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FAQs about Marine Aquarium Heating, Troubleshooting/Fixing
Related Articles:
Heater Impressions (Reviews) by Steven Pro,
Marine System Heating, Coldwater Systems, Controllers,
Related FAQs: Heating 1,
Heating 2, Heating 3, & FAQs on:
Rationale, Heating Methods/Gear,
Heat Controllers (Fans et al.),
Measuring/Thermometers, Makes/Models
by Manufacturer, & Chillers, &
FAQs on: Fans For Cooling, Chiller
Rationale/Use, Selection,
DIY, Installation,
Maintenance, Troubleshooting, &
Water Temperature, |
All rates of reaction, physical, chemical, bio-chemical are
thermally influenced... 1/2mv squared... |
Tank Stocking, Blenny Incompatibility 8/5/09
Hi guys I love your site.
<Hello, I kind of like it too.>
Been reading for like 6 months. Since I discovered your site and still
have a long way to go. I upgraded from a 30 gallon to a 55g marine
aquarium. I would like your help with my stocking list. Let me give you
my tank specs.
Ph 8.3
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0
Nitrate 5
Calcium 400
Carbonate hardness 10
Temp 85 (I know it's high but I don't have a Chiller)
<Everything looks okay, except for the temperature. Please save up for a
chiller before you spend money on livestock.>
55g saltwater
Aqua c remora skimmer
30g sump/refugium with Chaeto
Quiet one 3000 return pump
Skilter 400 filter with Chemi pure
2 Koralia #2 for water movement
4x 54w t5 ho Odyssea fixture
60 pounds of live Caribbean rock
4 inches of live sand in the display
6 inches of live sand in the refugium
Pair of clown fish
Sand goby
Skunk cleaner shrimp
Fire shrimp
6 emerald crab,8 hermits,4 brittle starfish (all came on the rock)
2 feather dusters
I love Blennies and goby's.
I will add 3 fire goby, a Midas
Blenny and a Red lip Blenny.
<Hmm, the 3 Firefish sound reasonable, but I would only add one of those
two Blennies. In fact I wouldn't add more than one type of Goby, but the
sand goby and fire goby occupy different niches.>
I would like your suggestion on other Blennies and Goby's that you would
think will get along with the stocking list or maybe a small wrasse and
some soft Coral that could survive the temperature.
<Between the clowns, the 3 Firefish, and the Blenny, I would say your
tank would be about full. But please do not add anymore fish or corals
until you solve the temperature issue.>
I was thinking of adding a Flame Angel but I don't think there is enough
space on a 55g.
<Good choice.>
Thank you for your time and I am sorry for all the grammatical errors
but English is not my first language and the spelling check on my Black
Berry is not that great.
<Your welcome, Josh Solomon.>
Re: Tank Stocking, Blenny Incompatibility 8/5/09
Thank you for the quick response and the advice.
<Your welcome.>
I will see what I can do about the chiller because I live I an apartment
and the tank is in the living room. And I read that the chillers produce
a lot of heat.
<It is really not as bad as you might of heard, for a big tank maybe,
but for a small chiller on a 55 in should not be to large of a problem
in an air conditioned apartment.>
I guess I will have to add some fans to see if I can lower that
temperature.
<I had assumed you already had fans over the tank, but you know what
they say about assuming... A couple of fans will likely serve you well.
What is the difference of temperature between at night just before your
lights turn off, to in the morning just before they turn on?>
Again thanks for your time and advice.
<Your welcome, Josh Solomon.>
Temperature variance, SW
03/11/09
Hello crew! Again, sorry about all the question marks, for some peculiar
reason my e-mail system tends to place them randomly (only to your site,
I can't figure it out!).
<Me neither>
Anyway, I have a JBJ 24 gallon nano. It has 32.5# live rock (Vanuatu,
Fiji, Tonga) and 40# of pink Fiji sand. The system is a little over a
month old and only has one fish, a pearly Jawfish.? I have one Ricordea
polyp and a Blastomussa frag that seem to be thriving well.? Inverts
consist of a small serpent banded starfish, a cleaner shrimp, 1 orange
Astrea, 4 Nassarius snails, 1 blue knuckled hermit crab, and 1 blue
legged hermit crab.? I dose 2 part B-ionic daily for a 10 gallon volume
(I believe much of my water is displaced by liverock and sand).
<Of a certainty, this is so>
I do about 10% weekly water changes with premixed R/O saltwater.? I do
keep a Polyfilter in chamber 1.? I had the lid recently upgraded with a
3rd 36w watt bulb, bringing the total wattage to 108w.? SG 1.0255,
ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 10 ppm, pH 8.2? There is a Koralia 1 power
head in the display and a maxi 1200 for the return pump.
I've been reading over the temperature FAQ's and read that 84 degrees is
the average tropical temperature of the oceans in the world.
<Mmm, no... this is not so... There are areas... shallows, lagoons, what
have you, with restricted water movement... that get this warm, but the
vast majority of the surface of tropical seas (between twenty degree
north and south latitude) is in the upper 70's F... even in these
"heated" times.
It's rarely in the eighties F., and the reasons for keeping our
aquariums cooler are gone over... Here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/heatrat.htm
and as much of the linked files above as you would like>
Well that gave me some comfort, considering my tank, tends to peak at 83
degrees (I'm betting it will spike to 84 in the summer).? At night, the
temp drops to about 79 degrees (heater is set at 79).? Should I be
setting my heater to 80 or 81 degrees??
<Yes, I would>
At first, I was worried about how high the temperature gets; however,
after reading through the FAQs, now I am more concerned about the 4
possible 5 degree swing it takes when the lights turn on.
<I share this concern>
So if I was setting the heater to 80 or 81 that would minimize it to 3
or 4 degrees.
<Likely so>
So, should I set the heater to 80 or 81?
<Try it at the lower value to start... and consider either shifting your
lights on" period to later in the day/eve, or even using a timer to have
off a good period of time during the day when no one is about... This
will help to reduce temperature variation/flux>
I'm sure you will share some thoughts on this. Again, thank you for your
time and sharing your knowledge!
