Need help keeping cool

[color_copies]

I just set up my first salt water tank earlier this week and am waiting for the cycle to finish to add fish and corals. I've been monitoring everything water quality and temp and the water is always warm 80-84 F and I've left the lid open with a fan froze water bottle and dropped them in there but it doesn't get the temp to where i want it to be. 77 F. I am asking for your help, how to you keep your tank cool?

 

[Ted]

First off 77 is a bit cool. my tank runs 81 to 82. the most important thing is not to have drastic swings. Most people a fan works just fine. Depending on you climate you might have to get a chiller which is really expensive. Is you return pump submerged? That can be giving you heat. The other would be your lights. Might try raising them some.

 

[Ted]

Oh and no lid....if you want a top make one from mesh or eggcrate or just go topless.

 

[color_copies]

I live in Southern California so on day it can be 68 out and the next 88. Im still new so im just going of what ive read online. I cant really move the lights because its a biocube, but i am only using the LEDs at the moment. As for return pump is it submerged.

 

[Ted]

ah the plug and play system.....never had one but lots on here have. Try looking at a few of the biocube threads maybe they have addressed it. If you can keep it 80 to 81 you should be good. swinging 4 degrees is a lot. I will look around for answers for you as well.

 

[color_copies]

Yeah. I just wanted to try something small and get used to it before I invest more money into a larger system.

 

[Ted]

I totally understand. They are nice looking systems. I thought about getting one, just because there are cool.

 

[Ted]

Found this on RC

Sorry, I'm not familiar with that tank. Is the rear chamber open or does the hood completely cover the tank? If the rear is open then JBJ makes a pretty powerfull and adjustable fan that you can put on the rear chamber to blow at the wier of the overflow for cooling. If the rear is not accessible then you could do what was suggested and put the fan over the feeding/access lid at the front but IMO that doesn't look to good. I had a 28gl jbj that got hot as well and before I bought a chiller, I was able to keep it at 80-82 with the jbj fan at the rear and another thing I did was to take the access lid off and mark and drill many 1/4 in holes in the lid then put it back on and that helped alot. Of course a chiller is the most effective if you have the space and cash but for that size tank the fan and lid mod would probably be best

 

[color_copies]

that is most likely what is going to happen. i have a slew of PC fans i can mod into the lid. Because the lid does cover the entire back tank.

 

[Ted]

I hope that helps.....

 

[color_copies]

It does, thank you.

 

[SarahSmile]

My 14 gallon biocube always ran hot. Make sure to leave part of the lid open all the time as well.

 

[cvcdrk]

What is the ambient temperature in your house? Living in southern california, I would think you'd have some sort of climate control in place.

Start by knowing what the ambient temperature is and then figuring out how the water is reacting in relation to that. That's the easiest way I've found to stabilize the temp in my tank. Also, no lids.

 

[Bifferwine]

Do you have a heater in your tank?

 

[color_copies]

@cvcdrk The ambient temp of the room that its in has been 4-5 degrees less then the tank.

@Bifferwine I do have a heater in the tank but its set for 78