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04-26-2008, 02:59 PM
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#1 (permalink)
| | Flamingo Tongue
Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: North Dakota Age: 31
Posts: 107
Karma: 19
 |  Upgraded lights -- always some new problem
Ok I've been running 260W of PC lighting for over a year -- been gone for 6 and 4 months at a time in which I did NO water changes -- wife topped it off and everything looked great. Skimmer skimmed, nitrates low etc.
Well after my being away from home I got an upgrade of lighting to 4 - t5 actinics and 2 - 250W Metal halides.
It's been 2 weeks and I have bubbles forming everyday off the bottom, I've been doing weekly water changes, nitrates are REALLY low (everything else non-existant).
The temp raises from 78 - 82 maybe 84 if im not around as I add my top off water during the day and it's been cold.
I'm looking at a chiller -- Aquarium Chillers: Current USA Prime Drop-In Chiller anyone have any feedback on this?
Nothing seems to be harmed by the temp swings but the black looking algae comes quick everyday it seems and bubbles. I dose iodine, calcium, stron, zoo and phytoplankton twice a week for my inverts fish coral ect.
The coral all looks good as everything seems to be adjusting back to the new lights except 1 piece of leather coral that has always been funny and got burnt back once in a 90+ temp heater short.
Frogspawn, xenia, zoos, star polyps, fish, clam, inverts all look good -- but with summer coming i see the heat going up more and I have the money for a chiller -- just really no room left to plump so looking at the drop in kind.
Ideas? tips? all helpful escpecially if maybe the warm water and new light is setting the algae off.
Have 3 piles of cheato (one big in sump, two small ones that tang grazes on)
_________
90 gallon with 26 gallon sump/refugium, 2 x 250 MH lighting, 100lbs live rock, 1 - yellow tang,1 damsel, 1 - cleaner shrimp, 1 - coral banded shrimp, 3 - emerald crabs, 2 - porcelin crabs, 6 - peppermint shrimp, 1 - green ricordia, 1 - toadstool, 1 - brittle starfish, 1 - sand sifting star, 100's baby feather dusters,Ass mushrooms, frogspawn, xenia, 1 clam,
6 - Leather coral, Green star polyps,Lime green/orange button polyps,1 huge carpet anenome,various snails/hermit crabs | 
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04-26-2008, 03:39 PM
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#2 (permalink)
| | Teardrop Maxima Clam
Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Garden Creek,VA
Posts: 810
 
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Get a heat pump for your house and then adjust the termostat
so you can enjoy the chill also, I am sure the water be much cooler
_________
If the truth wasn't cruel, then it wouldn't be called the truth!
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04-26-2008, 03:43 PM
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#3 (permalink)
| | Gnarly Old Codfish
Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Silverdale, Washington Age: 58
Posts: 4,605
 
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Just a room AC will do same...
Hey but those are great looking chillers at DFS.
On Sale also.
Good timing.
Keep us posted on what you come up with. _________ AG "125," AquaC EV 180, 30 gal sump, "SCWD", 80 lbs LR, CoralSeaLife "Moonlite" Hood, PFO 250W HQI Mini-Pendant (SPS HQI 14000k bulb)
12 Gallon NanoCube - 24w stock PC 50/50 light "...nothing good ever happens fast in a reef tank, only bad things happen fast..."
- MIKE PALLETTA - (Davis Family Reef Aquarium - Home Page/Reef Log) (Best Photos of 2008!) | 
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04-26-2008, 03:52 PM
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#4 (permalink)
| | Giant Squid
Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Miami Age: 39
Posts: 3,790
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Before you go out and spend that money on a chiller and a room a/c try placing a fan blowing across the top surface of the water or in the sump. You'll be surprised what a difference it makes. Just an idea. Luna _________ 9YR OLD 90G 30G w/d Mag18 150G skimmer 692w MH,yel&kole tang,foxface,midas&convict blenny,B&G chromies,Blk/yel fin chromie blackcap,nemo,neon goby,6line; Blastomussa Merleti,Acan ,BUBBLE,Torch,LTA, Goniopora(2), Acropora(2),Brain, Moon, assort zoas, yel& G star polyps, R&G open brain, P&B ricordia, montiporas, cup&candy corals, enias,B/G mush,flower ane(2), cherry red mussa, dusters,cleaning crew  | |
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04-26-2008, 04:05 PM
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#5 (permalink)
| | Gigas Clam
Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: rocklin
Posts: 891
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i guess if you have the money, but i personally am going to do what luna said, its cheaper! ahah | |
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04-26-2008, 06:51 PM
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#6 (permalink)
| | Flamingo Tongue
Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: North Dakota Age: 31
Posts: 107
Karma: 19
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A room A/C in my basement would look silly -- I thought about fans but the hood leaves like 3 inches of clearance and hanging it isn't an option either. There's really no room for any fans unless they were cpu fans and blah -- thinking about just getting the chiller. Then the chiller and my ballasts can go in a new cabinet as well lol -- the stand I have is full with the sump and a bazillion other plugged in things.
Anyone have any experience with the chiller in the link? | |
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04-29-2008, 06:23 PM
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#7 (permalink)
| | Bristle Worm
Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 127
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Dragon I have used the 1/3 hp for my 120 gallon and it worked like a champ. My only suggestion would be to use the dual stage one, only because I didn't and I'd like to know how it works.
It was loud when it was runninng, at least enought that I noticed it over everything else. | |
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