Danny N.
Tampa, FL
<A pleasure. Bob Fenner>
Re: temperature
variance
Hello there!? Well, last night I had set my heater at 80 first, as you
suggested, to see how that would affect and hopefully stabilize the
temperature.? The lights run from 7pm to 3am at night (a half an hour
after sunset here).? I was biting my nails as the temperature actually
started rising to 84, but it peaked there at about midnight.? I came
home today (lights have been off for about 14 hours) and observed the
temperature was still higher than I expected, at 82 degrees (house
temperature is at 75).?
Either the settings on the heater are off, my heater is an inappropriate
size for my 24 gallon (50w),
<Mmm, no... it's undersized/wattage>
or the placement of the heater in the 3rd chamber sets it off
unnecessarily (perhaps water cools through the overflow, live rock
rubble, etc)??
<Shouldn't matter>
Perhaps it's a combination of all those things?!? The third chamber is
the only chamber with any room left (has the return pump in it as
well).? I do have a back-up 100w heater.? Do you think that would that
be more stable for my tank??
<Mmm, I'd use it instead, but it is not the wattage here, but the other
sources of heating that are at issue... mainly lighting>
The only reason I did not use that initially is because it's rated for
up to 30 gallons; moreover, I thought much of my water is displaced by
live rock.? My goal was for the temperature to fluctuate from 80 to 83,
not 82 to 84!? Do you suggest I use the 100w heater at perhaps 79?? I
foresee much trial and error here...? Again, thank you for your time!
Danny N.
Tampa, FL
<I'd try setting the 100W at 78 F... And adding a bit more air
circulation above/across the top of the water, perhaps raising the
height of the light fixture. BobF>
Re: temperature variance
3/14/09
Hello again!
<Hello Danny, Scott V. with you this go round.>
So, I actually became skeptical about my thermometer.
<Many are off quite a bit.>
So I got a glass standing one and a digital in addition to the one I
already have (glass suction cup). I put them all in the same location.
The original one said 82, the standing one said 78, and the digital said
80!
<Typical.>
I know the digital ones become inaccurate over time, but I'm leaning
towards that one for the moment. I'm just very distraught over the
inaccuracies over my thermometers. I know you usually don't make a brand
recommendation. However, can you lead me into the right direction
please??
<Ok, this drove me nuts a few years back too. I managed to get several
aquarium packaged thermometers in the most common brands. I tested them
vs. a "lab grade" thermometer borrowed from a local university (not
suitable for aquarium use, many of these contain actual mercury in
fragile glass).
The most consistent from thermometer to thermometer within one line and
the most accurate line I found were the cheap little Coralife digital
units.
For the price of the things I always ran two of them...that way if one
starts to read oddly it is obvious.>
I know that in such a small volume, accurate temperature readings is
critical!? I know this is not the most riveting e-mail, but this is a
big problem for me...I'm so detail orientated.
<Tis a good thing!>
Thank you again for your time!
<Welcome.>
Danny
Heater Breaking – 2/21/09
Hello. I would first like to say that I love your website. I have a 29
gallon that used to house two Sepia bandensis (they were still in a net
breeder). We keep our house in the upper 60's, so I had a heater. One
night I noticed a metallic smell and a cracking noise in the room that
the tank was. I found that the heater had, well, exploded. The
cuttlefish and the clean-up crew were dead. There were shards of glass
all over the sand bed
<!? Wow!>
and the water was tinted
yellow/brown. In the area of the heater, all of the sand had turn black
and it was still plugged in. It was a old heater (4+ years?). I removed
the heater remains. It has been a few weeks since the incident and I
have cleared the water up with a carbon filter. My question to you, the
all knowing oracles of aquarium wisdom, is what sort of toxins/chemicals
did that leak into the water? Will the aquarium be usable again? Will
the live rock? The live sand? Carbon filter?
Thank you for your
time.
<Just to make sure... I'd bleach, wash, rinse all (in place if
you can open a window to dilute any fumes) read here re:
http://wetwebmedia.com/clnornart.htm>
... toss the old and run some
new Carbon, drag a magnet (an algae scrubber is fine) over and through
the old sand/substrate (to search for ferrous metal bits), add a unit of
PolyFilter to your filter flow path (note any color changes)... and
start slowly (testing) with new livestock.
Bob Fenner>
Strange Situation, heater breakage, concern re toxicity 12/30/08
Greetings, crew.
<Hello Pete, Minh at your service.>
I have a
saltwater tank that is in the cycling stage. It is a custom 50 gallon
flat thing (as tall as a 30 breeder, but a lot longer). It contains 3
salt-water feeders and 1 damsel. Anyways, last night, my heater exploded
in the tank, and the black powder contained in the heater got mixed into
my sand. I obviously unplugged the heater and stopped the filters until
I could suck most of the powder out. What I wanted to know is what the
powder is? Graphite? Some type of carbon?
<The powder that came from
your broken heater would most likely be carbon from the heating element
shorting out.>
placed a magnet next to it to see if it was iron, and
it isn't magnetic. I don't know if it is toxic to my tank, and if I
should tear everything down, dump all of my sand, and drain all of my
water.
I really don't want to do that, the tank has been cycling for
two months, but I will if I have to.
<I do not think this is
necessary. Although one brand of heater may differ from another, the
majority of the cases of broken heaters I've seen rarely end in
catastrophe if the initial danger of shocking the tank inhabitants or
owner is averted.>
would understand if you don't know what is in the
heater, but I don't have the box for it anymore, and I was hoping that
you might know what they usually fill these things with.
Cheers,
Pete
Hi, crew.
I just mailed you about a heater. I wanted to add
that it is the type that has no temp adjustment feature;
it is a
set-heater. I don't know if that helps.
<I believe the majority of
commercially available heaters do not contain toxic materials such as
possible mercuric compounds in the thermometric elements. However, if
you wish to err on the side of caution, running granular activated
carbon in conjunction with partial water changes can help dilute any
possible contamination. Furthermore, I would like to offer a
recommendation for an excellent heater that has served me well over the
years with never a problem, the Eheim Jager heaters (formerly known as
Ebo-Jager).
