High temperatures   11/26/07
Thanks for the prompt answer to my email!
<My pleasure!>
I added an airstone to the aquarium which has increased the evaporation rate and thankfully lowered the temp to 28C (not ideal, but better than the other day.)
<I have to admit, the use of an airstone to increase evaporation had not crossed my mind - but a very clever technique indeed!>
Interestingly I was talking with a guy at my LFS who lost a lot of stock the same day I noticed my temp up (his got to 32C)
A little additional info regarding the diatom problem. My water stats read ammonia = 0, nitrite = 0 and nitrate = 20 ppm. Is this nitrate too high?
<There is much debate as to what is too high... To be honest, if you're above zero - and realistically, you almost always will be, then a reduction will only ever be a good thing. I think 20ppm is certainly an acceptable level, depending on what you are keeping, but you should continue to strive for a lower reading of your ANN levels.>
Also, I have not heard of sulphates even being an issue.
<I do apologize ever so much - meant to say phosphates! I'm very sorry for the confusion...>
I spend a lot of time maintaining the aquarium to keep it looking good. In fact I think I'm spending TOO much time having to continually clean the sand (aragonite) of these brown pests.
<Consider increasing your cleaning crew to do some of the work for you!>
The skimmer I have is a Jebo 180. It's been very difficult to find any info on these things, do you know anything about them?
<No, I am afraid I am not familiar with them...>
The reason I bought it was the relative ease of drilling to do to actually attach it to my system. I've since modified the collection cup as the lid prevented foam overflowing into it, it's pulling out about 1/2 cup of nasty green gunk a week. The water circulation is good, I had a 1500L/h powerhead which I have now replaced with two 1200L/h that face opposite directions. Can I expect the diatom problem to ease up once the skimmer has been going for a while?
<Possibly... If the skimmer is working efficiently and sufficiently then that will certainly help. Also, consider what and how much you are feeding. Best of luck - It sounds as though you give a lot of attention to your aquarium and put in the much needed effort. In my experience it has always been people like yourself that have the most beautiful aquariums.>
Daniel

Temperature Fluctuations  10/29/06
I have a 90 gallon Reef Tank and experience about a 1.5 - 2 degree F. shift in temp throughout the day.
Early morning temp averages about 78.2
Full Lights on average about 79.7
Is this too much a temp swing?
<Mmm, nope... have been diving in many places on our worlds reefs... and there is much more range here at times... moment to moment due to currents, upwelling, water running off of reef flats with tidal changes... Bob Fenner>

Nano Reef Emergency   10/27/06
Dear Mr. Fenner,
         The heater in our 20 gallon  nano reef tank malfunctioned three days ago.  The temperature went from 82  degrees to 95 degrees.  We noticed this in the morning.  As soon as we  did, we took steps to correct it.  We replaced the heater and floated a bag  filled with ice in the tank, as instructed by my LFS.  
<Mmm... better (unless organisms were obviously dying...) to let the temp. return slowly...>
I had to leave  immediately afterwards, on a previously scheduled 3 day vacation with my  parents.  The tank was left in the care of a person who is knowledgeable  about salt water aquariums.  Upon my return, I found almost everything dead  or dying, except for my two ocellaris clown fish and a yellow tail blue damsel  fish.  I have yet to see the firefish.
<These are inappropriately placed here>
My question is, is there  anything I can do to save any of the corals?  Here is a list of corals that  I have.
             1  pagoda cup coral
             1  Lobophyllia
             1  hairy mushroom
             1  xenia
             several  small colonies of star polyps
             several  small mushrooms
Most of the corals look beyond  hope.
        As a warning to anyone who has or  is thinking about buying a heater.
DO NOT GET AN AQUATIC GARDENS  BRAND!!!!!!! I will everything I can to save any of the  corals, considering the combined value of them exceeded  $400.  
I appreciate any help or information that you can give me.
Thanks for the help,
Michael
<Mmm, thank you for the warning. Do search WWM re temperature/thermal stress... Heat/Heating Marine Systems... read the FAQs files. Ideally, moving all the life to larger, new circumstances... Bob Fenner>

Heater sensor location   9/26/06
Ahoy mateys and good afternoon!
<Aye bee gar!>
A really dumb question but one which I would really like to know the answer. I have searched the forum and FAQ's but no one has ever asked this dumbest of questions. Where exactly on the body of a submersible aquarium heater is the sensor that activates the heater to heat, or not to heat the tank water?
<Up near the "top" where the electrical cord exits generally... though there are makes, models with this remoted>
It's not the big things that confuse me but the wee-est of life mysteries. Thank you very much. Sue :)
<There is likely an "indicator light" that comes on when the heating element is energized... the sensor is likely nearby this. Bob Fenner>

Optimal Reef Temperature    9/22/06
Looking for some help....I've searched the web and the many varieties of answers still confuse me. <Many opinions>
I've got a 55 gal w/ live rock and the following livestock:
toadstool, pulsing xenia, 2 BTAs, 1 sebae, a pair of mated clowns, 3 cardinals, 1 zebra sailfin tang, coral-banded shrimp, and some  peppermint shrimp.
What is the "optimum" temperature that I should seek for this reef  set-up?
Thanks folks!
<Most reefs in the world average about 80-82F, I would suggest about 81F is best.>
<Chris>

