Help! Heat wave, AC is broken, no chiller!

MatrixCakes · 06/26/2015, 03:52 PM

I had hoped my first post here wouldn't be because something went wrong, but I have an immediate need of advice.

Our tank usually stays at room temp, which we keep between 72 and 77 degrees. This morning, however, the AC broke and we're experiencing a heat wave. The inside temp is 83 degrees and rising quickly! It will likely reach 90 by this evening as outside Temps exceed 105. We have no chiller, and our fish shop is closed for vacation. Can I chill RO water and add a little at a time to keep the temp down?

What would you do in this situation?

25 gallon saltwater tank. Pajama cardinal and blue damsel, peppermint shrimp, hermit crabs, and mostly soft corals.

heathlindner25 · 06/26/2015, 03:54 PM

Fill plastic bottles with water and freeze them.then float them in your tank.

dymaxiun · 06/26/2015, 04:01 PM

Fans... Evaporative cooling is quite effective + the bottles mentioned in previous post.

oldbones · 06/26/2015, 04:02 PM

Zip lock bag full of ice floated in sump or tank.

MatrixCakes · 06/26/2015, 04:13 PM

Thank you for the quick responses! I placed a fan above the tank for now while I wait for a water bottle to freeze. Unfortunately, I don't have any zip lock bags or anything similar on hand.

m0nkie · 06/26/2015, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MatrixCakes

Thank you for the quick responses! I placed a fan above the tank for now while I wait for a water bottle to freeze. Unfortunately, I don't have any zip lock bags or anything similar on hand.

go buy a bag of ice if you are really in a rush.. make sure you seal those frozen bottles/ziplocks.

your tank should be ok around 80-84 degrees. no need to panic until it gets higher than that

tkeracer619 · 06/26/2015, 04:22 PM

Also, turn off the lights.

If you have a sump put a fan on it too.

tkeracer619 · 06/26/2015, 04:23 PM

What is the temp of the ground water? Like from the tap if left on...

ajcanale · 06/26/2015, 04:44 PM

Here's my plan if/when AC/HVAC issues.

Home Depot/Lowes and many other similar stores carry both window unit, and portable systems. In my previous home, I kept a $100 window unit AC on hand in case of a situation like this that would cool the room the tank is in.

The room in which my tank resides at my current home doesn't have windows in which a unit could be installed. I haven't purchased it yet but my plan is to purchase a portable A/C if needed. The exhaust line would run through the chimney.

Of course a chiller is an excellent alternative, but in my case I don't need one full time and with the portable AC I would have the added bonus of keeping my home partially cool in case of central unit failure.

Something to consider!

ajcanale · 06/26/2015, 04:49 PM

Another temporary option involving a fan would be to make something like this and if possible have it vented into sump chamber of tank.

Grkgod36 · 06/26/2015, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MatrixCakes

Thank you for the quick responses! I placed a fan above the tank for now while I wait for a water bottle to freeze. Unfortunately, I don't have any zip lock bags or anything similar on hand.

Um so go buy some they are dirt cheap

ericarenee · 06/26/2015, 05:50 PM

Get a 5 gallon bucket. about 20 foot or so 3/8 tubing (match to a small water pump outlet) and a small water pump...Put the Bucket next to the tank . Coil the tubing inside the bucket with enough to reach hanging out on each end to reach inside the tank. Fill the bucket half way with water then the rest ice. Start the pump so it takes water from the tank thru the bucket then back to the tank small pump 80 gph there abouts.. The bucket can sit on the floor or anywhere.
I have done this a few times in the past before i did the basement sump...

A Fan on top the bucket can also help cool the room in your house ..

kmbyrnes · 06/27/2015, 07:28 AM

I like the 5 gallon chiller idea. If fans ever fail to keep my reef cool, I will consider that.
It's heating up here in AZ but so far the tanks are staying below 81.

rt67ghy · 06/27/2015, 08:43 AM

You'll need a lot of ice. Keep on replacing the water with ice if you use the 5 gallon bucket idea. It should work.

Dkuhlmann · 06/27/2015, 09:08 AM

How about freeze a 2 liter soda bottle with water? You don't have anything to fill with water that you can freeze?

Everybody has something in their house that can be filled with tap water and sealed then frozen to be able to float in the sump or DT

StrangeDejavu · 06/27/2015, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajcanale

Another temporary option involving a fan would be to make something like this and if possible have it vented into sump chamber of tank.

I tried this once while camping. Sounds good in theory but it really wasn't effective.

ericarenee · 06/27/2015, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StrangeDejavu

I tried this once while camping. Sounds good in theory but it really wasn't effective.

it will work inside a tent where its Recirculating the same Room Air to slowly lower its temp.. It will NOT However put a Stream of Cool air out in the open.Most Aquarium Chillers work on this same principal.

Heat pumps in homes work on the same principal..They Run more then Conventional Forced are but from 80 deg to 70 takes 10 times longer to get there.

