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View Full Version : Help - Biocube 16 temp always going over 80


koopz1976
08/01/2017, 06:22 PM
Hi guys,

I've been coming home from work and seeing my tank temp at over 80. To remedy situation i always have to put ice packs.

Other than taking off the hood, anybody else manage to solve the problem?

My room temp is 70F.

TOOMANYFISH
08/01/2017, 06:57 PM
It must be your power heads and lights adding the heat. LED's run cooler and try some more efficient powerheads. maybe clean yours first to see if they're just clogged


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TOOMANYFISH
08/01/2017, 06:57 PM
I also leave the front and back doors open all the time


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koopz1976
08/01/2017, 07:16 PM
i just use the stock power head that comes with the cube. i cube has stock LEDs. Blue is kept open from 5 am to midnight. Pink opens up at 7am to 10 pm. The white is open 12 noon to 7 pm.

i do have another powerhead that comes with my Protein Skimmer.

I suspect its the light but it is just LED.

I will try to open the entire hood just around 4 inches as a temporary solution to see if it works but i dont want to do this daily on a permanent basis.

TOOMANYFISH
08/01/2017, 07:17 PM
Also try putting a fan blowing air across the top to dissipate some of the heat


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TOOMANYFISH
08/01/2017, 07:19 PM
I'd add another small power head aimed at the surface to agitate the water


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koopz1976
08/01/2017, 07:25 PM
there's a hydor 240g that agitates water. i also have an air stone placed in the first compartment.

i have a 10k corallife add on but it is outside at the back of the sump (middle compartment). i touched the glass and it is not warm so not really sure if the back light has impact.

TOOMANYFISH
08/01/2017, 07:27 PM
In my 29 I found the return pump was heating my tank by 2 degrees. Changed it out for a mj1200


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koopz1976
08/01/2017, 07:31 PM
i think the air stone fixed it. temp started to go down. i will observe tomorrow during the day with all else constant.

i will work from home hahaha.

koopz1976
08/01/2017, 07:41 PM
crap i spoke too soon. it is up at 80.1

Stickboy
08/01/2017, 08:21 PM
I changed my lighting schedule, which helped with mine some. I'm not home during the day anyway, and keep my home fairly dark even during the day, so not sure the fish/corals care when they get the light. That and keeping the doors open for more evap (REALLY loving the ATO with that)

koopz1976
08/01/2017, 08:26 PM
how long is the light opened?

ReefWreak
08/02/2017, 07:58 AM
I'd also check out the skimmer pump. I imagine its the two pumps, if you're already on LEDs. I noticed my tank went from it's usual 80-81 degrees to the high side of 82 when I ran my skimmer 24/7 instead of only at night (I have it on a timer to come on from 4AM to 4PM).

imjdoggie
08/02/2017, 08:50 AM
I know this may be a dumb question but you never know.................is it in direct sunlight? Or is a window glare hitting the tank at all?

koopz1976
08/02/2017, 02:36 PM
no its not hit by sunligth. i just lost a head on my frogspawn. i got it with a crack and i know it was struggling. i guess the heat took him out. The other head is still ok.

i just went over 80 again. Shut down the skimmer.

Have a freshwater biocube and it is just 78! This is driving me nuts.

ReefWreak
08/02/2017, 03:01 PM
I think it's also important to mention that you're nowhere near the absolute top "temperature threshold". You can run a tank safely up to 84 regularly, 86 I believe is where things start to become problematic.

Part of the reason why people run their tanks on the cooler side is that it's convenient in cooler climates, and also for margin of safety, keeping their tank further away from 86. If you keep your tank at 78 normally, and your AC goes out, you probably have a few dozen hours before you hit 86 on a normal day. If you keep your tank at 83, your margin of error is much closer.

It's also worse to be fluctuating temps than it is to run the tank at a high temperature. If you can consistently keep the tank at 82, it's not a big deal (my tank frequently hits that during the day, and 78-79 at night).

The temps probably didn't kill the frogspawn either. You are right, it was probably struggling. I'd look closer at parameters and how consistent they are (and how you're measuring them). I have to also imagine it likely has to do with tank maturity as well.

koopz1976
08/02/2017, 08:28 PM
Thanks! This is very helpful info.

static916
08/03/2017, 06:17 PM
Mine has had the same issues of hitting under 81 quite a few times this summer. It will stay at 80 for a few hours. Everything seems to be fine. I've stopped freaking out over it.

ca1ore
08/06/2017, 07:32 PM
80-82 is really no big deal. Start approaching 84 and problems can present.

Flat4sti
08/08/2017, 01:37 PM
My biocube 29 would get 82+ easy. i would leave the hood cracked open. Its pretty ghetto but I used the plastic pieces that are in the center of the dog poop bag rolls. I just notched a groove so that it would lock into the frame of the hood. It would hold the hood open about 2.5 inches and helped a lot.

About 1 year ago i picked up a used Aqua Euro chiller off ebay and it has worked great. I think i paid about 150 bucks for it. Also, switched to Steve's LEDs May '16.

koopz1976
08/10/2017, 10:43 AM
Thanks to all who responded. I have learned not to stress about the temperature now. I still maintain a heater since my house is at 70F, however, I doubt it if it turns on.

My temp still runs at 78F at night and goes high as 81F at mid day but because of this thread I have peace of mind.

Thanks again.

Melfy77
08/21/2017, 06:45 AM
I've always run my tanks around 80-81. It provides stability throughout the year. Even on a very hot day, temp never goes higher than 82, sometimes 83. I put a fan near my tank (8g mixed reef) and good to go. Otherwise tank would go to 76 at night to 81-82 during the day (in the summer at least), and IMO that's even worse.

TexChuck
08/21/2017, 03:38 PM
I have a biocube 32... I live in Texas, and this was my first summer with the tank. Opening the feed door helps a LOT causing evap to pick up and temp to drop. That said, It hits 81-82 most days and zero problems. I freaked out about the heat spikes a LOT at the beginning of the summer.

I htink you're fine... I'd look at adding a small PC fan if you want to drop temp more. (That's my plan if it gets too bad)

bfazz001
08/23/2017, 04:51 PM
I had the same issue for a bit with my bio cube 29. like others said, 80-82 is okay, but could cause some issues with particular corals. Your frogspawn would have been fine staying at 80. Its better not to have a huge fluctuation in temp within 24 hrs then worrying about a temp of 80.

To help my tank, i took the back hatch off and attached a small clip on desk fan from walmart for $5 and put it on a timer to go every hour for 30 minute intervals. it keeps my tank at 77-78 during the day and 76ish at night.