calling all members with 65g

[scarf_ace1981]

I'm very curious and would like to know if any of you guys with 65g tanks have t-5 lighting alone. i live in PR and the temps have been reaching close to 100 degrees and we haven't even started summer.

i would guess that almost all of you have mh since 65g are pretty tall tanks but i'm still considering getting t5 to lower the temp a bit

help me out guys.

things i'm considering to lower the temp are:
1)buying a powerful external pump to eliminate powerheads in the DT
2)chamging MH to t5
3)adding small fan to canopy
last option
4)buy a chiller which i really don't want to do

 

[ocholoco]

hey

If you live in PR a chiller is a must, You can also keep AC running 24/7

 

[Master Shake]

yes either run ac 24/7 or have a chiller, with those temps and its not even summer yet is a must. A fan wont do much at that temp, they usually cool it off a degree or 2 but not with those temps, a good t5 ho(preferably t5 tek ho) will cost about as much as a chiller so its your call. you could go led light fixture but thats going to cost you over $1000

 

[SevTT]

I use a full rack of T5s on my tank with no problems. If you want more light, you could always run two or more of them overpowered with an Icecap 660 or something similar.

You're probably not going to be able to get away without using a chiller, but properly ventilated T5s should help reduce your duty cycle.

 

[scarf_ace1981]

:scratchch the a/c is in the opposite end of the house(master bedroom). i guess i'll look into a chiller. sh!t. the light here in PR is expensive and a chiller will just add to the bill

 

[SevTT]

There are other, more exotic methods that you could investigate, too. For example, if you've got a well on your property, you could run a closed-loop heat exchanger. I've heard of people making modified swamp coolers to cool their tanks, too.

One good thing is that if you do get a heat spike, T5 lit tanks seem to take it much better than MH lit tanks. In fact, to save money, you could run your tank at a higher temperature -- 82 or 84. That's where I'd be running my tank if it didn't make my room ungodly hot and leave my tank heater on all the time.

 

[darock73]

I'ved done it the old school way, ice cubes in a

zip-lock bag. Put it in the sump

Laber intensive but works L.O.L.

 

[Alex]

:scratchch the a/c is in the opposite end of the house(master bedroom). i guess i'll look into a chiller. sh!t. the light here in PR is expensive and a chiller will just add to the bill

That will teach you to live in the carr:biglaugh:ibean...

as suggested you don't have much of a choice, a chiller may add to the bill but the T5's or even LED will reduce the bill. in essence it will cost you up front but save you in the long run. where in PR, what part of San Juan. I haven't visited the mother country in a long time.

 

[jayuws]

I'ved done it the old school way, ice cubes in a

zip-lock bag. Put it in the sump

Laber intensive but works L.O.L.

This is what I do when I get a spike in the temp. I always keep a couple of quarts yogurt containers in the freezer full of rodi. But I have a small 45 gal and I doubt it lowers more than 2 degrees. I also use an a/c in the room instead of a chiller. A chiller will make the room hotter so you still have to get the heat away from your tank or else the chiller will work extra hard to cool the water, which heats up the chiller, which heats the air, which ultimately heats the water.

 

[scarf_ace1981]

i was told using t5 will lower the temp only about 2-3 degrees. really??

i doubt the the zip lock full of cubes will be helpful since i'm out of the house 12hrs or so.

alexx i live in Cupey

 

[NYreefNoob]

t5 really doesnt give off less heat, it just isnt a focused heat, been using t5's 4 out of 5 yr's led is the best light reducing heat, the maxspect 230w is what ya would need for that depth of a tank, and a little higher electric bill for a chiller over a crashed tank is worth it to me

 

[SevTT]

t5 really doesnt give off less heat, it just isnt a focused heat, been using t5's 4 out of 5 yr's led is the best light reducing heat, the maxspect 230w is what ya would need for that depth of a tank, and a little higher electric bill for a chiller over a crashed tank is worth it to me

Well, the thing is, it produces much less IR radiation focused into the tank. With MHs this 'cooks' the tank and can add significantly to the temperature of the water. T5s mostly add heat with convection by heating up the air around them; this barely adds heat to the tank at all if the hood is actively ventilated with a fan.

 

[NYreefNoob]

so your trying to tell me thats lets just use a certain temp of a 100 degree's is going to be less heat spread across say 3x2 foot then 100 degree's spread across 12"x12" my opinion is coming from using mh for over a year and t5's for 4 years focal pointing light is focal whether it is in a smaller portion or larger portion and yes the MH will heat a smaller area faster, but t5 heats up a larger area and as for MH same can be said if your using fans blowing across it.