Reef Tank Summer Time Temp

[bodie]

I've checked my temp all throughout yesterday and the temp dipped down to 78 in the morning and went as high as 82, but for the most part I was able to keep it stable at 80. I think I will set my heater to 80 (it had been set to 7 so that I can keep it stable.

I certainly agree that stability is very important, but that makes me wonder about something I've heard and read in the past. I've heard people say that you can float bags of ice in your tank to drop the temp. But ice melts quickly and the drop in temp would only be temporary unless you continued to float more ice in the tank. And the temp would drop too low, too quickly if you continue to float ice in the tank. Any way, I didn't mean to get off subject, but I just never understood why people suggested doing that.

[fijiwigi]

Originally Posted by bodie

but that makes me wonder about something I've heard and read in the past. I've heard people say that you can float bags of ice in your tank to drop the temp. But ice melts quickly and the drop in temp would only be temporary unless you continued to float more ice in the tank. And the temp would drop too low, too quickly if you continue to float ice in the tank. Any way, I didn't mean to get off subject, but I just never understood why people suggested doing that.

The only reason I could think of was either a heater stuck on or was set wrong or your house temp was high because you forgot to turn on the AC. Floating the ice would be a recovery method from some other kind of mistake causing the problem

[melosu58]

I dont run a canopy on mine. It used to run hot alot so I just use a reflector hood over my lights. Something to think about.

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[cmor1701d]

Mike, do you have to remove that reflector to feed or do maintenance?
Are your bulbs just sitting on the frame of the tank?

[Ziggy953]

Do you have a sump on your system?

[melosu58]

No there is plenty of room in front to feed and reach hand in there without taking reflector off and yes they are just sitting on the frame. Just wanted to show a cooler option.

[ryshark]

I have a short canopy with the lights being pretty close to the water. The third fan pointing up is a great idea, but I dont have anymore room to put another fan. Luckily my temp swings have been less than 2-degrees. I angled the return pump more upwards to get more surface agitation. I think this may help with temp a little because of more evaporation. I don't have a real sump on my tank. I am hoping to upgrade later this year and get a reef ready tank, a bigger canopy(I like the canopy/closed look) so my upgrade will have a longer canopy with lights away from the water and a sump with refugium 2 in 1. I saw a 180gallon yesterday, I really liked the size of that and the depth it has for some more creative aquascaping.

[Ziggy953]

If you dont' have room for a third fan take one of your fans and flip it around so that one is blowing in and the other out that will help to cycle air through the canopy.

[ryshark]

Yeah, thats how I have the fans already. I'm only getting about a 1.8 degree swing. So I should be ok as long as I keep my AC set to a permanent 75 or 76. I think creating more surface aggitation helped a little too.