T5 or MH, Heat Issue...   9/2/06
Hello Crew,
    I'm upgrading my 100 gallon tank into a reef tank. Currently I'm planning on removing my closed canopy and replacing it with an open lighting fixture. I've set my mind on either Metal Halide or HO fluorescent T5 lighting.
    The thing is, I don't know which lighting will be better for my setup.
My tank dimensions are 58" wide and 18" deep. I would like to keep Bubble-Tipped Anemones and Tridacnid Clams (I would place the clam at the bottom of the tank). My preference in Corals is still not clear, but I would like to be open to a wide range of possibilities.
    I've read through your FAQs that Clams prefer MH (and so do I, due to the pleasing shimmering effect), but heat is an issue to me. My room temperature is 25 C, but my tank is around 27 C and I think it's mainly due to the trapped heat in the closed canopy (with three 40 watt fluorescent lamps, will remove soon). I'm also adding more powerful powerheads that will add up to the heat. I'm not sure if T5's will provide enough lighting for the intended inhabitants while emitting low heat, and need your inquiry.
Thank you. Have a nice day.
Mohammad
<<Mohammad:  While there are some people who like T5's the vast majority of people that have anemones and clams (including me) have MH lighting.  If your canopy is open, I don't thing the MH lighting will significantly increase your temperature.  Some day, we may be able to light our tanks with LED's; but, the technology is still being tested.  Best of luck, Roy>>

Re: Tank Temp 8/23/06  - 09/01/06
Hi Jen-
<Hi John... You've got another John here as I found this in my box.>
I am just now reading the "dailies" as part of my ritual and can not resist adding my two cents on this temperature situation.
<Great! Thanks.>
In my haste to skim and former reluctance to research, I too purchased a SeaClone skimmer in search of better water quality. Much to my chagrin it raised my 20g system's temperature about 4 degrees.
<Yes, the effect could be rather pronounced on a small system such as a 20g.>
It was due to the temperature situation, constant fiddling, and my distaste for the now dubbed SeaClown that it was promptly returned and replaced with a Berlin Air Lift. The Berlin is working great for me and will tide me over until the cash flow allows for an AquaC or EuroReef skimmer (drool).
The weather has been 'pahweful hawt' here in the Carolina's and my fans and air conditioning are working overtime to keep my new larger system stable.
<Here too... Shanghai. If you go outside for more than 5 minutes, you promptly melt/sauté. I have been considering changing my religion to Air Con Worship.>
I wanted to pass this along based on my observations. Thanks to all of you for the invaluable insight, and keeping me reading/cogitating about something useful and interesting instead of vegetating in front of the other large glass box in my house.
<Thank YOU for the insight. I'm sure this will be useful to others. Best regards, John.>
Regards-
Jake

Tank temp follow-up - 1/9/2006
Hi Crew,
    I don't know if it is polite or what protocol says about responding to someone else's post, but I have some personal experience with my own 20 Gal
Reef Tank.
<Perfectly polite and much appreciated. Wasn't my post, but I'll chip in anyway as this was in my box...>
    I added a SeaClone 100 Skimmer and also experience profound temperature increase (up to 4 degrees).  The SeaClone has a pretty large submersible
pump for a 20 Gal tank.   The answer that found was changing to a Red Sea Prizm.  Now I know that the Prizm does not share one of the best reputations
for skimmers, but the pump does not go into the tank.  The pump is in the skimmer housing, much like the pump from a hang-on power filter.  Going from
the SeaClone to the Prizm lowered the temperature by those 4 degrees and actually produced foam!
<The 4 degree temperature rise is almost a carbon copy as another such post I have just responded to.>
    I find the Prizm to be pretty tweaky; I need to adjust it after water changes, but for the most part I get 3/4 of a cup of very dark skimmate
every other day, in a relatively under stocked tank.  Again, just a suggestion for a small marine setup where temperature may be a problem.
<Many skimmers I have tried are the same -- things take a while to get back up to speed after a water change.>
Thanks,
<Thank you for your input. Best regards, John.>
Roy