06/26/2015, 03:52 PM	#1
MatrixCakes Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Oregon, US Posts: 4	Help! Heat wave, AC is broken, no chiller! I had hoped my first post here wouldn't be because something went wrong, but I have an immediate need of advice. Our tank usually stays at room temp, which we keep between 72 and 77 degrees. This morning, however, the AC broke and we're experiencing a heat wave. The inside temp is 83 degrees and rising quickly! It will likely reach 90 by this evening as outside Temps exceed 105. We have no chiller, and our fish shop is closed for vacation. Can I chill RO water and add a little at a time to keep the temp down? What would you do in this situation? 25 gallon saltwater tank. Pajama cardinal and blue damsel, peppermint shrimp, hermit crabs, and mostly soft corals.

06/26/2015, 04:01 PM	#3
dymaxiun Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Simi Valley, CA Posts: 2,245	Fans... Evaporative cooling is quite effective + the bottles mentioned in previous post. __________________ 180g DT - Now.. Wet w/ Frags.... Back in the hobby after 6 years void of saltwater....

06/26/2015, 04:22 PM	#7
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 17,289	Also, turn off the lights. If you have a sump put a fan on it too. __________________ Hobby Experience: 9200ish gallons, 26 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tank: Vortech Powered 600G SPS Tank w/ 100gal frag tank & 100g Sump. RK2-RK10 Skimmer. ReefAngel. Radium 20k.

06/26/2015, 04:23 PM	#8
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 17,289	What is the temp of the ground water? Like from the tap if left on... __________________ Hobby Experience: 9200ish gallons, 26 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tank: Vortech Powered 600G SPS Tank w/ 100gal frag tank & 100g Sump. RK2-RK10 Skimmer. ReefAngel. Radium 20k.

06/26/2015, 04:44 PM	#9
ajcanale Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Memphis 10 Posts: 1,098	Here's my plan if/when AC/HVAC issues. Home Depot/Lowes and many other similar stores carry both window unit, and portable systems. In my previous home, I kept a $100 window unit AC on hand in case of a situation like this that would cool the room the tank is in. The room in which my tank resides at my current home doesn't have windows in which a unit could be installed. I haven't purchased it yet but my plan is to purchase a portable A/C if needed. The exhaust line would run through the chimney. Of course a chiller is an excellent alternative, but in my case I don't need one full time and with the portable AC I would have the added bonus of keeping my home partially cool in case of central unit failure. Something to consider! __________________ If the spirit moves ya, let me groove ya Current Tank Info: 150g Starphire Pensinula SPS

06/26/2015, 03:54 PM	#2
heathlindner25 Moved On Join Date: May 2012 Location: flowery branch georgia Posts: 3,644	Fill plastic bottles with water and freeze them.then float them in your tank.

06/26/2015, 04:02 PM	#4
oldbones Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 940	Zip lock bag full of ice floated in sump or tank.

06/26/2015, 04:13 PM	#5
MatrixCakes Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Oregon, US Posts: 4	Thank you for the quick responses! I placed a fan above the tank for now while I wait for a water bottle to freeze. Unfortunately, I don't have any zip lock bags or anything similar on hand.

06/26/2015, 04:49 PM	#10
ajcanale Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Memphis 10 Posts: 1,098	Another temporary option involving a fan would be to make something like this and if possible have it vented into sump chamber of tank. __________________ If the spirit moves ya, let me groove ya Current Tank Info: 150g Starphire Pensinula SPS

06/26/2015, 05:50 PM	#12
ericarenee Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Louisville Kentucky Posts: 3,110	Get a 5 gallon bucket. about 20 foot or so 3/8 tubing (match to a small water pump outlet) and a small water pump...Put the Bucket next to the tank . Coil the tubing inside the bucket with enough to reach hanging out on each end to reach inside the tank. Fill the bucket half way with water then the rest ice. Start the pump so it takes water from the tank thru the bucket then back to the tank small pump 80 gph there abouts.. The bucket can sit on the floor or anywhere. I have done this a few times in the past before i did the basement sump... A Fan on top the bucket can also help cool the room in your house ..

06/27/2015, 07:28 AM	#13
kmbyrnes Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Mesa AZ Posts: 2,055	I like the 5 gallon chiller idea. If fans ever fail to keep my reef cool, I will consider that. It's heating up here in AZ but so far the tanks are staying below 81. __________________ 125g Mixed Reef 5/26/2015; 350 Butterfly Dominated FOWLR 11/26/2015 - 11/17/20217 & 07/31/18 to ??? ; 100g Mixed Reef 11/16/2013 to 06/16/2017 Current Tank Info: Too small

06/27/2015, 08:43 AM	#14
rt67ghy Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Dhaka, Bangladesh Posts: 984	You'll need a lot of ice. Keep on replacing the water with ice if you use the 5 gallon bucket idea. It should work.

06/27/2015, 09:08 AM	#15
Dkuhlmann Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 8,823	How about freeze a 2 liter soda bottle with water? You don't have anything to fill with water that you can freeze? Everybody has something in their house that can be filled with tap water and sealed then frozen to be able to float in the sump or DT __________________ Previous tanks: 200 gal fowlr 9" Emperor Angel and many different butterfly fish 4" maroon clown and several other fish, 50 gal sump, 40 gal mixed reef/fish mostly softies and LPS. Current Tank Info: 40b 750 gph 45 lbs lr, 2"-3" sand, 165w full spectrum dimable LED, 20 gal sump/refugium 30 lbs lr, Bak Pak 2 skimmer, 4" sock temp 79-80, sg 1.026, NH3 0, NO2 0, NO3 <10, ph 8.2, calc 400, mag 1300