Brian's 75 Gallon

[yote]

There is a cheaper and better way.Its called a clip on fan:D
Just one fan blowing on the surface of the water will lower the temp by 10 degrees.The only downside is it increases evaporation.

 

[Brian_G]

Haha well that's easy enough. On the sump? Or the dt?

 

[yote]

I'd put it on the display where it could blow between the lights and the water.

 

[Brian_G]

hm.. im thinking like 2 small fans. like 4 in in diameter one on the back left and one on the back right. to keep the air moving under the lights...
and then a larger one on the sump blowing backwards towards the wall.
i have realized i have no moving air above my sump because its behind doors on the front. and the stand is open in the back but is still about 3 inches from the wall.

that sound like a good plan?
and improvements anyone suggests? or different ideas to keep the tank at a steady temp?

 

[Ted]

you have the basic idea. I have my fan on the same timer as my mh lights. So when the mh comes on so does the fan. You will need to control the lower end of the tank temp at night. So you will need a heater. I know it sounds strange and opposite of what you are trying to do but it is needed. I was having temp swings between 76 and 81 now I am 78 to 80. Thats with a heater for the night and a fan for the day. It doesnt really matter if you are 80 to 82 as long as you stay constant. Anything over a 2 degree swing can be to stressful for your corals.

 

[Brian_G]

Yeah. I have a 300w heater. I have it set at 76 but I have yet to see it get below 77. And that's in the early morning. I'm gonna get a clip on fan for the sump and see what It can do. I ordered my lights today an went with 6 t5s because I didn't want the heat of mh although I like the mh better when it comes to looks.

 

[yote]

The only things I'd do different,is have one fan blowning fresh air into the canopy and the other pulling air out.I'd also go with 2 150 watt heaters over a single 300 watter.The reason for that,is 99.9% of the time,when the heater malfunctions,it'll stick on.So if you got 2 smaller heaters,then it's probably not gonna boil the tank if one sticks.

 

[Brian_G]

i would like to think my heater wasnt going to fail. but i know, it happens

i dont have a canopy. my lights will just sit above my tank with air able to blow around them as is. if you know what i mean.

 

[yote]

I'm right there with ya on the heaters.Their to expensive as it is,but it really sux when one quits.
With the top being open except for the lights,you only need one fan:D But 2 wont hurt.

 

[Brian_G]

yeah my cousin had a heater completely explode in the middle of the night. it shot through the front and back of his sump and shot into his wall. ya know...water everywhere.

lets hope that doesnt happen.

 

[dcantucson]

i would like to think my heater wasnt going to fail. but i know, it happens.

I would like to think my heater wouldn't fail either, but it did and they died.:(

 

[Ted]

at least it didnt explode. Is bad enough to lose all the stuff you did but just think it could have flooded the house to.

 

[dcantucson]

True. Do they explode? Never heard of that.

 

[Ted]

yeah my cousin had a heater completely explode in the middle of the night. it shot through the front and back of his sump and shot into his wall. ya know...water everywhere.

lets hope that doesnt happen.

well thats what he said. I have never heard of it but now I am looking twice at my heater thats in my dt I dont have a sump. The idea of 50 gallons of saltwater flowing on the floor in my bedroom that is carpeted just makes me cringe. Oh theres a nice though I sleep next to that tank maybe it would be merciful and kill me if it explodes.

 

[Brian_G]

yeah it exploded with enough force to go through the sump and put a hole in the wall 10 feet across the room. i have the sump it exploded in. it was made of acrylic so we just patched it. i dont think he lost anything when it happened. he had multiple tanks.

mine is in my room too. but since you all have never heard of it happening then it doesnt happen often and it wont happen to me.

 

[yote]

I've seen it happen once,at the LFS in a glass 40gal breeder.

 

[Ted]

well thats just great yote. I sleep right next to a time bomb. Well two actually wife is on the other side.

 

[Brian_G]

Haha you guys are making this such a big deal like so many people havIng problems with heaters.

 

[dcantucson]

When one loses hundreds of dollars it's a very big deal.

 

[Brian_G]

True true. That would not be fun to lose everything you have worked for.