--Pete
<Good luck. Cheers, Minh Huynh>
Re: Strange Situation, heater damage 12/31/09
Thanks for the good news about my heater. The fish seem to be fine two
days later, so all is well.
--Pete
<Glad to hear everything is
well. Cheers, Minh Huynh.>
Broken thermometer 5/25/08
Hi, I was wondering if you could help me please. The thermometer in my
fish tank has cracked and I am wondering if this will now harm my fish -
they are tropical fish. Could you please get back to me as soon as
possible.
Thanks,
Geri
<If we're talking about a plain red
alcohol thermometer, then the risk to your fish is minimal. Certainly do
a 50-75% water change ASAP to dilute any toxins, and perhaps another
within the next day or two. But beyond that, you should be fine.
Consider using an LCD thermometer next time. May be less accurate, but
they don't break. Cheers, Neale.>
It's Getting Hot In Here…Water Temp Issue – 05/14/08
Hello Crew!
<<Hey Mark!>>
Well it's been over a year since I
started designing custom cabinets to house my new 90 gal Acrylic
tank and DIY sump. It's finally done!
<<Yay!>>
I cycled the
tank and moved my Lights, Live Rock and Fish from my 55 gal. I have
incorporated many things I've learned from WWM into this new system
including a 1.5" stand pipe, closed-loop system, and a unique sump
with a DSB/refugium.
<<Excellent>>
It turned out great, wife
species is pleased, tank is running very quietly ...however, I have
a temperature problem.
<<Oh?>>
One of the reasons for making
the new system was to hide all of the H.O.T. stuff from the 55 that
the wife species was complaining about. You know....lights, skimmer,
filter box.
<<Indeed>>
This all starts with a digital
thermometer that was reading 3 to 4 degrees F lower than actual.
Piece of junk! During the initial cycle I was monitoring the
temperature to see how much heat the pumps were transferring to the
water. I'm running a Mag 7 (in sump) for my return pump, a Mag 5 (in
sump) on my Aqua C EV-120 Skimmer, and a Mag 18 (out of sump) for my
closed loop.
<<I see>>
The temp was reading 74 to 76 degrees
throughout the day without a heater. I thought hey, this is great,
my lights will probably add a couple of degrees and I can control
that with fans. I'm running 2, Coral Life H.O.T. 150W, 10K HQI's for
a total of 300W. I mounted them to the wall, inside my custom
cabinet, 10" above the water, with a flipper door for access.
<<Sounds like a very nice setup>>
However, there are still
cabinets above the lights so heat can't rise out.
<<Perhaps you
can install some exhaust fans to push/pull air out through the
“back” of the cabinet>>
I moved the fish at the same time I moved
my lights. I started to notice that the water felt warmer than the
temperature displayed. After you've stuck your hand in 78 deg water
for years you kind of get a sense for what it should feel like.
<<I suppose so>>
I went and got my floating thermometer out of my
change water storage bin to check the tank, and it read 84 degrees
not 80.
<<Still…not terrible. During the warmer months (May to
September here in SC) my system runs from 83F at night to 85F during
the day>>
It seems that I have underestimated the amount of heat
being transferred to the water by the pumps.
<<The Mag-Drive
pumps are known for this. Switching to cooler running Eheim pumps
for your sump return and skimmer feed pumps would help with this>>
I have been running the system with the flipper door open to keep
the lights from overheating the tank and I'm currently reducing my
photoperiod slowly.
<<Mmm…>>
I'm also using a fan to get some
evaporative cooling in the sump.
<<Better to add more fans to the
sump/display, than to reduce the photoperiod…in my opinion>>
I
will be installing (2) 12V fans (168 CFM total) above the lights to
vent heat out the top. Running the tank with the door open and a fan
blowing heat out the front, and a fan in the sump, the tank has
stabilized a bit and fluctuates from about 79-80 in the morning to
81-82 in the evening.
<<These are quite acceptable temps/ranges>>
I have a heater in there now, and it does come on at night to try
and keep the swing to 2
degrees.
<<Okay>>
My hope is to be
able to maintain this with the flipper door closed and pull heat out
through the top of the cabinet with the fans.
<<Yes…and/or the
back maybe?>>
I could probably squeeze another degree out by
taking the lids off and putting some egg crate material over the
tank, but given the drastic increase in water evaporation I didn't
want to do that until I can make an automatic top off unit.
<<Ah…but this would certainly have an effect on lowering the
temperature…and again…is preferable to reducing the photoperiod>>
I want to keep corals in the future, hence the lighting.
<<Oh!
Okay…assumed you had them already. Not so much worries re the
lighting duration then>>
I have two False Perculas, one Coral
Beauty, one 6 Line Wrasse, and one Sail Fin Tang.
<<Mmm…this
species of Tang really requires a much larger tank>>
Haven't
gotten a clean-up crew yet due to tank situation. My questions are:
Is 82 F too high for the long term?
<<Nope…not in my opinion >>
Am I going to have to get a Chiller?
<<Sounds like the fans
should do the job>>
Would a 1/4HP Chiller be enough to keep it 78
F in the tank?
<<You don’t need to keep your tank this cool but
yes, even a 1/5HP unit would likely suffice for your tank>>
I
know I can get one at a reduced price, was $750, dropped to $500
recently.
<<Ah…but think of the improvements/livestock you could
purchase with that money
How much of the heat is being generated
by the Mag 18?
<<Touch it and see…>>
Suppose I should just
shut the closed loop-off and see how much it drops...duh.
<<[grin]>>
Thanks guys...and gals
Mark
<<Happy to share.
EricR>>
RE: It's Getting Hot In Here...Water Temp Issue - 05/15/08
Thanks Eric.
<<Quite welcome, Mark>>
WWM and the crew have
been a great help in this project.
<<Ah, good to know>>
I
selected the AquaC skimmer based on the information on the site and
I'm not disappointed.
<<Indeed…aside from a fine product, Jason
and Steve from AquaC also provide first-rate customer service>>
Was always skeptical if the performance would be that much
different....it is!