Cyano, Hair, and Temperature   8/31/06
Good morning...
<Getting to be...>
Just wanted to get your opinion on my battle against Cyano.  I tell ya, except for learning the hard way once... not to add 4 fish into a new tank at the same time years ago, my tank has been running pretty smoothly.  My only problem is the fight against Cyano bacteria.
<A common pest>
I have a 90 gallon salt tank with a deep sandbed 3 - 5".  I have a 33 gallon sump that operates about half full.  I am getting really good skimming out of my AquaC Remora Pro (I have to empty and clean 3 times a week, sometimes more).  My water volume turnover per hour is approximately 17 times.
pH 8.2
Ammonia: n/a
Nitrite: n/a
Nitrates: on my test kit, I'm either showing no signs or very minimal.
Tough to tell between two shades of yellow on a piece of paper.
Salinity 1.025 (am I missing a zero in there?)
<Nope this spg is about right>
I have just recently added a new lighting system, two 250watt metal halides, two 96watt compact fluorescents.  I have only been using one of the halide lamps in order to get a handle on my aquarium room temperature as well as my tank temperatures... in addition to let my critters get use to the new lights.  I don't have any corals yet.
I am lightly feeding flake food maybe 3 times a week, and then using either krill, bloodworm, or Mysis shrimp, twice a week.  Fish are only fed 5 of 7 days.  Since I've been battling the Cyano bacteria for about a year... I had upgraded my protein skimmer (mentioned above) and my water flow.  As well, I am watching that I am feeding only as much as the fish are consuming.  With my light feeds, I don't notice much going to waste.  At times, I don't think my yellow watchman goby is getting any... but he's quite large and is staying fairly plump and healthy looking.  One of my friends with a fresh water tank is shocked that I feed them so little.
<Likely getting quite a bit of nutrition/small animal life from the substrate infauna production>
  In short, I don't think overfeeding is my Cyano issue.
<Doesn't read like it... just a dearth of competitors thus far>
I have a refugium being setup in my sump.
<Oh! Good>
  It's about a one foot square section with 1" deep Miracle Mud and I am waiting for a cluster of Chaeto' something-or-other.
<Chaetomorpha...>
You guys recommended it to me and I'm sure you know what I am referring to.  I figure this will help a little in biological filtration and competing for nutrients.
<Oh yes>
My water changes...   I am doing partial water changes about two to three times a month (5 gallons each time).  After reading Bob's wonderful book... I'm thinking, that this HAS TO BE my solution?
<Is of help>
With approximately 115 gallons in circulation... I should be changing out approximately 30 gallons a month, correct?
<Mmmm, or more... more frequently... see WWM re... 10-20% every two weeks or so...>
As well, I have been taking straight tap water at about 22 - 25oc, mixing my salt until it appears to be fully dissolved... adding a minute amount of additive that removes chlorine/chloramine/ammonia, and then adding direct to my tank within about 5 minutes.
<Mmm... Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/water4maruse.htm>
As well, I have been topping off evaporation straight outta my tap without waiting.
<I'd invest in an R.O. device...>
  In your opinion, would you say that this would be a likely cause of a continuing Cyano problem?
<Mainly a lack of competitors...>
With all the other upgrades I've made: water flow, skimming, lighting, working refugium soon!!...    If increase my water changes to 10gallons 3 times a month from water that has been premixed an aged for a minimum 24hrs... if not 3-7 days    and if I keep aged fresh water available for top up, should this remedy my Cyano issue?
<I give you very good odds>
If so, will the Cyano just die off over a month or so?  Or, do I need to syphon what I see off first?
<Will go a bit at a time... over a month or more likely... can siphon during water changes>
On a side note, I have some pretty long green hair algae growing all over.  Ya, it looks kinda nasty, but this actually beneficial to my tank, correct?
<Mmm... marginally>
I will be getting a tang soon... Can I safely presume that I shouldn't have to worry about adding 'greenery' to my tank for food as long as I have the hair algae with my tang?
<Mmmm... not really. Many such "greens" are unpalatable... and/or of little food value>
I was reading in a book that with all the chemicals in municipal water systems... that basic tap water is a sure cause of both massive Cyano and hair algae outbreaks and that a reverse osmosis mechanism is absolutely necessary.
<Not always necessary... but often desirable... I/we use such for our drinking and cooking uses... but I skip for my African Cichlids... they get "hose water"... and a bucket of hot straight tap during the winter...>
Yet, Bob mentions simply aging the tap water.  Will aging tapwater really minimize nutrients and 'food' in the water??
<Yes... a good deal of the municipal additions and "picked up" soluble material precipitates, insolubilizes with time>
Lastly, my aquarium room sits at approximately 23 - 25oc.  My tank seems to have a low of 26oc after the single metal halide has been off for a few hours, but rises over several hours to about 28 or 29oc with the single lamp on.
<Mmm... this is too much of a thermal swing...>
I'm fearful that if I use two lamps... my temperature will rise twice as fast and will peak at maybe 31oc?
<Not good>
The fans are working on my CoraLife lighting unit.  Is this daily temperature change going to be an issue for keeping corals?
<Likely yes...>
  Should I wall mount a fan to cool the air in-between my lights and my tank?
<Can try... but you may be a customer for a chiller>
We get cold winters, so I'm thinking 8 months out of the year this won't be an issue, but during the summer it's tough to keep the tank cool.
<Maybe>
You guys are always a tremendous help... don't know what I'd do without ya!
<Glad to share. Bob Fenner>

Tank Temp 8/23/06
  Hi Crew,
     <Hey there>
    Thanks for the great site.  I have a rather unusual problem in that my 20g aquarium maintains an 86 degree temperature without the heater being plugged into an outlet.  I have 2 percula clowns and yellow and domino damsel that I am afraid of losing if  the problem persists.
  <I've had the same problem in my smaller tanks too.  Its something you really have to be careful of in the smaller system tanks.  The lighting required to keep corals really heats things up.>
    Tank specifications:
     water quality tests well
     25lbs of live rock
     100 SeaClone skimmer
     150 penguin filter
     power head
     regular lighting that came with the tank (one fluorescent bulb)
    This has just become a problem after I installed my SeaClone skimmer and I was curious if there was to much going on in the tank.  Should I invest in a chiller? Thank you for any help that you can provide.
  <I don't really see how your skimmer is all of a sudden causing this problem.  Its more than likely the lingering heat across the country.  To tell you the truth unless you have the few hundred lying around dying to be spent I wouldn't buy a chiller for that size tank.  I would invest in some venting fans - install some under the hood.  (Actually, if you ever want to get corals or any light loving inverts - you should also invest in more lighting, which could possibly come with some fans.)  Also, you can add a refugium - extra water volume will not only help you with you temp problem but will make water quality MUCH easier to keep up.  Do some searching on WWM re: heat issues.  Good luck!  Jen S.>
        Regards,
    John

Re: Tank Temp 8/23/06 - A comment  8/29/06
Crew,
<Roy>
Sent this on Friday, just to perhaps help out a fellow enthusiast.  Doesn't look like you got it.
<Thanks for the info!  I also have a Prizm on one of my smaller tanks.  It can be very very picky, but ultimately does the job.  Thanks for the input.  Jen S.>
                                                        Roy
  Hi Crew,
      I don't know if it is polite or what protocol says about responding to someone else's post, but I have some personal experience with my own 20 Gal Reef Tank.
      I added a SeaClone 100 Skimmer and also experience profound temperature increase (up to 4 degrees).  The SeaClone has a pretty large submersible pump for a 20 Gal tank.   The answer that found was changing to a Red Sea Prizm.  Now I know that the Prizm does not share one of the best reputations for skimmers, but the pump does not go into the tank.  The pump is in the skimmer housing, much like the pump from a hang-on power filter.
Going from the SeaClone to the Prizm lowered the temperature by those 4 degrees and actually produced foam!
      I find the Prizm to be pretty tweaky; I need to adjust it after water changes, but for the most part I get 3/4 of a cup of very dark skimmate every other day, in a relatively under stocked tank.  Again, just a suggestion for a small marine setup where temperature may be a problem.
Thanks,
Roy

