New tank- Heat issue question.

[salth2owannabe]

I've got about 135-140 gal total system. I'm currently cycling my tank and have my lights turned off. I have a Snapper for my closed loop and and Eheim 1260 for a return. My temp appears to be staying around 79-80 degrees even though the room temp has been about 74 degrees the last two days. Is this normal heat out put from these pumps? I'm starting to get a little nervous about tank temps since I haven't even turned on my MH lights yet.

[hilgert]

I have an Eheim 1262 for my sump return (had it for years), and in my experience it does not generate excessive heat. From looking around on RC I think you will find many who have Eheims swear by them and not at them. So that's my input on the Eheim (I don't think it's a major heat source).

I don't know anything about the Snapper.

-Hilgert

[salth2owannabe]

Thanks,
I don't think my Eheim is putting off any heat either. My Snapper is hot enough I really can't leave my hand on the cover right at the motor. I don't know if this is normal? I sure didn't think I'd have heat concerns at this point.

[Southern Boy]

Do you have any power heads in the tank?Probably a dumb ? since you have a closed loop.

[salth2owannabe]

Nope,
No extra powerheads. I have my Octopus 150 being gravity fed and that is it.

[hilgert]

You will either need a new closed loop pump, a chiller ($), or some fans (perhaps tied to a thermostat) for evaporative cooling (get ready with the top-off water though). I have an Eheim 1262 for a return, about 1000 watts of tank lighting (tank and sump), no chiller, and no running (see below) fans other than what is needed to cool the MH lighting. I keep my tank at 80 degrees, and my house at 73 degrees (I like it cool).

I do have some fans on a two-stage thermostat set at 82 degrees, but they never come on unless I test them with some 82 degrees water. Mostly this is due to how cool I keep the house, and that may change as the house gets a bit warmer during the summer and the AC can't keep up.

I have used fans before and they do work, but your top off water needs can go way up.

-Hilgert

[Southern Boy]

Mine runs at 78 without the chiller at night.Temp in the house is at 72-74 though.I have a mag24,mag9.5,and 2 power heads all submerged.My fuge light is on all night.But as soon as those halides kick on that chiller never stops running.I need to get a bigger or better one myself So if you got temps like that now without the lights on then I would start looking for a chiller.Do you have a hood or an open top set-up?

[Southern Boy]

Yes the fans.I have 4 also just to vent my hood.Top off sucks.I want to get a couple more just to direct at the water but I'm alredy adding 10 gallons a week.But i got to do somthing myself ,the eletric bill keeps going and going.Kinda like the energizer bunny!I wish I could get mine to stay that cool without that chiller.Hilgert do you have a hood?

[salth2owannabe]

Hilgert- My Snapper is brand new and has only run about 1 week, I hope that isn't it.
My tank has a large open canopy and the top to it isn' t even on right now. I just find it hard to believe that my CL pump is keeping my water 4-5 degrees above room temp by itself.

[Southern Boy]

Is that snapper internal?

[salth2owannabe]

No - it's external, and they're not suppose to transfer very much heat.

[Southern Boy]

Wow, your tamk should be atleast 76-77.I don't have any expierience with either of those pumps though so I don't know.Have you ran your lights through a day light cycle yet to see what the temp is while there on ?Also try another thermometer.My controller to my chiller and the one I got for my nano are almost 2 degrees different.

[salth2owannabe]

I have not tried my lights yet, I'm building an electrical control box and don't have the ballasts wired in yet. I thought of the thermometer thing and no such luck there. I may turn off my CL for the night just for curiosity sake to see what happens. I only have live rock in the tank at this time.

[Southern Boy]

I think that would be your best aproach.If that dosn't come out fruitful I would try the return pump next.Maybe not for the whole night but atleast 4-5 hours.Your Bio-load shouldn't be to great since your still in the process of building it.I don't think you'll have any bacteria lose for shutting down the return for a while.LR and the close loop should hold everything up just fine.I would defenetly try to get those lights up and running and give it a full daylight cycle though.Don't want the temp goin up once you've got livestock in it.Bettter to find out now if your gonna need xtra cooling for it!Good luck!

[Nano Chris]

Eheim all the way, nice and quiet, does the job!