Temperature

[hairymeister]

I am getting ready to build out my first marine tank in a very long time.

The summer here in NH sees heat spikes in or around 90 degrees.

What are y'all doing for temperature? I am not too fond of the idea of a chiller...


What is the optimum temp these days.

Heck, on my first tank, it was nice to keep the tank from 70-90 degrees as long as it were a gradual fluctuation.

Tank is a 56g flat back hex. I plan on 80lbs of live rock and sand, with a Remora Pro C Skimmer HOB. I do plan to use decent lights. I also don't have central AC (although it's on the list of Honey-do's)

Stock will be a mixed bag of low maintenance fish and polyps.

Thoughts?

 

[ChrisRD]

Hi and :welcome:

Get a cheap window AC unit for the room the tank is in and put a few fans in the canopy for evaporative cooling.

 

[Anonymous]

78-82 is a great range to target. You shouldn't have any trouble maintaining your temperature within that range with heaters in the winter, and, like Chris said, a room ac unit for those hot summer days.

Louey

 

[hairymeister]

Thanks for the info.

 

[Anonymous]

We are an "open window" family in summer. Summer temps here reach in the high 80's low 90's...and humidity is high! Air conditioning only on unbearable days.

I use a simple, small fan that blows across the surface of the water. Keeps temps at 80-81 all summer long.

Of course, evaporation is a bit higher, so I end up topping off almost a gallon a day, but it works great, is simple (fan is on a timer with the lights)

 

[jdeets]

I evaporate about 4 GPD from my 180. 8O Even in winter. In summer it can be as high as 5 GPD.

ctgretzky, what size tank do you have? 1 gpd of evaporation would be great, but my tank would cook.

I use the IceCap fans with thermostats, so they idle at night and go full blast when the lights come on and the canopy heats up. I have 2 of the 4" fans blowing on the surface at all times.

I used to have a small fan in the stand blowing on the water in the sump for supplemental cooling but it shorted out and I haven't replaced it.

With the MH + VHO lighting I have to keep the house at 74 or cooler for the tank to stay around 80. (I have 3x175W MH plus 2x60in VHO plus 1x48in VHO in the canopy.)

 

[Anonymous]

ctgretzky, what size tank do you have? 1 gpd of evaporation would be great, but my tank would cook.

My tank is only 60 hex. So surface area is smaller than a typical tank as well.