Selecting the correct wattage heater for your tank - 8/10/2006
Hi Crew,
<Cin-darolla>
My LFS recommends purchasing larger wattage heaters than the manufacturers' recommendations.  Their theory is that manufacturers recommend the minimum wattage heater so that the heaters run continuously and wear out faster.
<Nah! Much better to have "just enough" heater wattage rather than too much... lest they get mis-set or fail on...>
  I purchased all my heaters one or two sizes larger than recommended.   After reading through your FAQ files and articles I noticed that you only recommend selecting heaters according the manufacturer's recommendation charts.   Is my LFS right or wrong?
<Not correct IMO>
I also was wondering if you recommend unplugging heaters during heat spells?
<Nope... are thermostatic... won't turn on if the temp. is higher than their setting/s>
I read somewhere on your website the suggestion that it's better to run two smaller wattage heaters than one large heater.
<This is so in "large/r" volumes... more than sixty gallons let's say; or in very cold settings... glass vs. better thermal-insulating acrylic...>
  I think it should be noted that you should only attempt setting up multiple heaters on an unstocked tank.
<Or are very careful/observant to make sure they don't "get away" w/o your notice in setting them initially>
If you do opt to run more than one heater, make sure to spend the extra money to buy top of the line heaters with thermostats accurate within 1 degree and let them run for 3-4 days before adding livestock.
<Good advice>
Some heaters thermostats can vary 4-5 degrees and running two of them can overheat a tank to dangerous levels.  I run single Visitherm Stealth heaters on all my tanks (I have 7 running right now).   I happened to have 2 unused inexpensive all glass heaters lying around that came packaged with aquariums (a 100 watt and a 50 watt).  I decided to throw them into my water storage/preparation tank.  I set them as closely to 80 degrees as I could possibly figure out (they don't even have numbers on the dials).   The next thing I knew these new heaters heated my 30 gallons up to 90 degrees.
<Yikes!>
I lowered the settings to the low and still could not let them both run simultaneously for more than a few hours, or the water got poaching hot.  
I spent two years doing as much as 75% water changes with my Visitherm Stealth heaters and never unplugged them once.
<Mmm...>
Fortunately for me, the automatic shutoffs worked.
<Yes... I have destroyed a few dozen heaters over the years for this lack of foresight>
Then I read somewhere on your website that you should always unplug heaters before making water changes and I've been doing this ever since.
<Good>
  One day, not long ago, I was filling a tank with water from my storage tank and completely forgot to unplug the cheap heaters in the storage tank.  Sure enough, just like you said would happen, when the water level dropped, one of those cheap units began making horrible hissing and crackling noises and the heater's thermostat got nuked.  
<Yeeikes! Could've been much worse....>
Now if I leave it running more than an hour or so, my storage water exceeds 100 degrees.
<Steamin'!>
Another thing I'd like to mention is that large fish like Oscars are often attracted to the red light that illuminates from many heaters and have been known to attack and break them.
<Yes... had a Clown Trigger that was heck-bent in this manner>
  That's why I like my Stealth heaters (which are completely shielded in black plastic and hide the red glow) and would strongly encourage large fish owners to take this into consideration and look for unbreakable units like the Stealth or titanium heaters.
Cindy
<Thanks much for this insight/set of tips with examples. BobF>

Ebo-Jager Heater Malfunctions - 08/04/06
Dear Crew,
<<Brad>>
I own 6 of the latest Ebo-Jager heaters.  They were very reliable at first, but now are experiencing two problems: 1) the set-point is drifting, and 2) the dead-band is getting larger (they are sticking on until they reach as much as 5 degrees over set-point).  Of course, this is murder on my poor reef aquarium.  Can you please tell me what are considered to be the most reliable (cost be damned) heaters available so I can rush order some in?
<<Troubling to hear...I have used/relied on Ebo-Jager heaters for decades.  But your account is not the first I've heard, my local reef club has "several" members who have related recent tales of this brand heater "sticking on".  I suspect there has been a design change...too bad.  As for a "reliable" heater I suspect you'll get as many different answers as people you talk to...I've used the Visi-Therm brand with no problems, and my reef display has a couple of Won Brothers Titanium heaters w/remote display/controller which have worked flawlessly for nearly three years now...but there's been mixed reviews on these for sure.
Thank you as always for being there for us,
<<Is a pleasure to assist>>
Brad in Basalt
<<EricR in Columbia>>

Light + Heat = Frustration  8/2/06
Greetings to each and every member of the crew.
<And to you.>
My question today concerns some difficulties in keeping our reef tank cool.  We're hoping for 79 deg., but 80 would be OK.  Having a hard time achieving that and wondering if something is wrong.
This is a 40 gal. tank - 36" long, 24" deep, 12" wide.  We have a glass canopy.  Lighting is a Coralife 36"
Aqualight compact fluorescent light fixture - w/two 34" long 96 W bulbs (10,000K daylight bulb, 96W actinic).  This fixture has 2 built-in cooling fans.  Accessory mounting legs were installed that raise the fixture off the canopy 2".   The daylight bulb is on 11-12 hours per day; the actinic a total of 6 (2.5 in the morning, another 3.5 at night).  We have central A/C, but rather than try to keep the entire house at refrigerator temp. levels, we closed off the room with the tank (a small room, perhaps 11 x 11) and put in a window A/C unit.  The room temperature maintains at 71 degrees.  Shades even kept closed because it's been so hot.  We have also been keeping the aquarium stand doors open and the cover off the sump so that the sump is exposed to the cool room air.  At present there are no sump fans.
<With an ambient of 71, your lighting should not be raising the temperature that much.>
My question is - daily tank temps go from 81 deg. to the high 83 deg. area.  I hear the light fixture fans, but does it seem excessive that mid-tank depth temps are in that area in a darkened 71 degree room?  I'm wondering how to tell if the fans have become compromised in some way.   Would you expect to see a tank that's 10-12 degrees warmer than the room under the circumstances I've described?  
<Not with your conditions.  I'd make sure your heater isn't coming on, may be defective.  You may also have a powerhead overheating.  Unplug pump(s) one at a time for a day or two and see if your temperature comes down.>
Given the relatively dark, very cool surroundings of the tank, doesn't something seem wrong?  I certainly can't imagine going to MH lights at this rate.
<If you have a custom wood hood with the light fixture inside, your problems may lie here.  There won't be much room, in this regard, between the fan intake and
the wood canopy.  If this is the case, you will need to have a hole drilled, at least the size of your fan diameter, that will align with the fan on the light fixture.  A decorative chrome guard can be placed over the hole.  Another area to check is the amount of dirt/dust on the fan blades.  Most fans are held in place with four screws.  Remove these screws, with the power off, and clean the blades with Q-Tips and alcohol.  The motors in the mini fans do not have any more power than necessary to turn the blades.  Excess weight, in the form of dust/grime, on the blades can result in a slower RPM of the unit and impede desired CFM of the fan.
A coincidence, since I have a 40 gallon minireef with the same wattage lighting system and I have no heat problems.  My ambient (room) temperature is 76.
I am not using a Coralife system.  My lighting unit is completely enclosed in acrylic whereas the air is forced through the housing and nowhere else.  Hope this helps you out.>
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
<You're welcome.  James (Salty Dog)>
Laura