<<Different from a cheaper, poorly designed
and engineered product? Oh yes…>>
Glad I spent the extra money.
<<Indeed… It sometimes startles me to think I have about $1,600
invested in my skimmer (my system is about 500g en toto), but I
don’t regret it at all. This is a vital piece of gear in my
opinion…especially considering our tendency as hobbyists to put more
livestock in our systems than they can support, without such
ancillary filtration devices>>
The lesson here is don't doubt
the crew!
<<Ha!>>
I wanted to purchase locally and they said
they would order it but what they had on the shelf was just as good
and less expensive.
<<Hardly ever the case>>
The ones they had
were the ones you'll find here in the FAQ's that people are
disappointed with.
<<Well, there ya go>>
Went to Marine
Depot...bought one....not disappointed!
<<Mmm…I could take many
dive trips with Bob for the money I have spent there [grin]>>
I
also read the FAQ's about Mag's being heat generators, reliable but
add heat.
<<Yes… I’ve used these pumps for years (decades?) now
with great service otherwise…though in the past couple years I’ve
made a switch to Ocean Runner pumps as a reliable but quieter option
(just wish they weren’t so darn BIG) over the Mag-Drive pumps. But
if quiet AND cooler running is what you want…along with amazing
reliability…then the Eheim pumps are the way to go (as long as the
limited sizes available fit your need)>>
Wish I had not doubted
the crew! The MAG 18 isn't running hot...warm...but I wouldn't
describe it as hot.
<<Okay>>
Is a contributing factor though,
no doubt.
<<Yes>>
Ok...I'll try to let the tank find it's
"center" regarding temperature.
<<There are “boundaries” to
consider for sure…but can sometimes be over-emphasized I think>>
I usually don't see much of a seasonal change in tank temperature
here in northern Indiana. I have Central Air so the house only runs
3 or 4 degrees warmer in the summer and that temperature is 6 to 10
degrees cooler than the tank. It will be interesting to see how this
tank does over the winter. I did forget to mention I do have a large
individual rock with green star polyps. So, I do have some
coral....all though these things would survive a nuclear attack.
<<Lol! Ah yes, and some folks look at/feel about them invading their
tanks the same way most folks do about cockroaches invading their
homes too>>
They didn't like the move to a warmer/deeper
tank...but opened back up within 3 days. The concern I have is for
the daily swing of 2 or 3 degrees.
<<This is acceptable…in my
opinion/experience>>
If I increase the heater temp to keep the
tank temp from falling over night it will just increase by the same
amount the next day. It seems that no matter what the lower
temperature is, the daily high is always the same number of degrees
higher, i.e.: the delta-T remains the same regardless of the initial
temp. Which makes sense...the energy input remains the same.
<<Hmm..maybe so, but should still have an upper limit I would think.
Your new cabinet must have some great insulating qualities>>
I'm
concerned that the Tang is going to get stressed with the temp
swings and get Ich eventually.
<<I have five Tangs from four
different genera in my system, and the temperature swings at least
two –degrees in a 24-hr period. Keep your fish well and properly
fed, water quality optimum, and choose tank mates wisely, and I
think you will have little concern re. In other words, reduce the
other stressors in the system…health complaints are often the result
of a domino effect in my opinion>>
I learned a while back, it
needs a bigger tank,
<<Yes…about three times bigger, really>>
of course after I found WWM.
<<Of course [grin]>>
I've had it
now for about three years and it was getting crowded in the 55.
<<I’ll bet!>>
It's about 5" long now and seems to be much happier
in the 90, doesn't swim back and forth so much.
<<Mmm, yes…and
that’s the issue here. It’s not just about “being in a tank too
small for the long-term”…but about the social/behavioral and health
issues associated with just “growing up in a tank that is too small,
period”>>
I may have to see about a trade at the store.
<<Excellent>>
Now...I need to develop a fan placement that allows
me to close the flipper door and still get the heat out.
<<Yes…and will likely require a little creativity>>
This weekend
is supposed to be cool outside so I think I will stay in and make my
modifications this weekend. The Coral Life lights have a very cheap
internal 12V fan. Love the lights....hate the fans. They lasted
about 6 months before I unplugged them due to bearing noise, and I
don't think they move enough air in the fixture to do much good
anyway.
<<Any air movement helps>>
I still have the 12V
transformers and can use them to drive a larger fan.
<<Maybe, if
the output is enough to drive the larger fans. But…obtaining both
transformers and 12v fans on the NET is not expensive>>
The 2
Radio Shack fans I have are a good match for these transformers and
I have bench tested them to make sure they work.
<<Ah, good>>
You suggested pulling air out the back. Problem...can't, without
drilling holes through the wall into the Kitchen cabinets.
<<I
see>>
The wife wouldn't be happy with this solution!
<<I
imagine not>>
The tank is sitting in a Great Room along an
internal corner wall with the back adjacent to the Kitchen and the
right side is adjacent to a closet wall. The left side has a window
cut out for viewing the tank. Above the tank is a space for access
through the flipper door and above that are integral cabinets.
<<Perhaps some ductwork through these, then>>
It's really like a
large entertainment center built into the corner of the room, except
the TV is the tank.
<<Sounds very nice>>
When I get corals it
will be better than HDTV! So...anyway...my options are to vent up
through the cabinet space and out the top, (will lose some storage,
not that concerned about it), and or go thru the right side into the
closet, under the stairs....or both.
<<Venting out the top will
be sufficient and sounds like the easier of the two>>
I have the
(2) 4.75" 12V fans and would have to mount them in the bottom of the
upper cabinet directly over the lights, and then cut a hole in the
top of the upper cabinet to let air out.
<<I would install
ductwork from the fans to carry the hot air out of the cabinet
entirely>>
Since heat rises, I would be taking advantage of that
as well as helping it a bit with the fan. With the crown molding
around the top, nothing would be visible...this thing is 7' tall.
<<Big indeed!>>
You suggest one blowing in and one sucking air
out. I could put one fan in the upper cabinet, over the center of
the tank, between the lights, sucking air out. Then place the other
in the wall on the right blowing air from the closet across the tank
under the lights.
