Fan over sump

Pilotman520 · 04/12/2016, 02:42 PM

Summer in Texas is coming! Would a fan over my sump help increase evaporation and help keep the temperature in check? I have a canopy on the display tank so it's closed up pretty good.

Pilotman520 · 04/12/2016, 02:43 PM

I don't really have space, money, or electrical capacity for a chiller. The tank is 8n the living room and on the same circuit as the TV and all the stuff that goes with it.

sixpackgarage · 04/12/2016, 02:52 PM

Yep, it will work. I did that all last summer and already have the fan on the sump this year, as I'm avoiding turning the AC on in the house at all costs until I have to.

Pilotman520 · 04/12/2016, 03:12 PM

Cool. What kind of fan did you use?

sixpackgarage · 04/12/2016, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilotman520

Cool. What kind of fan did you use?

I just bought a small personal fan from walmart for around 12 bucks.

Sk8r · 04/12/2016, 04:58 PM

They also make fan arrays for the purpose. Search 'aquarium fan'. A good one is worth about 10 degrees.

reeftivo · 04/12/2016, 05:33 PM

I had an old hassok fan that I believe was an Air King on my 120 several years ago. That sucker lasted a looooong time. It had a sealed bearing motor on it. not sure if the clip on ones do but if they do and you can afford around $40 for one, then take a look at them.

Pilotman520 · 04/12/2016, 07:02 PM

Thanks for the tips. Would I need to leave the cabinet doors open? The stand has a 36x27 hole in the back of the stand

Ou8me2 · 04/12/2016, 07:12 PM

I use these and they come in smaller sizes also. I can get 5 -8 degrees cooling pretty easy.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/AQUATEK-Chil...-/330781848867

Pilotman520 · 04/12/2016, 09:22 PM

That looks perfect. Should I put it on a timer or just let it run during the warmer months? We have AC but with all the pumps and stuff I couldn't keep the tank below 82 last summer.

scott11 · 04/12/2016, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ou8me2

I use these and they come in smaller sizes also. I can get 5 -8 degrees cooling pretty easy.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/AQUATEK-Chil...-/330781848867

how is the sound on these? Are they loud?

Ou8me2 · 04/12/2016, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scott11

how is the sound on these? Are they loud?

Well one's definition of loud maybe different but, I think they are fairly quiet. I can turn on a fan and not hear them with the fan on low. They are way quieter than a chiller I can tell you that

and not as loud as a clip on fan either. If you have them on a sump with the doors shut then you probably won't hear them unless you are a few feet away from the tank.

kendrid · 04/12/2016, 10:44 PM

I use a clip on Walmart fan over my sump in the summer. It keeps the temps perfect for my tank.

Percula9 · 04/13/2016, 04:50 PM

If the fan is not enough a large ice pack in the sump helps in conjunction with the fan.I once had a canister filter.I would put the filter in a bucket and load the bucket with ice.

CafeReef · 04/13/2016, 05:51 PM

I've been eyeing these. Saw someone on here had one and they really liked it. Worked well. You can fet them in various sizes.

Sanatop Aquarium Cooling System Fan Chiller + AC Adapter (6-Fan) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00L54ZY9C..._BTTdxbY2C33E7

SkyReef · 04/13/2016, 10:34 PM

I have had fantastic cooling results from the use of three clip-on fans positioned as follows:

(1) In the tank stand, aimed outward, at the left end of the tank, to pass air through the stand's left-side grille;
(2) In the tank stand, aimed outward, at the right end of the tank, to pass air through the stand's right-side grille; and
(3) Above the tank, facing directly down over the water in the external overflow box, to blow air directly into the water.

The first two fans operate 24 hours per day, and they primarily keep the temperature in my stand reasonably cool. The third fan is plugged into a timer switch, which turns the fan off for one hour each quarter of the day (or else the temperature falls too low). So the third fan operates about 15-16 hours per day. I have a fourth fan, which is positioned in a similar manner as the third fan, but on the other side of the overflow box. The fourth fan is currently not used, but could be used in the summer if it gets much hotter. In order to figure out how many hours to run the fan, I simply logged temperatures from different times of the day, and settled on a timer-switch schedule that allowed me to keep my tank in the range of 77-79 degrees Fahrenheit, based on patterns of heating in my room and in the stand below, where I have an algae turf scrubber with lights that come on 16 hours a day, creating heat, along with the other equipment down there.

Here is a link to the fan I purchased at Bed Bath and Beyond for 10 bucks:
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/stor...rd=clip+on+fan. The good thing here is that I didn't have to order the fans online and wait a few days for delivery; I was able to walk into the store and buy the fans right there and then. Instant gratification.

Good luck!

04/12/2016, 02:42 PM	#1
Pilotman520 Registered Member Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 74	Fan over sump Summer in Texas is coming! Would a fan over my sump help increase evaporation and help keep the temperature in check? I have a canopy on the display tank so it's closed up pretty good.

