Tank temp rising even though room temp is the same

marino420td · 09/20/2006, 07:37 AM

Here in Missouri, the cooldown has began. Outside temps are low enough that my air conditioning is not running much and the house remains at 74 degrees. But I have noticed my tank temps have risen to about 83 degrees. Anyone know why this would be since the room temp is the same?

seattlerob · 09/20/2006, 07:50 AM

Hi marino: have you checked your heater? that's the 1st place I would look...heaters are known to go bad over time & stick in either on or off position. Is the temp that high when the lights are off also?

hth,
rob

marino420td · 09/20/2006, 07:58 AM

I have checked the heaters in both tanks. Seem to be working fine. When the lights are off, I get the typical 1 - 2 degree drop in temp.

mayor10 · 09/20/2006, 08:05 AM

I too ran into this same issue recently. Last week it finally cooled down and the AC had not been running yet the tank temp crept up a degree or so higher than usual.
One theory I threw out was if having the AC not running meant there was less airflow around the tank. Are any of the AC vents in relatively close proximity to the tank?
So basically, even though the house temp is same without the AC, lacking the cool air circulating near the tank is causing some temp rise.

What do you think?

DrBDC · 09/20/2006, 08:16 AM

I've been having the same. I've decided it's 2 things.

1- with the temp lower, the a/c isn't running in the fish room and when it is I feel cool air around the a/c unit which helps.

2 - with the a/c not running it's not removing as much humidity so the tank is cooling as much by evaporation. I haven't checked house humidity levels to verify this though.

SuperNerd · 09/20/2006, 08:37 AM

How much heat do your pumps give off?

Mine give off enough (even when run externally) into the water that I don't need a heater and the chiller still occasionally turns on when the lights are off.

MJAnderson · 09/20/2006, 08:51 AM

I'd vote for #2---evaporation

Shnabbles · 09/20/2006, 08:54 AM

I vote for pumps... did you recently add any new pumps or powerheads to your tank?? Adding an extra power head can push your temp up.

alde · 09/20/2006, 09:11 AM

AC pulls alot of water out of the air. You are not getting as much evaporation. I lose at least and extra gallon ot 2 a day with my AC running.

fsn77 · 09/20/2006, 09:13 AM

I've been having the same problem and have thought it's due to DrBDC's reason #2. I've even noticed the reduced level of evaporation. I was evaporating 1 gallon / day when it was hot and the A/C ran a lot, but now it's less than 1/2 of that since the temps have dropped some outside. No new pumps, equipment, etc. in our tank. Our heater hasn't been plugged in since the end of April.

marino420td · 09/20/2006, 11:19 AM

I kind of suspect DRBDC's reason # 2 as well. For one, the room feels more humid now than when the AC was running.

No new pumps added recently. This morning, I plugged in a dehumidifier in the room. We'll see if that makes any difference. I know they blow out hot air but I left the door open.

09/20/2006, 07:37 AM	#1
marino420td Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Cape Girardeau, MO Posts: 2,529	Tank temp rising even though room temp is the same Here in Missouri, the cooldown has began. Outside temps are low enough that my air conditioning is not running much and the house remains at 74 degrees. But I have noticed my tank temps have risen to about 83 degrees. Anyone know why this would be since the room temp is the same?

09/20/2006, 08:16 AM	#5
DrBDC Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Ballwin, Missouri Posts: 10,358	I've been having the same. I've decided it's 2 things. 1- with the temp lower, the a/c isn't running in the fish room and when it is I feel cool air around the a/c unit which helps. 2 - with the a/c not running it's not removing as much humidity so the tank is cooling as much by evaporation. I haven't checked house humidity levels to verify this though. __________________ Some drink at the fountain of knowledge, some just gargle, but most are rabid. Current Tank Info: 180g sps+75 softy/lps on one system tunze's, seio's, mjmods, aquacontroller w/add ons, 2X400 XM10000 and 3X160 vho actinic, 110g sump, 110 frag tank, Geo Beckett and other stuff

09/20/2006, 08:37 AM	#6
SuperNerd Registered Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: SoCal/Left Side- USA Posts: 4,572	How much heat do your pumps give off? Mine give off enough (even when run externally) into the water that I don't need a heater and the chiller still occasionally turns on when the lights are off. __________________ I said fraggit! Current Tank Info: M-728 Combat Engineer (based on M60 hull). M-3 Lee Medium (British version with squatter). Last edited by SuperNerd; 09/20/2006 at 08:54 AM.

09/20/2006, 09:11 AM	#9
alde Premium Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Bremerton, Washington Posts: 1,354	AC pulls alot of water out of the air. You are not getting as much evaporation. I lose at least and extra gallon ot 2 a day with my AC running. __________________ Al No animals were harmed in the typing of this post. "You can tune a guitar, but you can't tune a fish". Current Tank Info: 120 SPS running 2 400 watt ReefOptic 14k's on IceCap Electronic ballasts, Euroreef ES8-2 and closed loop.

09/20/2006, 07:50 AM	#2
seattlerob Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 464	Hi marino: have you checked your heater? that's the 1st place I would look...heaters are known to go bad over time & stick in either on or off position. Is the temp that high when the lights are off also? hth, rob

09/20/2006, 07:58 AM	#3
marino420td Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Cape Girardeau, MO Posts: 2,529	I have checked the heaters in both tanks. Seem to be working fine. When the lights are off, I get the typical 1 - 2 degree drop in temp.

09/20/2006, 08:05 AM	#4
mayor10 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Columbia, SC Posts: 111	I too ran into this same issue recently. Last week it finally cooled down and the AC had not been running yet the tank temp crept up a degree or so higher than usual. One theory I threw out was if having the AC not running meant there was less airflow around the tank. Are any of the AC vents in relatively close proximity to the tank? So basically, even though the house temp is same without the AC, lacking the cool air circulating near the tank is causing some temp rise. What do you think?

09/20/2006, 08:51 AM	#7
MJAnderson Premium Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: East Bay, CA Posts: 2,633	I'd vote for #2---evaporation

09/20/2006, 08:54 AM	#8
Shnabbles Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Clayton, DE Posts: 1,316	I vote for pumps... did you recently add any new pumps or powerheads to your tank?? Adding an extra power head can push your temp up.

09/20/2006, 09:13 AM	#10
fsn77 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: SC Posts: 777	I've been having the same problem and have thought it's due to DrBDC's reason #2. I've even noticed the reduced level of evaporation. I was evaporating 1 gallon / day when it was hot and the A/C ran a lot, but now it's less than 1/2 of that since the temps have dropped some outside. No new pumps, equipment, etc. in our tank. Our heater hasn't been plugged in since the end of April.

09/20/2006, 11:19 AM	#11
marino420td Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Cape Girardeau, MO Posts: 2,529	I kind of suspect DRBDC's reason # 2 as well. For one, the room feels more humid now than when the AC was running. No new pumps added recently. This morning, I plugged in a dehumidifier in the room. We'll see if that makes any difference. I know they blow out hot air but I left the door open.