<<This would work>>
Or I could put both in
the upper cabinet one blowing in, one blowing out.
<<Mmm…if both
are placed over the lights I think having both pull air out would be
best. I wouldn’t blow air in unless from a cooler (lower) source>>
To do this I'd probably want to make a "duct" inside the cabinet to
pull room air from outside the top of the cabinet instead of just
blowing the hot air back in from the fan pulling air into the
cabinet.
<<Better to pull air from somewhere other than above the
tank, if you take this route>>
I may need 2 more fans?
<<Dunno…maybe>>
2 over the top pulling and 2 on the right blowing
air from the closet?
<<If the noise isn’t a bother…it can’t
hurt!>>
It's all a big experiment...isn't it?
<<Indeed>>
I
just thought of something else that may be contributing to the heat.
The ballasts for the lights are inside the bottom cabinet under the
tank with the sump. They are over 12" away from the sump but the
heat is contributing to the warmth in the cabinet.
<<Indeed…as is
every other energy consuming device in the cabinet>>
I can
relocate these to the closet.
<<Would help>>
I don't know how
much difference it will make, but every little bit helps here.
<<A cumulative effect, yes>>
Again...thanks for the
feedback....love what you guys/gals provide. It is appreciated.
Mark
<<Most welcome, mate. Good luck with your (continuing)
project. Eric Russell>>
R2: It's Getting Hot In
Here...Water Temp Issue - 05/16/08
Thanks Eric,
<<Very welcome, Mark>>
I'll just have to start experimenting with
ventilation as well as move the other sources of heat away from/out
of the sump and see where it all settles out. Should be easy enough
to create a duct from 6" PVC inside the cabinet for air flow out the
top.
<<True…But using the flexible insulated duct from Home Depot
or Lowe’s might be easier to work with>>
I was looking at the
Eheim pumps and did notice that the size/flow options are a bit
sparse. I also noticed that they all have integral pre-filters.
Wouldn't that affect skimmer performance if you were using them on
one?
<<Might…when it begins to clog>>
Can they be removed?
<<Very easily>>
I don't use them on my Mags....have to clean them
to much....they become crap traps!
<<Agreed>>
I think the
insulating properties of this system are mostly due to the acrylic
tank and sump. Other factors are that air can't circulate in the
sump area because it's completely enclosed.
<<Some fans in this
area to promote further evaporative cooling might help>>
The
lower cabinet is made of 3/4" ply with the face and panel doors
being solid 3/4" Hickory.
<<A beautiful wood (woodworking is an
avocation of mine too)>>
The doors don't let much air in at all.
The heat in this area from the equipment just works as stored heat
for the tank above it....but it's quiet and that's what my wife
pleaded for!
<<I do understand…I had similar requirements when I
built my in-wall system>>
Next project is an RO/DI system and an
auto top off unit in the closet!
<<Do have a look at the Tunze
Osmolator for this. I have used one for more than four years now… A
beautiful piece of gear…>>
Looks like my wife just lost a closet!
<<Ah well…offer to let her pick out a fish or two (making sure their
compatible with your setup, of course)>>
I'm tired of carrying
jugs of water from the store.
<<I’m sure…>>
Can't use tap
water...municipal well...agricultural runoff.
<<Yikes!>>
Phosphates are high along with TDS and probably silicates.
<<Mmm…and who knows what else!>>
It's good for growing algae,
found out the hard way!
<<Hmm…you may want to consider a
whole-house RO unit>>
Thanks again....Need to start reading the
RO FAQ's now!
Mark Gustin
<<Let me know if I can be of further
assistance. Eric Russell>> |
Emergency!!!!!!!!! Help Temp is way too high – 4/11/08
My
reef tank temp is in the 90's what can I do to save my tank and
coral/live rock hermit crabs are dead and the 1 fish I have is dead
heater must have stuck while I was at work please re as soon as
possible anyone
<Mmm, depending on the size of this system...
float a bag of some size/volume of ice cubes... sealed... in the
tank... bring the temp. down slowly... five or so tonight, a degree
or two F. per day later... Bob Fenner>
Re: emergency!!!!!!!!! Help Temp is way too high – 4/12/08
Upon checking the temp with a more accurate thermometer it was 100
or close to it the temp could have been at that extreme for around
five hours.
<Yikes!>
During my freak-out I did a 6 gallon
change on the 28 gallon tank and added some cubes in a sealed zip
lock bag. This brought it down to approx. 92. all fish are dead and
some corals are looking odd. Is there any chance that any of my
coral will survive and what should I do now.
<Is... and just be
patient. Nothing more to do that will help more than probably
hinder...>
Also I have some stress coat for my freshwater tank
would it be good to add some and as far as the heater goes it had
came loose and got bumped all the way up so should I set it lower
than normal or just leave it inactive?
<Set it lower>
I have
some rare corals (LPSs mostly) and I am very worried that it is not
going to survive.
<I do hope they rally. Again, lower the temp. a
further degree or two (F.) per day... BobF> |
QT Setup 1/10/08
Good morning from Boston!
<Hello Boston>
I hope this finds everyone at WWM well. As always, thank you for all
your time and effort with WWM. I don't know what many of us would do
without you!
<We try...>
My question is probably a very simple
one. I have a 55 gallon FOWLR tank that is about a year and a half old.
As is my usual practice, I am in the middle of starting up my QT tank
for a planned new arrival. Last night I added 50% tank water from my
main tank to the 50% "new" water that has been circulating in the QT for
a week. I have a sponge that has been seeding in my main for a week or
so that I planned to add to the QT when I bring home the new fish.
<Ok>
Here is my dilemma: The heater in my QT died last night, so the
temp in the QT this morning was down in the 60s. Do I now have to get
rid of this water and start again because of the temperature drop?
<No>
(I'm thinking any beneficial organisms in the water that came
from the main are now dead) Luckily, the sponge is still in the main
tank.
<There are not really many organisms in the water that are of
a concern here, your water should be fine to use once you warm it back
up.>
I had planned on using Seachem's Stability product to cover my
bases in case the sponge doesn't have enough life in it to support the
QT.
