Hot enough for ya???

[Chaloupa]

Hey Ivy-I agree on the room AC....if the room isn't hot...the tanks don't get hot.

We resorted to a small window AC in our kitchen with a couple of FOWLR (with a coral or two in them...) closed the room tightly and today the temps look OK. The 120g was at 87 yesterday and today is at 79-80 and the 50g was at 88+ yesterday and is at 82-83 today...both have fans blowing on them also today as we didn't quite realize HOW hot they actually were until we got more thermometers yesterday. Thank God for the chiller on the reef tank or it would have hit low 90's as it did last year and we would be picking out shrimp bodies...(never buy a stucco house with lots of windows....ARGH! Gets smokin hot inside)

[Quagmire]

Im useing a 6" fan over the sump and a 16" occilating fan blowing across the top of the tank.The temp still slowly goes up over the day,so after work I add a bottle or 2 of ice.Today it was only 81c when I got home.Oh ya and close to 5 gal a day make up water.

[Samw]

But for those using AC, don't you turn it off when no one's home? AC doesn't seem like a 24/7 solution.

[Beverly]

I turn the AC off when it's cool enough to do so. If it's hot overnight, the AC stays on. If it cools off overnight, which I hope it does tonight, the AC goes off. When the weather isn't hot, the AC isn't on.

[mark]

Originally Posted by Samw

But for those using AC, don't you turn it off when no one's home? AC doesn't seem like a 24/7 solution.

Maybe not the most energy-sense but don't see why I should come home to an oven (place was getting to 88° without) plus the tank was one of the considerations when purchased the unit. Also have the thermostat at 75° so not feeling that guilty.

[andrewsk]

When we bought Central air this year, we were told NOT to keep turning it on and off. thay said to pick a comfortable temp and stick to it.

Turning it on when you get home puts more strain on the system and can cause it to freeze up.

[chwkreefer]

Originally Posted by StirCrazy

I would say your fans are doing most of the work. Central AC does help, by lowering the air temp enabling it to pick up more heat before it is equalized, but on its own usually isn't enuf, the question that remains now is how much water are you losing a day due to evaporative cooling? I was able to keep my tank under 82 with fans but I was losing 5 gal a day on a 90 gal tank, with the chiller I only lose 2 gal a day so that is a difference of 3 gal a day less water vapor being pumped into my house and up to 100 gal less of RO / month I have to make.

Steve

Without the central AC from the Heat Pump my tank would be toast. Right now I'm not sure how much evaporation I'm getting as currently my sump is connected directly to my RO/DI. I will be installing a reservoir in between the two once the final repairs from the flood are completed. I think the tank generally sweats about 4-5 gallons per day. I leave my elicient (exhaust) fan running 24/7. The other fans come on after the MH's come on. I have 1100 watts of light on top of my 150. 2 - 400watt MH and 2 - 110 VHO lights.

The main concern for me was that my tank temps would never exceed 82. With the system I've set up I've had very little problem doing that. Usually we keep the inside temp of the house between 71 and 74 in the summer. We stay comfortable and so does our tank.

[Jaws]

Originally Posted by b_james

Without the chiller running, how cool do you keep your condo during a heat wave? If your AC can maintain a 21C temp during the hotest day of the year even with your MH lights on, There is a good chance you should be able to maintain a much cooler water temperature in your tank. Right now your cooling your tank by stealing BTUs from your AC unit as the heat rejection from your chiller is using capacity from your central AC unit therfore making you chiller work harder - vicious circle.

I've always had the air conditioner running while the chiller is running actually. I've never tried to run only one at a time. I've got 4 250W MH's over a six foot tank though so I don't think I could get away with just an air conditioner.

[neptune9824]

I have been having a heck of a time with my tank. 175 gal and with the past weekend being above 30 degrees every I cannot keep my temp below 88 degrees. On saturday when it was +36 my temp was not even reading on the thermometer. I have been freezing milk jugs of water and nothing seems to help. Believe it or not i have not actually lost anything yet so thats a good thing. I might have to try fans on the water though, that seemed like a good idea.

[danny zubot]

What about people with their tanks in their basments? How much cooler do your tanks stay? I can't wait until I get a new home with a basement just for that! Well, and a possible fish room.