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#301
05/03/2007, 05:03 PM
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In my fan systems on similar sized tanks (80 gal.. 2X 250 watt MH + 4 X 110 VHO in this case)I use 3 Ice cap fans... 2 are used to blow into the tank water directly DOWN onto the water... This creates severe evaporation and results in a dramatic cool down... one fan then vents this air back out from the hood. A final desk type fan rigged under the stand Blows air across the sump for further evaporation. The ambient room temp is kept at 76 and this usually will yield tank temps of 78 - 80 Evaporation is the Key to cooling a tank without a chiller.. NOT simply exhausting the heat
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#302
05/03/2007, 05:28 PM
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#304
05/03/2007, 06:27 PM
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Yes it IS THE way it works.. Because of the enclosed canopy the air volume is totally controlled BY the fans... were the canopy open the Air could not be controlled as precisely and the systems efficientcy would suffer...
BUT, a fan/fans blowing onto/into the water in any system will add dramatically to the cooling by the evaparatory effect... It works really very well LOL as long as you are using some form of auto topoff... Otherwise you contually are running back and forth with pitchers of water... Remember also that if the canopy IS enclosed to have at least one fan exhausting this now humid water OUT of the canopy... Like I described above 2 fans blow into the water and one blows OUT of the canopy
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It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open ones mouth and to let it be known |
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#305
05/03/2007, 06:30 PM
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NOTE hot or COOL air is really not a factor... Both air temps will cause very signifigant evaporation
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It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open ones mouth and to let it be known |
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#306
05/03/2007, 09:02 PM
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Heat
Sounds like I am probably going to have a problem with heat. I would like to keep down on the evaporation. At this moment I have 1 ICE cap fan on top in the center of the canopy. I have 4 Fresh air intake at the aprox. height of the lights. I probably will have to add 2 more to the intakes.
Auto Top off I have to find some RO tubing for connection at the float valve. CAN I buy this at Home Depot and if so what is it called and what is the ID and OD.     
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#307
05/03/2007, 09:20 PM
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Re: Heat
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#308
05/03/2007, 09:51 PM
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I really would not use more than 3 fans for this system... Exhaust is really not as effective as you may think... Take a moment to think about how the fan in your cars cooling system works blowing ONTO the fins to conduct the heat away.. We WANT to blow air ONTO the waters surface to cool it. Then a single fan can exhaust this now humid, hot air. Evaporation is great! it constantly cools the water and also by having the top off it constantly adds fresh clean water... why would you want to keep evaporation to a minimum?... there are nothing but positives to it?? Humidity perhaps? I dont have any problems with Humidity in tanks this size... Now my 700 gal system that will be a different story
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It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open ones mouth and to let it be known |
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#309
05/04/2007, 07:39 AM
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Why is everyone so concerned about keeping the temps below 80*? I have my heater set to 81* and it usually hits 84* by the end of the day. It's even seen 87* several times when I forget to turn the AC on. I've never had a problem.
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Bob I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's the best they're going to feel all day. -Frank Sinatra |
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#310
05/04/2007, 07:46 AM
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A note on the the translucent "Sterilite" bin you have there, they tend to get a bit brittle with age (seems to show up around the corners first as tiny cracks). Keep a close eye on them and do not drop them.. (I use them myself because they are dirt cheap)
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I have run warm tanks (81 range) without problems but you do not get much room for error if anything goes wrong. I do know that 87 degrees will bleach a large number of SPS and some LPS corals if they are in the tank (been there done that) I now try to go no higher than 80. Will you notice any big differences right away? probably not, but I think over the long term, slightly cooler waters will be better.
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"It's a dog eat dog world and I feel like I am wearing milkbone underwear" Last edited by Randall_James; 05/04/2007 at 07:53 AM. |
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#311
05/04/2007, 08:37 AM
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Nice to see this thread take a positive turn!