<Ok>
Thank you so much for your time.
Regards,
Kim
<Welcome>
<Chris>
Heater Problems 1/5/07
Hello again... thanks for being such a
great source of information!
<Hello Laura, glad to be of service.>
Our fish continue to do great but our invertebrates, unfortunately, not
so well. Our little Discosoma disappeared shortly after we cleared all
the algae away from its area. Could we have stirred up something that
was toxic to it, or was this probably just another one of those
coincidences?
<Likely coincidence, they are generally pretty tough.>
In any event, the main reason I'm writing is to ask a question about
heaters. We have two titanium heaters and the thermostats on both of
them do not seem to work at all.
<Uh-oh.>
We have to crank the
thermostat up ridiculously high (over 80) to keep the tank at 76
degrees. We've asked our LFS about this a few times and they say the
thermostats on those titanium heaters are just really poor quality.
<Some of them, especially if they get moisture in the unit.>
One guy
said he switched his own tanks back to Stealth heaters because he was
having the same problem as us with the titaniums. I tried looking around
online but haven't found anything about this at all. Is this really a
characteristic problem with titanium heaters or is our LFS just selling
a lousy brand of them or something...?
<Did they ever work correctly?
If you have two doing the same thing I would have to say either moisture
got into the thermostats or it is the brand, at least the lot that yours
came from. If they worked like this from the start, they probably just
read high. If this is a newer development I would not trust these
heaters. New heaters are fairly cheap insurance. >
Thanks for any
advice,
Laura
<Welcome, good luck, Scott V.>
Tank too hot 12/28/07
<Hola!>
Our tanks are running at about
86 degrees. We've unplugged the heater - It is multi tank system; the
main tank is 55 gallons, there is a smaller 25 gallon tank and a sub
tank of 25 gallons; where the heater is. There is a skimmer. We have
live rock about 40 corals, a couple of anemones and12 fish.
Having
read a lot of your email articles on heat problems we've unplugged all -
floated ice bags. opened the lids. Today we scraped a lot of the hard
red algae off the walls of the tanks - would that contribute to the
heat? More light getting in to heat up the water?
Recently (a month
ago) we bought a Kpra;oanano pump and the heat seems to be coming from
that area. It is space efficient. Have you heard of any problems with
that type of pump?
Appreciate any suggestions you may have. Thanks.
<The pump is easily a large source of the heat. Lighting, if metal
halide is used would also contribute to the problem. To control the
heat, first use a fan blowing across the tank and see if it controls the
temperature. If this does not remedy the problem, than try controlling
the ambient air temps in the room that the tank is in. If this also does
not fix the problem, than a chiller would be needed. A 1/3 hp unit would
be what I would recommend. Hope this helps-Rich...aka...Mr. Firemouth>
Broken Heater 12/25/07
Hi Folks!
<Hello Claudia.>
Thank you
for being here to answer all these countless questions. I happen to have
a Heater question:
<OK>
I currently have a 45 gallon marine set up
with 20lbs of indo pacific live sand and about 50 lbs of Fiji live rock.
I also have Corallife Lunar Aqua Lights (Compact Fluorescent) At this
time I only have 2 Damsels and they are doing just fine.
Today, I did
my bi-weekly 15% water change, changed the wadding in my Tunze
skimmer/Filter, and in the process, broke my heater. :(
<Ooops.>
My question is: How long can my 2 Damsels survive without a heater? My
home stays at a constant 75 degrees, and I know that the lights on the
hood of the tank will generate some heat. I won't be able to go into
town and purchase a new heater for a few days. Will this cause my fish
to die?
<If your house is truly 75 deg where the tank sits, and not
near any drafts or windows, your tank will stay at a reasonable
temperature. If you have a top for the tank close it to limit
evaporation. Monitor your tanks temperature, space heater if you
have/need them near the tank.>
I anxiously await your response,
Claudia
<Good luck and merry Christmas, Scott V.>
Temperature Problems 11/17/07
Love your site. So much info that
has helped me over the years. <Good to hear.>Finally have a question
that I can ask. I have a 75 gallon reef setup. I had a leak in a 42
gallon and so did a VERY quick upgrade.
<Yikes, I guess so.>
I
bought a beautiful new light I'd been planning on for a while (Outer
Orbit HQI T5HO ... and probably other letters I'm forgetting at this
point). I have the tank FINALLY set up properly and it's been in
operation for a day or so. I know you don't recommend temps as high as
85, but I'm finding that by about noon (2 hours after the brights have
been on) I'm up at 85 already. I haven't checked the
temp at night
yet, but I'm concerned about how hot it's getting. I'm wondering if
taking the glass top off the tank will help with the cooling, but also
wondering if that might not pose a problem with escape artists. I don't
have any in the tank now, but I'm concerned for the future when I
finally start stocking it to full potential. <I would definitely remove
the glass cover and even get a little fan to blow across the surface of
the water, as well as a fan to blow over your sump if you have one. This
will decrease the heat transferred from the light to the tank and
drastically increase your evaporative cooling (you will be topping off
the tank more often). Do be sure that your light is far enough off the
water surface to prevent water from splashing it, as well providing less
heat transfer. How far off the surface is one of those ask 20 people and
get 20 answers, I generally shoot for 8” or so. As for escape artists,
you can go to just about any hardware store and get egg crate light
diffuser panels in the lighting section. You can cut the middle out to
allow your light to penetrate without shadows, leaving a perimeter
around your tank to keep the inhabitants in. Some reefers don’t cut out
around the light, I don’t like the look, but you can try it first and
decide for yourself. The increased cooling from doing this will
definitely help. Depending on where you are located you may have to
consider a chiller come summer. 85 is definitely too high, especially if
the temperature is fluctuating up and down so much. You’re welcome, good
luck and congratulations on the new tank, Scott V.>
Any advice you've
got would be
great. Thanks!
