Seasonal death risk: check your temperature

Sk8r · 03/22/2015, 01:38 PM

This is the week when a major part of the nation (sorry, those of you still in the snow zone, but this is coming) transits to 70 degree and above temperatures.

This is the time to doublecheck and adjust your temperature. Watch it like a hawk for the next while, until you're sure it's not spiking up on you. Keep a nice safety margin of several degrees BELOW 85, which is too hot. I run my tank about 79-80. Any more than that, I start cranking the heater thermostat down, down, down by little increments and checking it multiple times daily until I'm sure it's doing ok.

One over-warm day coupled with metal halide lights can be killer. Certainly trusting the heater thermostat not to go on is real risky. I always advise getting the priciest heater you can, avoid bargains, and STILL never trust the thermostat. If you have a choice, pitch the temperature low. A tank can take a 76 or 77 without a problem. An 83 is getting squeaky, if you're in an area where the daytime temperature is rising.

If you have an ac crisis this summer, always think of your tank, and unplug the heater and don't run your lights until you've got a fix.

Get going on it, where needed!

mmittlesteadt · 03/22/2015, 02:04 PM

This is something I've been considering (even through the bitter cold winter) as I've slowly and methodically planned my reef tank. Fortunately I live in Wisconsin where our summers tend to be more in the 70's with 80's occasionally and into the 90's or more being an exception. But...we can get some pretty odd weather patterns that last a while that are not normal.

Still, I purposely went with LED lighting to avoid any heat contributions from the lights or the fixtures. I built a completely removable canopy, not only for convenience, but also in case I need to use a fan to blow over the tank to aid in cooling during higher temps, just in case our central air conditioning fails.

I've been reading everything I possibly can to learn about this hobby, and I always appreciate you sharing your knowledge and experience with us.

Sk8r · 03/22/2015, 02:18 PM

If you do have a heat problem, they make fan arrays you can mount on tank or sump rim, or in a canopy, and that will lower the temperature significantly.

Spinelessspade · 03/22/2015, 02:45 PM

Good thing for me it never gets hotter than mid 20s up here in summer

BigCountry74 · 03/23/2015, 12:39 PM

This summer I plan on putting my heater on opposing timer as the MH schedule. So when MH turns on, heater turns off. When MH goes off, heater comes on etc.

snorvich · 03/23/2015, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sk8r

If you do have a heat problem, they make fan arrays you can mount on tank or sump rim, or in a canopy, and that will lower the temperature significantly.

And increases the evaporation rate.

Nick_P · 03/23/2015, 03:19 PM

Evaporation is natures way of cooling. So more evaporation is good if trying to lower temps.

snorvich · 03/23/2015, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick_P

Evaporation is natures way of cooling. So more evaporation is good if trying to lower temps.

I agree. My point was to be aware of the issue as it changes (increases) specific gravity at the very least.

Dundermifflin · 03/23/2015, 06:48 PM

Any links for those fans or where to get them? Haven't been able to find what I need. Got a couple at Walmart. The Holmes oscillating table fans that I attached to the top of the walls in the tank room. Work well. Very quiet. Just need small fans to go over sump and QT so I can avoid a chiller.

Stevenliu9 · 03/23/2015, 07:11 PM

This is the reason I decided to place my tank in the basement- the temperature in the basement for most dwellings are much more stable than upper levels.

03/22/2015, 01:38 PM	#1
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Seasonal death risk: check your temperature This is the week when a major part of the nation (sorry, those of you still in the snow zone, but this is coming) transits to 70 degree and above temperatures. This is the time to doublecheck and adjust your temperature. Watch it like a hawk for the next while, until you're sure it's not spiking up on you. Keep a nice safety margin of several degrees BELOW 85, which is too hot. I run my tank about 79-80. Any more than that, I start cranking the heater thermostat down, down, down by little increments and checking it multiple times daily until I'm sure it's doing ok. One over-warm day coupled with metal halide lights can be killer. Certainly trusting the heater thermostat not to go on is real risky. I always advise getting the priciest heater you can, avoid bargains, and STILL never trust the thermostat. If you have a choice, pitch the temperature low. A tank can take a 76 or 77 without a problem. An 83 is getting squeaky, if you're in an area where the daytime temperature is rising. If you have an ac crisis this summer, always think of your tank, and unplug the heater and don't run your lights until you've got a fix. Get going on it, where needed! __________________ 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%.

03/22/2015, 02:18 PM	#3
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	If you do have a heat problem, they make fan arrays you can mount on tank or sump rim, or in a canopy, and that will lower the temperature significantly. __________________ 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%.

03/22/2015, 02:45 PM	#4
Spinelessspade Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Barrie,On Posts: 225	Good thing for me it never gets hotter than mid 20s up here in summer __________________ Caleb intelligence is the ability to adapt to change-Stephen hawkin

03/23/2015, 12:39 PM	#5
BigCountry74 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 1,761	This summer I plan on putting my heater on opposing timer as the MH schedule. So when MH turns on, heater turns off. When MH goes off, heater comes on etc. __________________ 135g mixed reef (retired) http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2132815 Current 40g reef http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2483250 Current Tank Info: 40g bare bottom reef

03/23/2015, 07:11 PM	#10
Stevenliu9 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Madison WI Posts: 795	This is the reason I decided to place my tank in the basement- the temperature in the basement for most dwellings are much more stable than upper levels. __________________ Steven Liu See More at: bluemarineart.com Current Tank Info: 180 Mix Reef + 28G Seahorse Species Tank

03/22/2015, 02:04 PM	#2
mmittlesteadt Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Rothschild, WI Posts: 1,209	This is something I've been considering (even through the bitter cold winter) as I've slowly and methodically planned my reef tank. Fortunately I live in Wisconsin where our summers tend to be more in the 70's with 80's occasionally and into the 90's or more being an exception. But...we can get some pretty odd weather patterns that last a while that are not normal. Still, I purposely went with LED lighting to avoid any heat contributions from the lights or the fixtures. I built a completely removable canopy, not only for convenience, but also in case I need to use a fan to blow over the tank to aid in cooling during higher temps, just in case our central air conditioning fails. I've been reading everything I possibly can to learn about this hobby, and I always appreciate you sharing your knowledge and experience with us.

03/23/2015, 03:19 PM	#7
Nick_P Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: DeSoto MO Posts: 200	Evaporation is natures way of cooling. So more evaporation is good if trying to lower temps.

03/23/2015, 06:48 PM	#9
Dundermifflin Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 272	Any links for those fans or where to get them? Haven't been able to find what I need. Got a couple at Walmart. The Holmes oscillating table fans that I attached to the top of the walls in the tank room. Work well. Very quiet. Just need small fans to go over sump and QT so I can avoid a chiller.