Ice packs to chill tank in summer?

[Bblinks]

Originally Posted by davej

My $30 chiller. Tank is at steady 77.8 to 78.3. Heater comes on now and again . Rich if you want I can help you set one up.










My next step is to use a solenoid I already have to cut off flow when temp gets low enough.

That looks good buddy, I can always use the waste to water my plants.

[gregzz4]

Bryant, I tried the ice idea years ago in desperation. I was running freshwater tanks back then and even went so far as to put the canister filters in buckets of cold water.
With a 36g and 125g I went through 2 bags of ice in a couple hours and no help on the big tank. The little tank faired a bit better, but it wasn't enough. Although the bucket trick kept the 36 below 85f ...
I bought chillers the next day.

As for the heat they put out, ya it can add up. It could be 80 in the living room where my 75g is, but it would easily hit 85 in my office where the sump and chiller are. Don't know if you caught it last year but I run the chiller exhaust outside now using a couple fans etc. BIG difference.

[canadianbudz604]

I have never had a tank bigger then a 40g and I never have a problem with heat. A couple years ago when it was 40+ Celsius I put a solid frozen block (in a sandwich bag) In my aquaclear and the tabk stayed no higher then 80. Now I have air conditioners so I don't have to worry. Then again I have never really had any sps asides from monti plates. But the filter circulated colder water into the tank and kept the temp down.

[GoFish]

Update
Added 8 cups worth of ice in a ziploc

Before 81.4 f
After 79.6 f

I'm not really doing this in desperation. Just wanting to reset the temp at the end of the day as the house doesn't get cool enough overnight to bring it back down to the 79 f range where I want it. Everyday during this heat wave the temp climbs higher than the last, because it doesn't cool enough during the evening. So far this is working.

So as of last nights addition.
1.9 litres of ice cooled 170 litres of water by 1.8 degrees.
I'll try to utilize this calculation either tonight or tomorrow and see if I get the same results.

[gregzz4]

That's good news Bryant
I forget, did you say what your house temperature is reaching?

[GoFish]

Originally Posted by gregzz4

That's good news Bryant
I forget, did you say what your house temperature is reaching?

I did last page
Not sure what the hottest it's been haven't been paying much attention but for example right now it's at 83 in the living room with doors open and pedestal fan running. Tank temp is sitting at 79.4 but was 78.8 this morning, so not bad at all. The ice pack gets a day off

[martinmcnally]

I just use a fan. Its small 4 inch diameter. If it gets to hot it comes on and blows across the top of the tank. I notice it can lower the temperate quite quickly.