this increase evaporation which in turn helps keep the temp down. YOu can allso add ice packs to your ATO reservoir to help cool it even further.

 

[Oldsalt01]

I would like to thank everyone who has offered potential solutions to my heat problem, but I believe I may have found the answer, purely by accident. RapidLED offers a 12V adapter that is exactly what I need. I may keep the tank after all, lol. I will post once I know whether this is the solution I have sought and may include pics for those of you who are dealing with the same issue with this type of tank. Whew!

 

[brandon429]

consider making a purposeful gap between your tank and the hood, blow air into that gap

 

[AdamNC]

Have you tried reversing only 1 fan to have one blowing in cool air and the other sucking warm air out? The only other think I could think of is to drill vent holes on top of the hood as well as try the 1 fan reverse deal.

 

[saltyphish]

If it is set-up like a 29 biocube then I can tell you what I did for mine before I went led retro kit. My hood has a lid in the front (for feeding I assume) and a lid in the back to access the chambers. I removed both lids and placed a fan above the tank from behind blowing down into the back opening. This allowed for more evap keeping temps manageable. Have to add more water though. This worked great for me.

 

[Oldsalt01]

Awaiting delivery of the 12V adapter tomorrow. Going to attach the mini PC fan to the back of the hood, at one of the chord outlet holes, cover the other one with packing tape (for now), and blow cool air into the hood from behind. I may have to cut some slots in the feeding door if the side vents aren't enough, but my trusty dremel is up to the challenge. I'll post when I once I've seen whether this makes a difference or not. If not then it's on to LED's. The good thing is this is giving me time to cycle my QT.

 

[madtownguy]

I found a chiller for $90 for my 29g cube I will let you know if it works. My temp fluxes about 2.8 degrees every day and night. 80.8 is the highest it gets. But I have heater set at around 78 so I probably could bring it down but I would imagine flux would just be greater. There's also a guy selling a used one here for decent at $115.

 

[namkiii]

I found a chiller for $90 for my 29g cube I will let you know if it works. My temp fluxes about 2.8 degrees every day and night. 80.8 is the highest it gets. But I have heater set at around 78 so I probably could bring it down but I would imagine flux would just be greater. There's also a guy selling a used one here for decent at $115.

Link to chiller

 

[madtownguy]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Aquarium-Th...ater-W-Pump-/161757227337?hash=item25a97b6949

I should have it in a day or two I will let you know my review of it and if it keeps the temperature where I want it.

 

[Oldsalt01]

For $115 I can convert to LED's, including dimmers, solve the whole issue, AND have a much nicer looking tank.. Thanx for the input tho. I do appreciate it.

 

[madtownguy]

That sounds great but odds are all the flux you are having isn't from lighting alone. How much does your house flux in temperature in a 24 hour period? I'm very happy with the lighting I currently have in my tank, maybe the 14 doesn't have 3 separate lights standard.

 

[namkiii]

For $115 I can convert to LED's, including dimmers, solve the whole issue, AND have a much nicer looking tank.. Thanx for the input tho. I do appreciate it.

Where can you do that for 115$?

 

[Sabellafella]

Drill holes in the front open part of the hood and leave the back open takes .9 degrees out

 

[Harold Green]

If the fan doesn't do it I'd change the lighting. You'll save the cost in electricity savings over time anyway. Remember though that even led's produce heat if they aren't vented into the air rather than contained in a hood.

 

[Oldsalt01]

After copious mathematical convolutions I can get a 12 LED setup (6 Cool White, 6 Royal Blue, solder-less LED's, with connectors, drivers, and dimmers) for $116 plus tax, from Rapid LED. Their web site even has diagrams on how to dismantle the hood electronics to replace the CFL's (the cause of my heat issue) and still keep the fans working to ensure the LED's are cooled, as well as how to build the LED board. Great site, VERY helpful on line chat with them. Yesterday I modified the back of the hood; slightly larger electrical chord hole (all praise the Dremel), PC mini fan bolted on, and am waiting for the 12V power supply to show up today. I'll know by tomorrow if the alterations worked. If they do I'll post pics.