Re: Light + Heat = Frustration   8/3/06
James - Thank you for this answer.  We feel sure the solution is cleaning the fan blades.  We have already ruled out a problem with the heater, and
will do a test of the powerheads one by one if the fan cleaning doesn't do it.  However, we think that's it.  The fact that you have a similar-sized
tank and do not experience these temp problems with ambient room temp of 76 degrees confirms that something's wrong.  (That's what we had our central
A/C set for, and couldn't keep the tank cool enough, which is why we closed off the room and put in a window unit.)  We had suspicions about the fan
lights, but would never have thought about a messed up powerhead supplying heat, so that's great info even if not the culprit this time.  Thanks again
so very much for your input.
<You're welcome.>
Have a wonderful day.
<And you, also.  James (Salty Dog)>
Laura

Laboratory Grade Thermometers   7/25/06
I'd like to tout a product that has been unwisely ignored by many aquarists.
<<Okay>>
This product is a liquid-filled thermometer that is accurate enough to calibrate a thermostat or temperature controller.
<<Yes indeed, a "laboratory" grade thermometer can be a great help for determining the accuracy/degree of deflection of similar "hobbyist" grade devices>>
I purchased two such thermometers last year and they are indispensable.  Most thermostats and temperature controllers must be periodically checked and calibrated.
<<A good practice, yes>>
The A-20 mercury thermometer that I purchased early last year from "http://www.sealifesupply.com/" is ideal for this purpose.  Its range, 66 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, makes it ideal for aquarium use.  It is a foot in length with markings every 0.2 degrees.  Using this thermometer, I discovered that my digital controller, which displays temperature to 3 digits, had drifted by 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit.  I also discovered that some of my analog heater thermostats were off by almost 5 degrees.  Later, during a trip to NY, I purchased the nearly identical T-4900/S80F1 thermometer from "http://www.millerweber.com/".  The T-4900 is filled with a non-toxic blue liquid and is especially easy to read.
<<Mmm...something coming of increasing importance to my aging eyes>>
Except for a slightly slower response, it gives identical readings as the mercury-filled A-20 which is also manufactured by Miller & Weber.  The often ignored liquid-filled thermometer may appear to be an anachronism in this digital age but I submit that nearly all thermostats and controllers must be calibrated by one.
<<Indeed, and I'd like to mention...analogous to using a quality lab-grade hydrometer to calibrate/determine the amount of "differential" in your choice of tools used to measure salinity/specific gravity>>
Regards,
Paul
<<Thank you for sharing.  EricR>>

Heat wave and AC outage with Ribbon Eel   7/24/06
Hey...  thanks for all the great advice you have given us all in the past.
<You’re very welcome!>
I have a 55 gallon saltwater tank FOWLR. I am currently building a new home with a 290 gallon custom tank built in. <Very nice>
I have a small (2 inch) Clown trigger, a sand sifting goby, a Ribbon Eel (which was the best eater I have ever found.  He would eat anything including frozen food.  I also have Porcupine Puffer.
My problem is this....    I am in the military (Air Force) and am stationed here in Florida.  I went on a trip for 4 days to Washington DC, and received a call the second night I got there.  My A/C unit in my home stopped working.  This was on a weekend of course (par for my luck) and the soonest I could get anyone to come out was this morning.  I had my brother try his best to cool the tank, however the temps inside the house were 98 degrees plus. with 80 percent of more humidity after every fan I owned was being used.<Yikes!> I am pretty sure the temperature in the tank probably hit somewhere around 96-100 degree range yesterday. <Utto> Fortunately (not for him) all I lost was my ribbon eel. <Awwww I’m so sorry.> I instructed my brother to place ice in a zip-lock bag and float it on top to try and cool the temp down. I got back into town this morning and got the A/C working again. I noticed the eel passed away.  Everyone else in there seems to be ok just kind mad at me for being so hot.
I have slowly throughout the day lowered the tanks temp back down being very cautious not to let it drop too fast.... and have since let it stop at 85 for the night to let them adjust.  Could the heat in the tank have killed the good bacteria? < No, should be just fine.>
I did a water test and found no traces of ammonia or nitrite and about 10 on the scale of nitrate.  What can I do to ensure these little guys continue to survive this?
<Keep a close eye on the survivors for any signs of stress induced disease; a water change would  not be  bad idea; keep up the water quality;  and seriously consider a chiller to avoid future overheating issues and big temperature fluctuations. In the mean time, a couple of small 6 to 8” electric clip on fans work well to keep temps down on the modestly warmer days. Place the fans so that they blow across the water surface.  This will however increase evaporation, so you will need to top off more frequently.>
I am planning on doing a little larger than normal water change tomorrow, after I hear back from you. < Good plan>   Thanks again for all the help, and hopefully I can make the little guys feel better and continue to thrive. Josh Henley
<Your most welcome, best of luck to you and try to stay cool in that heat. Leslie>

