Chiller needed??

[ckmn101]

Hi, first thanks for all the great FREE advice on here,
I’m new to the sw hobby, but not to fishkeeping. Currently I have a 75gal with around 50lb of LR, sea clone 150 skimmer, fluvall 404, and two more power heads, 4 65w PC lights. My only inhabitants are a pair of clowns, for now, in the future i hope to go all out. My ? is about temp. With all this equipment is it normal to need a chiller? I have to leave the pwr heads off cause they heat it too high. Right now if I leave the top open I can get it down to 79, but that is with no pwr heads. And the summer heat isn’t even here yet.
Thanks in advance,
Mike

 

[melosu58]

Sounds like you need a fan to blow across the top. A whole lot cheaper than a chiller

 

[ckmn101]

Any ideas on how i could mount a fan or 2 on my tank? I don't have a sump and I have a glass top(no canopy). Pretty sure the lights arent much of a factor cause it is still hot w/o them on. With the top open and the ac cranked and no PH on I got it down to 78 but I'm pretty sure I need some water circulation.
thanks again,
Mike

 

[Lonewolfblue]

You can get a small fan with a clamp on it, like the ones used to clamp on a computer desk shelf, etc.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Clip-Clamp-On-F...ryZ20612QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[ckmn101]

hey I hot a small fan and it worked great. Thanks a bunch that saved me pretty big $
Mike

 

[Brenden]

Good to hear it worked. I would also loose the glass top and replace it with eggcrate.(if you really need a top)

 

[ckmn101]

ok I like the idea but wouldn't the glass kind of deflect some heat from the lights? And also when you guys talk about EGG CRATE are you talking about the stuff like for ceiling lights? and also i plan to have these fish-
2 clownfish, a few blue chromis, black/white cardinal(if poss. a couple), foxface, and some kind of tang(hippo if 75g is big enough){bad combo?}
prob. need a top?
thanks,
Mike

 

[TheRealFF]

A glass top will trap the heat inside the tank. It'll give u more troubles than benifit (if there is even some). Google "eggcrate" and u'll see what he meant

 

[ckmn101]

i'm going to try the eggcrate out, THANKS for the help,
Mike

 

[Hara]

Removing the glass, using eggcrate and getting fans are all great ideas. One thing I didnt see in the posts is how hot it was getting. My tanks run 82-84. This is where it stays stable.
Those temperatures are not harmful.

 

[ckmn101]

82-84 is not too high? Even with fish?
When I thought I had a problem it was 84 and well I guess I wasn’t thinking when I asked the lfs. They said 80 & up was too high and not to let it stay there for long. My tank is still new but has recently finished cycling and I added 2 clowns about a week ago. I haven’t got the eggcrate yet but with 1 little $5 fan from Wallyworld and the lids open I dropped to 76-77. I ‘m guessing with the open eggcrate top & maybe another fan the summer heat wont be a problem.
I have learned a bunch but I’m still a newbie.
Thanks,
Mike

 

[tecwzrd]

82-84 is about as hot as you want it to get IMO but is not “too hot”, I keep mine around 80 as well. A lot of the fish that are wild caught come from these exact temperatures.

The most important thing is to keep it steady within a degree or two 24/7. The use of a heater (preferably titanium and two for redundancy) is a necessity to keep the temp from dropping during the night. Set your heater setting for the temp of the tank at its hottest.

Also any temperature changes should be done gradually ie: 2 degrees every 12 hours is reasonable. Dropping/rising more then that can stress fish and mobile inverts.

Edit: if you are expecting a rise in heat due to summer temperatures and you do not have air conditioning then I would recommend keeping your tank warmer now with heaters to avoid shifts in the next couple of months.

 

[ckmn101]

I'm not clear about what you are saying- if it gous up to say 80 than turn the heat up so it is always 80?
I got the eggcrate last night and will put it on tonight, then everything will be changing again.
Thanks again,
Mike

 

[tecwzrd]

if it goes up to say 80 than turn the heat up so it is always 80?

Exactly, or basically at the hottest point in the day turn your heater if on just to the point of the light going off. Otherwise you could have 5+ degree swings each night with the lights out.