Oh No!! Heating Disaster.... Feeling Hot! Hot! Hot! – 9/24/07
Bob~
<Nope ya got Mich, the night owl, coming to help ya out.>
Help!! Apparently my heater went kaput. Basically it looks as though it
just would not shut off.
<Happens, but is never good!>
The tank
was reading around 93!! Yikes!! As you know it is 55 gal with a
Chocolate Chip star, a camel back shrimp, 5 turbo snails, and 3 blue
green Chromis. I have removed the heater. Killed the lights and removed
the top as well as pointed the power heads toward the surface and turned
a fan on them. So far I have brought the temp down about 5 degrees. do
you by any chance have any other suggestions?
<Ice, double bagged in
Ziploc type bags, floating in the system will help bring down the temp.
But you might want to remove the critters you can easily get a hold of
and try cooling down a smaller volume of system water, until the temp of
the main system can be brought down. You obviously will be able to cool
a smaller volume more quickly.>
I have no idea how long it had been
like that although definitely less than 24 hours as I check it nightly
before I go to bed. The fish and the shrimp seem ok all things
considered. Poor chip is at the top (who can blame him? He's probably
looking for an escape route) I had planned on doing my weekly 10% change
tomorrow. Should I hold off if the temp is still high so that I don't
shock the poor things?
<I would do the water change.>
Also any
idea how long it may take it to drop?
<Are ways to calculate, but I
won't go totally nerdy on you... but will likely be back into a
reasonable range by tomorrow.>
The room temperature is right at 72.
If that helps.
What should I be watching for as far as stressed
behaviours?
<Erratic behavior, quick breathing, signs of Ich...>
Thanks again for all your help. I tried searching for posts about
bringing them temp down but couldn't find anything. Of course in my
haste I may have overlooked something.
<Easily done when in a stress
reaction mode.>
Thanks again,
<Welcome! Mich>
Melissa
Re: Oh No!! Heating Disaster.... Feeling Hot! Hot! Hot! – 9/24/07
I have gotten my temp down to 86.
<Good.>
My thinking is I should
stop here and gradually lower over the next few days.
<If you don't
have a heater in the tank it will cool to room temp within several of
hours>
I was concerned about a rapid temp changed but got to thinking
that maybe it is better than letting them cook for several days.
<I
would bring it down slowly from here. You are in a safer, reasonable
range now.>
I really am not sure. Now I am worried that I cooled it
down too quickly.
<Perhaps, but I think it is best to get it out of
this high temp range and I think the quicker the better at these very
high temps.>
And yes I did overlook the temp pages. Apparently I was
searching only for the chocolate chip star temps.
<Ooops>
Thanks
again for everything you guys do. I have gotten my temp down to 86.
<Good.>
My thinking is I should stop here and gradually lower over
the next few days.
<If you don't have a heater in the tank it will
cool to room temp within several of hours>
I was concerned about a
rapid temp changed but got to thinking that maybe it is better than
letting them cook for several days.
<I would bring it down slowly
from here. You are in a safer, reasonable range now.>
I really am not
sure. Now I am worried that I cooled it down too quickly.
<Perhaps,
but I think it is best to get it out of this high temp range and I think
the quicker the better at these very high temps.>
And yes I did
overlook the temp pages. Apparently I was searching only for the
chocolate chip star temps.
<Ooops>
Thanks again for everything
you guys do. Please advise me on how best to proceed.
<Slowly,
gradually bring down the temp from here.>
Melissa
<Mich>
Re: Oh No!! Heating Disaster.... Feeling Hot! Hot! Hot! 9/26/07
Mich~
<Hi Melissa>
Thank God you share my night owl tendencies.
<Boy, you don't know how seldom I hear that! My fellow crewmate Brenda
is also a night owl... She told me to tell you that we are vampires and
that "normal" people are scared of us. >
Sorry I sent the same email
twice.
<No worries!>
I think I am alright for the moment.
<Yes.>
Cooling pretty quickly.
<Yes.>
Down to 84 now.
<OK.>
Chip has started moving around.
<Good.>
(I'd like to say
he isn't my primary concern but really I'd be lying)
<We all have our
favorites.>
Shrimp looks fine.
<Good.>
Snails are just being
snails
<Typical.>
however I don't see the Chromis.
<Uh-oh!>
They sometimes get up under the rock to sleep so I am hoping that is the
case and they haven't considered it a
fine burial chamber.
<Yikes!>
I will be back up in a few hours with the kids
<I'm
sorry.>
so will monitor it further.
<Very good.>
Thanks again
for EVERYTHING!!
<You’re very welcome Melissa... glad to be you're 24
hour help line! Mich>
Melissa
Re: Oh No!! Heating Disaster.... Feeling Hot! Hot! Hot!
9/28/07
Well Mich the saga continues.
<Uh-oh!>
All my
critters are ok at this point and eating.
<Impressive!>
Chip
seems all right.
<Glad to hear. I know he is your buddy!>
Now I
have another issue although I can honestly say I was not surprised.
(That in itself shows I am at least
learning a few things)
<Glad
to hear! Never stop!>
I have had a return of diatoms and what appears
to be a red maroonish algae looks like hair or stringy slime).
<Sounds like Cyanobacteria, a blue-green algae.>
I had it once before
but managed to seemingly get rid of it. Now it has returned. I have the
skimmer going. Producing well. More so the last few days. I was
wondering what if anything else I could do.
<Add a refugium if you
don't have one, increase the volume and frequency of your water changes
and feed less. Some links here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/algaeconMar.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/scottsh2ochgart.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/algaeasfriend.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/refugium.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/maralgae.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/water.htm >
Also I have been pondering on
some crabs. Any suggestions?
<Yeah... not getting any... Not to be
trusted IMO. Won't help with BGA either>
will they help with my
algae?
<Mmm, not as much as you'd like them too! Most generally
aren't herbivorous. They are scavengers, and most all can be predatory.>
Melissa
<Mich>
Mich~
I forgot to add, tell Brenda that
regardless of night owl status, I think the freakish fascination with
fish kind a scares them too.
