Do i need a Chiller????

installed my new light fixture a couple nights ago, noticed my tank temp was at 81 when the lights went out today. my tank used to stay around 78. i didnt think my tank would heat up so much, its a nova extreme pro 6x54, with 4 cooling fans. ill look at the temp in the AM to see what it cools off to.

what kind of temperature swing during the day is acceptable???

 

I won't like more then a 2-3 degree temp swing daily. Some people may disagree..

With an efficient chiller you won't have temp swings.

Try some evaporative cooling. Place a fan to blow air over the top of the display. This will help keep it cool..

IMO, a chiller is the best way to keep your reef at a set temperature if you have heat problems. Using evaporative cooling will cause another potential problem and thats salinity swings unless you have a nicely setup ATO.

I couldn't be happy owning a reef tank if I didn't have a chiller and an ATO..

 

makes sense, i'll wait and see how the sump i am installing will affect temp swings. not sure how the extra water volume, flow through plumbing vs the heat from the ocean runner 2500 pump will pan out.

i hope well, not sure how i will fit a chiller in my stand

 

Ambient temps make a difference also. In the winter I set my thermostat at 63 (save money for my tank). So I have a .5 degree temp fluctuation. which is great. this past summer I hit 83 on a regular basis which is terrible for what I have in my tank.

This next summer ill be forced to get a chiller.

Couple things you can do. raise your lights and have fans blowing between water surface and lights. If this doesnt help than youll be like me looking for a chiller.

 

Your sump is going to add the ability to loose additional heat through increased surface area. Most folks mount a fan on the sump. you caould also take a look at all the heat input into your tank by pumps powerheads ect. Reduce.

you can move your lights up. Not sure where they are at. But am also suprised such a light is adding all that much heat.

I need a heater to keep my temps up. The fan takes care of it when the 2x250 MHs come on.

 

I wouldn't put a chiller in the stand.. The heat the compressor creates will cause the chiller to run hot and shorten its life. It will also not cool the water running through it as much since it's running hotter..

 

most importantly you need proper air circulation so the refrigeration system runs properly. If your not getting the right amount of air across the condensor coil...... that spells trouble.

 

thanks for all the advice, i will wait and see how the sump affects the temp before i get a chiller, the point about evaporation made me think about something. i had to change my hood with the new lights, went from one of those loose fitting goofy plastic hoods to a flat all glass hinged hood. The glass hood probably holds a lot more heat, evaporation in, kind of forming a pocket of warm air between the hood and water.

 

I know that a chiller is a tough thing to buy....But...It has turned out that it was the best money I ever spent. Save a little at a time over the winter and get one in the spring. It makes a HUGE difference as far as stability.

 

Any kind of hood will hold the heat in. Any reason to have the hood? An open top tank will have better oxygenation and also will be easier to use the fans for evaporation cooling.