Increasing tank temperatures - long term solution needed

I don't have an ato or rodi unit so I just buy distilled water at the store.

 

Ohhh. I see...

Well guy, maybe an ATO and a fan will be your savior, and it's the least $ option.

The water, which could be significantly cooler depending on what it's stored in, may help keep the temp within reason throught the day with top off and fans doing their part.
I just poked a hole in the cap of a gallon container (filled with rodi) for my ATO, it always seems much cooler than the tank. If you got creative and put a gallon container in a empty 5 gal with the lid on, the gal will prob stay much cooler. You get the idea.

Then by the time you go to college, it'll be fall and you can take the fan off, slowing down the evap rate for your pop to maintain.

 

that's actually a good idea.. try placing a fan behind the tank pointed right above the water surface. Just be prepared for a good amount of evaporation.

 

I really am wondering what is keeping you tank so warm. LED's are putting no heat into the tank. What pumps are in the water? My tank runs at 79-81 with one fan. I certainly don't have LED.

 

The only equipment I have in the tank are my oiwerheads, skimmer, and return pump in the sump. Water temperature only rises snd the summer.

 

What power heads, skimmer and pump on it, and return pumps? Type and quantity of each.

 

Three Hydor Koralia Nano 425 powerheads in the tank along with a Taam Rio+ 200 pump(128gph). Danner Mag Drive 7 dialed down (running at about 60% with 4' head presssure). The skimmer is a Hydor Nano Skim which uses a Hydor pico/nano pump (max output of 30gph).

 

The only changes I've made in the last 9 months was the addition of the skimmer, which was back in September.

 

I'm still baffled at why you have a temp problem to begin with.

Do you have a heater? If so unplug it for a day and see what temp the tank is reading over the course of the day. If it is on a temp controller, nevermind. I'm wondering if it's thermostat is bad.

If it were me I would start with replacing the main pump. Mags have a reputation of running hot! Consider an appropriately sized return pump like a Sicce Syncra 2.0. I would also loose the Rio.

 

Ugh. I will look into a new pump... :-/ How much does the sicce* pump cost?

Edit: $80 new...same cost as the mag drive. I will post it for sale and see if I can get any takers. But first I should be sure the heater is not the problem.

Why ditch the task Rio? I just have it for better surface agitation as the koralias are placed medium height in the tank on different spots/sides.