04/12/2016, 02:52 PM	#3
sixpackgarage reef mechanic Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 819	Yep, it will work. I did that all last summer and already have the fan on the sump this year, as I'm avoiding turning the AC on in the house at all costs until I have to. __________________ my build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2512689 my fuge thread: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2523500 Current Tank Info: DSA NEO 65G reef powered by Kessil

04/12/2016, 04:58 PM	#6
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	They also make fan arrays for the purpose. Search 'aquarium fan'. A good one is worth about 10 degrees. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

04/12/2016, 05:33 PM	#7
reeftivo Skim junkie Join Date: May 2008 Location: chino, CA Posts: 3,417	I had an old hassok fan that I believe was an Air King on my 120 several years ago. That sucker lasted a looooong time. It had a sealed bearing motor on it. not sure if the clip on ones do but if they do and you can afford around $40 for one, then take a look at them. __________________ I told you not to be stupid you moron!(Stern) Current Tank Info: 60 gal cube/20g tideline sump-mixed reef, Aquamaxx c-tech Ca Rx, Akula 160 skimmer, paxbellum N18, mitras LX7 lighting with T-5s, apex controller

04/13/2016, 05:51 PM	#15
CafeReef Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Elkhorn, NE Posts: 1,405	I've been eyeing these. Saw someone on here had one and they really liked it. Worked well. You can fet them in various sizes. Sanatop Aquarium Cooling System Fan Chiller + AC Adapter (6-Fan) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00L54ZY9C..._BTTdxbY2C33E7 __________________ 50 Gallon cube

04/12/2016, 02:43 PM	#2
Pilotman520 Registered Member Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 74	I don't really have space, money, or electrical capacity for a chiller. The tank is 8n the living room and on the same circuit as the TV and all the stuff that goes with it.

04/12/2016, 03:12 PM	#4
Pilotman520 Registered Member Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 74	Cool. What kind of fan did you use?

04/12/2016, 07:02 PM	#8
Pilotman520 Registered Member Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 74	Thanks for the tips. Would I need to leave the cabinet doors open? The stand has a 36x27 hole in the back of the stand

04/12/2016, 07:12 PM	#9
Ou8me2 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Posts: 743	I use these and they come in smaller sizes also. I can get 5 -8 degrees cooling pretty easy. http://www.ebay.com/itm/AQUATEK-Chil...-/330781848867

04/12/2016, 09:22 PM	#10
Pilotman520 Registered Member Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 74	That looks perfect. Should I put it on a timer or just let it run during the warmer months? We have AC but with all the pumps and stuff I couldn't keep the tank below 82 last summer.

04/12/2016, 10:44 PM	#13
kendrid Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Lake in the hills, IL Posts: 806	I use a clip on Walmart fan over my sump in the summer. It keeps the temps perfect for my tank.

04/13/2016, 04:50 PM	#14
Percula9 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Orange County CA Posts: 3,819	If the fan is not enough a large ice pack in the sump helps in conjunction with the fan.I once had a canister filter.I would put the filter in a bucket and load the bucket with ice.

04/13/2016, 10:34 PM	#16
SkyReef Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Sparks, NV Posts: 496	I have had fantastic cooling results from the use of three clip-on fans positioned as follows: (1) In the tank stand, aimed outward, at the left end of the tank, to pass air through the stand's left-side grille; (2) In the tank stand, aimed outward, at the right end of the tank, to pass air through the stand's right-side grille; and (3) Above the tank, facing directly down over the water in the external overflow box, to blow air directly into the water. The first two fans operate 24 hours per day, and they primarily keep the temperature in my stand reasonably cool. The third fan is plugged into a timer switch, which turns the fan off for one hour each quarter of the day (or else the temperature falls too low). So the third fan operates about 15-16 hours per day. I have a fourth fan, which is positioned in a similar manner as the third fan, but on the other side of the overflow box. The fourth fan is currently not used, but could be used in the summer if it gets much hotter. In order to figure out how many hours to run the fan, I simply logged temperatures from different times of the day, and settled on a timer-switch schedule that allowed me to keep my tank in the range of 77-79 degrees Fahrenheit, based on patterns of heating in my room and in the stand below, where I have an algae turf scrubber with lights that come on 16 hours a day, creating heat, along with the other equipment down there. Here is a link to the fan I purchased at Bed Bath and Beyond for 10 bucks: http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/stor...rd=clip+on+fan. The good thing here is that I didn't have to order the fans online and wait a few days for delivery; I was able to walk into the store and buy the fans right there and then. Instant gratification. Good luck! __________________ The aquarium is expanding, to meet the needs of the expanding aquarium. Current Tank Info: Aquarium: 75-Gal. Reef Aquarium Last edited by SkyReef; 04/13/2016 at 10:43 PM.