Cooling Fan

rdnyva · 01/31/2014, 05:09 AM

Should I put my fan over the tank or over the sump. Is it more effective on either one of those places?

Uncle Salty 05 · 01/31/2014, 07:12 AM

Over the sump is hidden and will accomplish the same thing.
Just be prepared for increased evaporation.

4bruceinc · 01/31/2014, 07:19 AM

I have a canopy and my fans are attached to the opening in the back

ca1ore · 01/31/2014, 07:20 AM

Absent aesthetic concerns, a fan to accomplish evaporative cooling is most effective in whichever place has the lowest ambient humidity.

Uncle Salty 05 · 01/31/2014, 07:27 AM

Can you send a pic?
It sound like you are just moving the air around and not truly removing it from the canopy.
A more efficient way to go is to seal the rear opening as much as is reasonable, maybe a sheet of plexiglass on a hinge. Then then have computer fans in both the ends of the canopy blowing in, and a larger fan in the center of the top blowing out.
This truly will remove all heat and cool the tank via evaporation.
That is the way I did my old fixture in my avatar and with 3-250 MHs and 4-96 watt PCs I got zero heat transfer to the tank.

4bruceinc · 01/31/2014, 07:29 AM

My canopy is vented on the sides and the top.

Uncle Salty 05 · 01/31/2014, 07:32 AM

Perfect, just replace the vents with fans.

4bruceinc · 01/31/2014, 07:33 AM

Here is a pic of the fans.

4bruceinc · 01/31/2014, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Salty 05

Perfect, just replace the vents with fans.

Got it - will do. Thanks for the guidance.

Guygettnby · 01/31/2014, 07:35 AM

i prefer to have a fan mounted over the display tank and not the sump for several reasons. the biggest reason being the heat from the metal halides. i found having a fan blowing over the top of the display in between the water and the halides made a bigger difference then in my stand over the sump.

rdnyva · 01/31/2014, 08:19 AM

Good points all around. especially the one from Guygettnby. The heat from the lights are definitely a reason to put the fan on the display. I have LEDs which lessens the concern but they still put off some heat. My original question was - is it more, less, NA to have your fan over the display or sump.

I have a clip on fan on the back of my canopy angled so that the breeze hits the front inside of the canopy and exits at the rear of the opposite side. I will keep it this way because I want the heat from the light out of there as much as possible.

So now I ask, would there be any benefit from having an additional fan on the sump? Is twice the evaporation favorable?

Uncle Salty 05 · 01/31/2014, 08:54 AM

If the enlosure around the fixture is as sealed as possible (a lens between water and lights) and air is being both pushed in and pulled out little or no heat will be transferred to the tank.
Looking better is just icing on the cake.

01/31/2014, 05:09 AM	#1
rdnyva Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Central Florida Posts: 1,106	Cooling Fan Should I put my fan over the tank or over the sump. Is it more effective on either one of those places?

01/31/2014, 07:12 AM	#2
Uncle Salty 05 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: South Florida Posts: 3,799	Over the sump is hidden and will accomplish the same thing. Just be prepared for increased evaporation. __________________ In all that I endure, of one thing I am sure. Knowledge and reason, change like the season. A jester's promenade. - Kerry Livgren Current Tank Info: 180 gal reef tank with dual attached refugiums 20 long and 10 gallon. Plus 55 gallon True Percula breeding tank.

01/31/2014, 07:20 AM	#4
ca1ore Grizzled & Cynical Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 17,319	Absent aesthetic concerns, a fan to accomplish evaporative cooling is most effective in whichever place has the lowest ambient humidity. __________________ Simon Got back into the hobby ..... planned to keep it simple ..... yeah, right ..... clearly I need a new plan! Pet peeve: anemones host clowns; clowns do not host anemones! Current Tank Info: 450 Reef; 120 refugium; 60 Frag Tank, 30 Introduction tank; multiple QTs

01/31/2014, 07:27 AM	#5
Uncle Salty 05 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: South Florida Posts: 3,799	Can you send a pic? It sound like you are just moving the air around and not truly removing it from the canopy. A more efficient way to go is to seal the rear opening as much as is reasonable, maybe a sheet of plexiglass on a hinge. Then then have computer fans in both the ends of the canopy blowing in, and a larger fan in the center of the top blowing out. This truly will remove all heat and cool the tank via evaporation. That is the way I did my old fixture in my avatar and with 3-250 MHs and 4-96 watt PCs I got zero heat transfer to the tank. __________________ In all that I endure, of one thing I am sure. Knowledge and reason, change like the season. A jester's promenade. - Kerry Livgren Current Tank Info: 180 gal reef tank with dual attached refugiums 20 long and 10 gallon. Plus 55 gallon True Percula breeding tank.

01/31/2014, 07:32 AM	#7
Uncle Salty 05 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: South Florida Posts: 3,799	Perfect, just replace the vents with fans. __________________ In all that I endure, of one thing I am sure. Knowledge and reason, change like the season. A jester's promenade. - Kerry Livgren Current Tank Info: 180 gal reef tank with dual attached refugiums 20 long and 10 gallon. Plus 55 gallon True Percula breeding tank.

01/31/2014, 07:19 AM	#3
4bruceinc Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 182	I have a canopy and my fans are attached to the opening in the back

01/31/2014, 07:29 AM	#6
4bruceinc Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 182	My canopy is vented on the sides and the top.

01/31/2014, 07:35 AM	#10
Guygettnby Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: FL Posts: 3,050	i prefer to have a fan mounted over the display tank and not the sump for several reasons. the biggest reason being the heat from the metal halides. i found having a fan blowing over the top of the display in between the water and the halides made a bigger difference then in my stand over the sump.

01/31/2014, 08:19 AM	#11
rdnyva Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Central Florida Posts: 1,106	Good points all around. especially the one from Guygettnby. The heat from the lights are definitely a reason to put the fan on the display. I have LEDs which lessens the concern but they still put off some heat. My original question was - is it more, less, NA to have your fan over the display or sump. I have a clip on fan on the back of my canopy angled so that the breeze hits the front inside of the canopy and exits at the rear of the opposite side. I will keep it this way because I want the heat from the light out of there as much as possible. So now I ask, would there be any benefit from having an additional fan on the sump? Is twice the evaporation favorable?

01/31/2014, 08:54 AM	#12
Uncle Salty 05 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: South Florida Posts: 3,799	If the enlosure around the fixture is as sealed as possible (a lens between water and lights) and air is being both pushed in and pulled out little or no heat will be transferred to the tank. Looking better is just icing on the cake. __________________ In all that I endure, of one thing I am sure. Knowledge and reason, change like the season. A jester's promenade. - Kerry Livgren Current Tank Info: 180 gal reef tank with dual attached refugiums 20 long and 10 gallon. Plus 55 gallon True Percula breeding tank.