To Cover or Not...Let Your Tank "Breathe" - 06/18/06
Hello Crew!
<<Hi Pedro!>>
I plan to add metal halides to my 75g tank, I have now 2x96w pc
+ 2x56w T5, and want to add 2x150 MH on canopy.  Don't know if to go with fixtures with built in UV glass filtering pendants or to use the All-Glass Versa Tops with do it yourself HQI sockets.  Will save some money with the second, but will I block too much light and build up heat?
<<Yes to both...having the glass on top of the tank will trap heat/slow gas exchange as well as reduce light penetration due to the "mineral buildup" that will form on the heated glass due to its proximity to the water.  It is much better to have the UV filter on the light fixture/pendant rather than on the top of the tank>>
Nobody in Florida wants more heat.  I will have 2x4" IceCap fans blowing across the glass tops with all the lights on.
<<Won't make enough difference>>
I heard that the glass tops reduce evaporation which I like, but  will I give up too much light for too little evaporation and add more heat?
<<Yes>>
Is egg crate a better option? or no top at all?  Just the canopy with the fans that can give me surface movement and deal with the evaporation?
<<The egg crate material is fine if you have fears of jumping fishes, but I prefer "no top at all"...lets the tank "breathe">>
Pedro  Velasquez
<<Regards, EricR>>

- Do you think I will need a chiller? 6/16/06 -
Hello WetWebMedia Crew,
<Hello.>
Thank you for taking the time to look at my e-mail.  I am planning on upgrading the lighting on my 75 gallon reef tank (48" x 18" x 21").  The reef tank also has a downstream refugium that holds roughly 15 gallons.  At the moment, I have a 260 watt Odyssea power compact fixture on the display and a 130 watt Odyssea power compact fixture on the refuge.  I also have a heaters in both the display and the refuge that were bought to match their respective sizes, but I cannot remember their exact wattage.  I realize the heater in the refuge is unnecessary but I was having flow problems and have yet to take it out...
I also have an Eheim 1260 (634gph, 65watts) pump for circulation in the display and an Eheim 1250 (320gph, 28watts) pump running the refugium and display.  A mag drive 3 (350gph, 35watts) pump runs my Remora Pro protein skimmer   
I found a 48" Maristar fixture by sunlight supply that has 2 150 watt HQI bulbs and 2 54 watt T5 bulbs.  This light was discontinued but they still make it custom ordered.  The temperature in my reef is about 77 degrees with the room temperature being 72 degrees.
Based on your experience with similar setups, do you guys think I will need a chiller.  Any advice you can give me is appreciated. <Hard to say for certain as even two identical set-ups really aren't identical once they go to someone's home. It really depends on the temperature you want to keep the tank. Without a doubt, it's not going to stay at 77 F, but it may only go up to 79/80 F - is that ok with you? Can you be certain it won't go higher? If you want to improve your margin for error, you may want that chiller anyway.>
Thanks,
Tim
<Cheers, J -- >

- High Temp Problems 6/15/06 -
Hey guys, I have a problem in my tank. The temp is usually 76-77 Recently The temp shot up to 81 in a few days time.  All inhabitants are doing fine but My torch coral has some what it looks to be bleaching in the base of it, this is one all of the polyps. I have a big fan cooling it down. Will the torch recover? <Only time will tell. Keep that fan running. Cheers, J -- >

Hot tank Part II 5/28/06
I writing regarding the respond I got back from Chris. I wrote in asking what I could do to help my 29 salt tank from over heating. Chris said one of the things I could do was keep the lid off. That would be cool, the only question I have is. I have a blenny and a clown fish and also a green Chromis. Would they jump out of the tank or no?  
Thanks
Cody
<Maybe, most/all fish will jump if startled or because they feel like it.  Many people use egg crate available at hardware stores to cover the tank but still allow good air flow.  Even that is not fool proof, a fish can jump out the tiniest of spaces behind even a glass top as I have found out the hard way.>
<Chris>

Hot Tank 5/27/06
Hello there guys and girls:
<Hi>
Quick question, I have a 29 gallon salt tank FOWLR. I'm having trouble with the temp. in the tank getting hot. It reads 84.5 as of right now. <Hot> It only gets warm in the day time. I really don't want to kill my fish but I also can't afford a chiller. Will this high of temp. be a problem?
Thanks  
Cody
<84 is pretty hot.  Plus temperature swings are very unhealthy for the livestock.  Try keeping the lid open and placing fans blowing across the top.  If this doesn't help you may need to limit your lighting, which is probably causing the temperature rise.>
<Chris>

Heater malfunction - 5/16/2006
My water temp is usually at 78-80 degrees.  This morning it was at 89.5 degrees!
<<Fish soup!!>>
I am thinking something must be malfunctioning.
<<Likely.>>
The tank is in the basement, so although it was warmer here in Montana yesterday (85 degrees), we have central air and the basement doesn't get that warm - the air temp was 70 by the tank this morning.  I checked the heater and it was set at 74, as always.  It is a Pro Temp 300W.  I unplugged it, opened windows (it is a cool 50 degrees outside this morning) and opened all aquarium cabinet doors.  We have an RO system with auto top off, so I checked the holding tank heater and it was set at 76, water temp in holding tank was 80, so I turned it down to 72.  We have 120 gal tank with 2-400W 10,000K MH, 2-110W VHO actinic, 4 LED moon lights.
When I went to bed last night, the water temp was a little high (82), but I wasn't too concerned.  We have not been having fluctuating temps before this or any overheating issues, so I am thinking the heater must have malfunctioned?
<<Probably, yes.  This has happened to me before too.>>
Any suggestions as to what else to check or what to do?
<<I would replace your heater with a few smaller ones.  That way if one should malfunction, there is less overall effect on the tank.>>
Thanks
<<Glad to help. Lisa.>>

