fans in canopy

[jwisson]

Should you have both fans blowing out or both blowing out?? Or one in and one out? The reason i ask is i just upgraded to 2x250 and i have a little heat issue, and want to kill it before the summer gets here.

[corndogg]

I suggest fans on top sucking air out and end fans blowing in

[jwisson]

I did not think of that. Heat rises that would help. I came home today and the tank was 81.3 but it was warm in the house.

[svb57]

81.3 for the tank is not bad....I run mine at 80 - 82....

Is the canopy full enclosed or is it open in back as mine? I have have four fands blowing into the canopy...

[corndogg]

First step is to put a clip on type desk fan over your sump to increase evaporation.

[jwisson]

i put a small fan in the sump but all it did was splash water all over the place not much cooling going on there. JK The fan i have down there i just got and turns out to be a P.O.S. I will be looking for a bigger one

[corndogg]

I also agree the 81.3 is not that bad. But, its the swing that becomes the issue and if he's targeting say 79 degrees and the new lighting has caused an increase to a base temp of 81 than he's still going to need to address this issue when summer rolls around. Now, if he can find a way to keep the swing down than there is nothing wrong with running a reef at 82.

The first time I ever went to atlantis aquarium when they were in freemont, I walked in the door looking at his main sps show tank and the temp display said 86 degrees and the colors were spectacular. I target 80 degrees because I want room for error if I have a mechanical breakdown of my chiller and heater. So if my heater fails halfway though the night and I ran my tank at 78, it would get cold a lot faster. If I ran my tank at 82-83 and my chiller failed, than my tank would meltdown pretty quick.

[svb57]

Oh I agree running higher gives less room for error!!!!! I think the highest my tank has reached is 84 in the winter (I ave more of an issue with high temps in winter then summer due to air conditioner running in summer).

[corndogg]

I prefer regular house fans to computer fans and canopy fans because of their noise and I can't pay $50 for the variable speed Icecap fans. I modified two small desk fans I got from home depot and suspended them inside my canopy. I didn't want to cut holes in my new canopy so I had to come up with something a little more creative. Plus, they are silent, move a great amount of air and plug right in. No need for any power supply or power adapter.

[corndogg]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9806505#post9806505 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by svb57
Oh I agree running higher gives less room for error!!!!! I think the highest my tank has reached is 84 in the winter (I ave more of an issue with high temps in winter then summer due to air conditioner running in summer).

Summer gets pretty hot here in the bay area. My house is cool enough in winter my chiller only turns on once every other day. I've got three 250 watt metal halides and 160 watts of t5 on a 210 gallon.

Plus, electricity is much more expensive here so running the AC at home when your not home is not ideal. I know cause I tried it two summers ago when I was running four 250's and three 60" VHO on a 125 tall.

[sulcata1619]

Now is a good time to start searching for a used chiller. Jeff got a sixth month old 1/3HP JBJ for $475 shipped. New ($800)
I got my six month old 1/3 HP JBJ from San Jose for $540. The summer is going to be a ***** with Halides that big. Fans Help, but I am finding this year that chillers are the way to go.

[jwisson]

so i should go and get some small fans and add them to the canopy to work with my other fans. I dont think i can sneak a chiller by the wife i just got the lights by her. The back of my canopy is closed with the exception of a 2in opening the length of the tank. 55gal. To much Light??

[svb57]

Chillers are great but add lots to cost to run and if you do use one make sure you "duct" it out side.....

[svb57]

Do you have whole house air conditioning? If you do then fans will work great....

[jwisson]

no on the whole house ac but i do have a huge window unit i think 25K btu but i have not turned it on yet. I only had to run it 2 times last summer but that was with the old lights.

[corndogg]

jwisson, you live on base right?

[jwisson]

no i live in the crazy house on the hill in novato. I have to pay my electric bill.

[corndogg]

got it. I had to match the username with the person

[jwisson]

Thanks for all the input i hope to get this under controll before summer.

[northbay-reefer]

Jwission, why dont you use that big fan that you got outside on top of that hill to cool down your tank ?? :D :D I bet the CFM on that thing must be crazy

[jwisson]

you know i looked into that but the cons beat out he pros. It is bad enuf that my wife allready wants my tank out there. That place turns into a big hot box in the summer.

[clayspst]

i told you so.