Doc, thanks for all the input about heat. What you're saying makes a lot of sense! I just never took it for granted that blowing cool air on the surface of the water was better than blowing hot air (something I do really well)--- :  JG, I know for a fact that blowing water directly onto the surface (increased evaporation) can lower your temp a few points... I made a little bracket out of egg crate to hold 3 CPU fans that cliped on my sump right at the 'fuge overflow. My thought was that air blowing right on that thin layer of wate traveling over the overflow r would have massive evaporation and cool very effectivly. I was right... Those where my tempurature "happy days". I actually saw my heater turn on! I didn't get IceCap fans though, and the salt got to 'em and they burned up. |
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#312
05/04/2007, 10:57 AM
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 You've got a decent looking stand there... Why in the heck did you send tubing through the front? Am I missing something? do you have doors on the back too? I mean, 2 stands can work nice if you've got another room. I've seen really nice setups where they pipe water to a fuge or sump in another room. I actually like the 2 stand idea, because it opens up other possibilities in the future... But a hole in the face of the stand??? |
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#313
05/04/2007, 11:27 AM
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This should be either pvc flex or hard pvc. |
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#315
05/04/2007, 01:00 PM
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Check out how melev did his canopy fans...
He actually cut through the reflector on his lights so the air blows directly on the surface of the water... Maybe you should try something like that. http://www.melevsreef.com/acrylics/cooling.html Humid air would vent through the side, icecaps blow down through the top onto water surface... You'd probably be good to go on your heat issues then. |
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#319
05/10/2007, 05:25 PM
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No Update
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(tgreene ) "Ummmm, clear vinyl tubing is also notorius for clogging with algae growth." Reply. I have a valve so If it get bad I will replace it I have almost 25Ft of this tubing. (oharaell) "Check out how melev did his canopy fans... He actually cut through the reflector on his lights so the air blows directly on the surface of the water..." "Maybe you should try something like that." Reply: When I am up an running I will do some testing. I like the idea of the black acrylic over the over flows (does anyone know were i can purchase this). At this moment I have 1 ICE cap venting the Hot air. I hope this is enough. I will most likely add two more fans and have them set to come on when the actinic's (2 T5's)come on and off when the actinic's go off. I will most likely place 1 over the overflows and another adjacent to it for evaporative cooling. You've got a decent looking stand there... Why in the heck did you send tubing through the front? Am I missing something? do you have doors on the back too? (oharaell) "I mean, 2 stands can work nice if you've got another room. I've seen really nice setups where they pipe water to a fuge or sump in another room. I actually like the 2 stand idea, because it opens up other possibilities in the future... But a hole in the face of the stand??" Because it is gravity feed and I will not have any Access to the back of the tank. That is why the filter stand is so open for ease of maintenance. Removal of heaters, Pumps, UV and Skimmer. In my previous setup, It was a real pain to do any maintenance in the aquarium Stand due to height and the center brace. Also in regards to the hole I saved the old piece and can use some wood glue and filler to replace it. |
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#320
05/10/2007, 05:36 PM
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Doc was successfull in convincing me that it's actually the air movment, not really the ambient temp. that's important.
If I where you, i'd turn that icecap around so it's blowing down onto the water, instead of venting. I bought one of those office fans and mounted in my stand, so I've got MASSIVE air movment in my stand-- Just did it after doc's post a few days ago... My temp hasn't gotten about 78 since I did that! Thanks doc! |
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#321
05/10/2007, 05:46 PM
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PIC Required
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Thanks |
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#322
05/10/2007, 06:33 PM
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I don't have a canopy. It's open top.
I mounted a 4" office fan (from target) right in the front to the ceiling of the stand. It's ugly as all heck, but it's easy to move (I just put a screw in and the fan has a hole that it hangs by). Point is... get as much air hitting the surface of your water as you can. |
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#323
05/10/2007, 10:08 PM
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oharaell
heh Glad to have converted you
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It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open ones mouth and to let it be known |
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#325
05/11/2007, 11:20 PM
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Try your local yellow pages for plastics or acrylic suppliers. There are online suppliers for acrylic, but I don't know if any of them would sell small enough qtys of black for overflow covers.
I would agree that you will most likely need more air movement to keep that tank cool with the MH lamps. I have had good luck with a couple of clip monted fans blowing on the water surface and a few "silenx" fans pulling air out from above the MH's. (the silenx fans are WAY quieter and cheaper than ice caps). So when are you going to start this system up?
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my reef ate my wallet |
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