Tank Fluctuations And Chocolate Chip Stars  - 5/2/2006
Good Day Ladies & Gentlemen!
<Hello to you>
As always; your site is an invaluable resource and it has helped me in so many ways I can't count them all.
<Thanks for the kind words from all of us>
It's because of your site that I decided NOT to give up my aquarium when I first started this hobby.  If it hadn't been for you guys and gals, I would have cut my losses at the $1500.00 mark and gotten a dog.  Today I have a beautiful tank; healthy fish and am thoroughly enjoying my new endeavour and I owe it all to your advice. <More so your hard work and dedication>  
I'll be making a donation to the site this upcoming pay period just to say thanks for all the help.<Anytime and thank you>
In the meantime, I have a tiny little question about my tank that I cannot seem to locate an answer to (if it's there on the site somewhere; I've obviously missed it, please accept my apologies; slap my wrist and point me to the page and I'll read every word and take a test).<No worries, lets see if I can help, but a pop quiz may be imminent>  
I have a 45-gallon FOWLR tank with two damsels; three turbo snails; two cleaner shrimp, an astrea snail and one chocolate chip starfish (part of the subject of this mail).<Sounds nice>
We read up all about them (chocolate chip starfish) on your site before getting him and decided that he'd make a great addition to our tank despite the delicateness of his care.  We take great care of our tank: the Flu-Val is cleaned twice per week; the water is changed twice per week (three gallons each change) and the substrate is vacuumed at the same
time as the water changes to remove detritus and any leftover food that might contribute to nitrate levels.  The tank is replete with UV Sterilizer, skimmer, two power heads and giant piece of dead coral for hiding places.
<Sounds like you have maintenance down>
All that said, we take great care of the tank and keep a VERY close eye on the water parameters.  Because of all this, we felt we'd get on great with the starfish and so far (he's about a week and a half into the tank) he's doing extremely well:  He's all over the aquarium, eats like a small horse and has great colouring.  He even seems to be getting on well with the shrimp.
<Good to hear, just keep a close eye on him, they are delicate as you stated earlier>
Now to the question.  My partner and I live in San Francisco where we don't have (nor do we need) air conditioning.  The temperature never gets bad enough to warrant A/C use but the room temperature obviously fluctuates with the weather because of the lack of A/C.  As I've said, I keep a very close eye on all the tank water parameters and I've noticed that temperature seems to fluctuate a few degrees during the day (especially with the absolutely BEAUTIFUL summer weather we've been having - you know the kind of days that make you happy to be alive). <Nope, I'm in Chicago, goes from freezing to 95 within a week>
For example, yesterday it started out at 77.1 degrees and finished up the day at 81.7 degrees (That happened over a roughly eleven hour period) and obviously what goes up must come down so by midnight the temperature had returned 78.8 degrees.  This morning it was back 77.2.  The variances don't seem like much to me and it's still within normal parameters (at least that I can find) but I'm concerned Chip.  The temperature tends to only fluctuate a few degrees and it's always in the upper direction.
<A 3 degree swing is starting to push it a bit>
I have a 250W heater that keeps the tank nice and balmy at 77 degrees all through the night.  But during the day, the temp in the tank adjusts up to room temperature which usually goes above 80 degrees.  I know from the FAQs and articles that Chocolate Chip Starfish are extremely sensitive to most parameters and I'm worried that this might be too much for
him but can't find anything that confirms or denies what a bad shift in temperature is.  Again, right now he's fine with his moving and his eating and just general good nature.  But these changes do worry me.  I can control all the other parameters and they are as solid rocks (knock on wood) but I can't control the weather (yet :).  
So I guess my main question is what is an 'extreme' temperature shift for a starfish?  Are the temp fluctuations going to be detrimental to him and if so do you have any suggestions for stabilizing the temp?  I've thought about putting a fan pointed at the outside of the tank to dissipate some of the
heat from the glass, but that's obviously very difficult to control and I'm afraid it'll drop too low for him not to mention putting a great load on the heater.  
Any ideas would be extremely helpful.
<3 degrees is about as much as you want for fish, and probably pushing it for the more sensitive stars, however the answer is quite simple, just run the tank warmer.  80-81 degrees is quite normal for reefs in nature and your star and fish will have no trouble handling it.  I run my tank around 82 and everyone seems happy.  If you are worried about overstressing the heater I suggest running 2, which also gives you redundancy if one should go out for ultimately a minimal expense.  Just remember to try to make the temperature increase as gradual as possible>
Many Warm Regards,
Dennis
<And to you>
<Chris>

