Heat problem in 20 gal M-Tank

[marino420td]

There are three powerheads in my 20 gal M-Tank, 1 on skimmer, 1 for return and 1 in tank for flow. My water temp is about 82-83 degrees and the tank is in a cool basement. Any ideas on keeping the water temp down?

[grim]

A fan blowing across the top is really the easiest and cheapest solution. Evaporative cooling can make a big difference if the heat load isn't too great.

Is the temp still 82-83 with the lights off? If so, you should be able to run the fan 24/7. If it is due to the lighting, you can run the fan on the same timer as your lights. You could always throw a temp controller into the mix if you find that both your heater and fan are on at the same time or you have a wide temperature swing due to the fans/heaters.

jb