Tank Overheating With Many External Pumps - 04/25/06
Good morning all,
<<Hello!>>
I've spent at least a couple hours every day looking over the problems that others have had, and this has helped me beyond words in setting up my new 150 gallon tank.
<<Mmm, yes...not repeating other's mistakes...>>
So, first I just want to say thank you for taking the time to help all of us!
<<A collaborative effort...you're quite welcome>>
I've been battling a problem with my external pumps overheating my tank.  My water temperature reaches 85+ degrees in the winter time when the ambient room temperature is 64.
<<Wow!>>
I have an office fan blowing cool air on low from behind the canopy to keep the temp at around 79 degrees.
<<Sounds fine...I utilize fans and a small chiller to maintain my tank at around 80F in the winter, and around 83F in the summer>>
Yesterday, we finally broke the 70 degree mark outside, and our house heated up to around 78 degrees.  I had to use both office fans on high to keep the tank below 84 degrees, and that's without my halides!
<<Does seem excessive>>
I know that 84 degrees is tolerable by many animals, but this seems to be an excessive amount of heat exchange when it's coming from just the pumps, and 20 degrees of heating without lights or a heater makes for a huge hurdle going into summer.  
<<Indeed!>>
Here's some info about my tank:  Dimensions: 48x24x30 (LWH)
Canopy and stand are made from MDF and 2x4 constructions. The canopy has an open back for more air flow, and 4 Ice Cap variable fans in the canopy top exhausting any heat in the canopy.  Ebo Jager 250-Watt heater - removed to determine that this was not the cause.  Pumps:
- Blueline HD70 - 1750 Gal/Hr - 290 watts (Panworld 200PS-MD70R) - Closed Loop at the rear of tank to 1" spray bar with 1/2" tees.
- Blueline HD30 - 590 Gal/Hr - 90 watts (Panworld 50PX-MD30R) - AquaC EV180.
- Iwaki WMD 40RLXT - 1080 Gal/Hr - 1.9 Amps (218 watts?) - Tank return tee'd off to two SQWDs so each corner of the tank has random flow towards the reef.
- Dolphin AmpMaster 4000/3000 - 3000 gal/hr through 1.5 inch pipe -1.21 Amps (140 watts?) - Closed loop at the bottom of the tank, 1.5" tee'd into (2) 1" pipes the go to opposite ends of a spray bar with 1/2" tees.
True flow is probably about 2000 gal/hr because of the way it's plumbed.
Lighting:
- (3) 95 Watt VHO (custom hood lacks room for 46.5 inch bulbs) (2)
50/50, (1) Actinic
- (2) 250 Watt HQI Ice Cap reef pendants with (2) 10K bulbs (halides not being used yet)
Chiller:
- Pacific Coast 1/4 HP Chiller (not used yet, because I don't want to mask the problem), it's rated to cool 150 gallons about 20 degrees.
This won't be big enough if I'm using it for my pumps & halides during summer.
<<I'd still give it a try before going "bigger">>
Sump:
- Sump - 25 Gallons (a little small for the evaporation rates I'm getting which is approximately 3 - 4 gals/day.
<<May seem like a lot for this size system, but is not excessive...contributed to by the fans...low relative humidity in your house/area>>
So, a lot of info for an implied question.
<<Mmm, yes...and no real "clues" that anything is abnormal regarding your equipment/setup>>
Is this a normal amount of heat given my pump selection?
<<Is a lot of pumps...some heating would be expected, but generally not to the extreme you describe>>
Are any of these pumps known for heat issues?
<<As compared to some others...no>>
I've tried plumbing my AmpMaster 4000/3000 with 2" PVC and not use the Blueline 70HD, but with 2 spray bars in different locations it was nearly impossible to achieve the flow rates I was hoping for, because of all the Tees & 90 degree elbows.
<<Understood>>
I've cleaned all of the intake screens, and I've positioned the pumps so their exhaust is not impeded.  None of the pumps seem hot to the touch, more like a warm cup of coffee.
<<Hmm, curious...what about the impeller housings?>>
Any ideas would be of great help,
<<I think first you have to isolate the source causing the problem.  Shut down all but the return pump and see if the water temperature falls.  If it does, fire up the other pumps one at a time and evaluate each pump for its heat exchange/transfer capacity.  If you find the offending pump, perhaps it is an aberration and fixing the problem will be as simple as changing it out with another (gee, it's easy for me to spend your money <G>), or maybe scrutinize the plumbing for something that may be contributing to excessive heat...like excessive head/back pressure.  You're only/best option at the end of the day may be to fire up that chiller>>
Thank you!
-David
<<I'd be interested to know what you discover.  Regards, EricR>>

Tank Overheating With Many External Pumps II - 04/26/06
Thanks Eric for your quick reply,
<<Quite welcome David>>
I have checked all of the impeller housings, and they all seem to be clear.
<<Okay>>
I started shutting down the pumps individually and waited several hours to see if I could isolate the problem.  I found that the
Blueline HD70 was probably the biggest contributor with a temp drop of around 5 degrees.
<<a lot>>
I went back to reading WWMedia about plumbing pressure rated pumps, and I came across an article from Mr. Fenner explaining that these pumps want to push rather than pull which makes sense, but it got me thinking about the plumbing.  I have more bends and elbows on the intake side than the output side, and now I'm flashing back to a problem I was originally having which was cavitation on the intake vinyl tubing I originally installed.
It was completely cutting off the intake flow after a few minutes of operation.
<<Ahh...maybe on to something here...have to think starving the pumps would certainly cause a rise in temperature>>
Now I'm planning on replumbing the intake to 1 1/2" from the bulkhead like this:
1 1/2" Bulkhead fitting---Ball Valve---barbed nipple---spa-flex---barbed nipple---Union--1 1/2" to 1" threaded reducer---Blueline.
This will give me more to draw from, and get rid of the elbows.
<<Much better my friend...with one observation.  Unless you have the valve here to allow removing the pump (for service/replacement), I recommend you place your valves on the "output" side.  If the valve is there for servicing the pump, then I would place it as "close to the pump" as possible>>
Anyway, thanks for putting me on the right track with isolating the problem, and thanks to everyone there for your collaborative efforts!
<<Have no doubt you would have figured it out...but you're very welcome>>
Just a quick side note:  Don't mount this pump on the backside of your stand, because there's a lot of low-end vibration that resonates though the cabinet and even the floor like an electric raiser on a bass drum.
<<Very true>>
Also, to further minimize the vibration from these pumps, go to a computer store and buy a gel-filled mouse pad that would normally go under your wrist to keep it straight when using a mouse.  I put one of these under the pump, and voila!!!  Nothing but a quiet fan.
<<Indeed, I even use vibration dampening pads under my submerged pumps...this, combined with a “short” run of spa-flex or flexible vinyl tubing at the pump inlets/outlets can make a world of difference.  EricR>>
-David