Melissa
<Heehee! I think I'm in
agreement with you! Mich>
Tank Temperatures a Bit Warm? – 8/20/07
Hey all,
<Hello Noah,
Brenda here>
I have been running my tank trying to solve this issue
for a while now
(Only has LR in it at the moment). The problem is
that my tank will either stay too hot, or it will fluctuate rapidly. The
highest temperature I have seen is 83 degrees Fahrenheit.
<A
temperature of 83 is actually not too bad.>
The fluctuations usually
happen in around a 4 hour period, and the temperature can swing as much
as 5 or 6 degrees. I am pretty sure this is a problem, and I think the
heat is coming from my power heads and pumps.
<It does contribute.
What kind of pumps are you using? Some pumps are known to generate more
heat than others.>
I have tried running with two power heads, and
without the light, but the temperature is still unstable.
<What kind
of lighting are you using and how far are they away from the surface of
the water? What size tank?>
I am hoping you guys have an answer for
me, because my parents don't want to buy a chiller.
<There are a
couple of things you can try. Having a fan blow across the water surface
is the best option. You can also try freezing water in small plastic pop
bottles and floating in the tank or sump during the warmest part of the
day. Using an auto top off will also help. If you are not using an auto
top off you can keep your top off water refrigerated and top off
manually throughout the day. If you currently do not have a sump I
suggest getting one to add to the volume of water.
<More information
found here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/temp_faqs.htm >
Thanks a ton!
Noah
<You’re welcome! Brenda>
Re: Tank Temperatures a Bit Warm? – 8/20/07
I am using Rio aqua
1400 powerheads, and a Quiet one pump. The tank is a 50 gal, and the
lighting is a Coralife halide fixture, 36" 150W, 2 fluorescent. It's
about 8" from the top of the tank. I was going to try a sump, but my
parents rejected that idea. I have tried adding ice, but it did not work
well in the least, it brought the temperature down, but melted quickly,
<Ice will melt quickly at 83 degrees.>
and the temperature shot back
up again.
<Every little bit helps. However, a fan blowing across the
surface will help the most. Your temperatures are not too far off from
where you need to be. Try something like this:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=17884&Ntt=fans&Ntk=All&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Np=1&pc=1&N=0&Nty=1
Brenda>
Re: Tank Temperatures a Bit Warm? – 8/21/07
Ok, I’ll try a fan,
hopefully that will help.
I also was thinking about making a sort of
radiator for the tank, but am worried about corrosion in metals, know
any that are safe?
<You have to be very careful with metals in
saltwater. I personally would not trust anything that wasn’t
manufactured specifically for saltwater aquariums. There have been many
who have made their own chillers. A quick search on the internet for
“DIY Chiller” will bring up many results. I personally would save my
time, money, and frustrations and put my efforts into a sump/refugium
before going through the trouble of building a home made
chiller/radiator. There are many benefits to a sump/refugium.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/refugium.htm>
Thanks again!
Noah
<Good Luck to you! Brenda>
Overactive Heater, SW 8/10/07
Hello,
<Hi>
I have been
into the hobby of salt water aquariums for about 3 years now, and have
never experienced this before now.
I have a problem where my tank
stays far too hot (it's currently not populated so not an urgent issue).
The heater is calibrated and adjusted correctly, and I have even gone to
the extreme of introducing in bags into the tank.
The tank is 50
gallons, and I have a 200W Eheim heater. I don't know if it is just bad
luck, because my last heater had the same issue, or if it is something
else. When I unplug the heater, the tank temperature goes down as
expected. The heater is adjusted to 75 degrees, the tank stays at 80
degrees, and the tank cools off to around 65 degrees when the heater is
unplugged.
Thank you for your help!
Noah
<Well, first off 80
is not too hot at all, many reefs in the world have temperatures that
normally exceed that. However, do not count on the heater's temperature
gauge, they are very inaccurate. If setting it to 75 causes 80 degrees
just turn it down until the desired temperature is maintained and you
should be fine.>
<Chris>
A Tale Of Heater Woe (Marine Tank Meltdown) – 07/14/07
Hello all
- wonderful site, fantastic resource.
<<Greetings Tony…happy to hear
you like the site>>
Not sure what advice you can give, more of a 'woe
is with me' story...
<<Ruh-roh>>
I have a 90-gal tank with a
variety of LPS and soft corals. Zoo's, Frog Spawn, mushrooms (Ricordea
yuma), brain corals, lobo's, etc.
<<Ah yes, the typical “reef garden”
variety system>>
Two Tomato Clowns, 1 Niger Trigger,
<<The trigger
needs a much larger environment>>
4 PJ's and 1 goby. 5 Crocea calms.
Temps here have been around 105 outside lately. I had turned my heater
down last week; the tank temp was up to 81. Last night something
happened. I got up to the smell of bad water and the tank water was at
103.
<<Yikes!>>
The heater was cooking!
<<Indeed…>>
I pulled
it out, did an immediate 25-gal water change. Most of my corals - bought
it.
<<Mmm…not surprising>>
I lost one of the clowns also.
<<Consider this lucky I think>>
Pulled what I have left to my QT. The
rest of the fish, some zoo's, Xenia, two clams and 1 brain coral are
left. They seem to be fine, happy actually.
<<Time will tell mate…any
lasting/worsening damage may take a while to manifest>>
I think the
live rock is toast, the sponges and mushrooms are just rotting on there.
I want to pull it out, re-cure, and start over. Not sure what else to
do.
<<I think this is your only option here>>
The heater is about
18 months old. Should I have replaced it by now?
<<Not in my opinion,
most are quite reliable. You may want to consider a different
model/manufacturer, and do consider utilizing a model with an
“electronic” controller…still no guarantee a malfunction can’t happen,
but much more reliable than those units employing metal “contacts”>>
Any advice on restarting the tank?
<<Hmm, pretty much as you have
already outlined…keep your remaining livestock elsewhere while you
re-cure the rock and re-cycle the tank>>
Thanks for any sympathy in
advance...
<<Sorry to realize your travails. EricR>>
Tony
It's hot (no surprise there!). Hot Tank 7/13/07
Alex (who always
knows best!),
<Hello, Chris with you today, Alex is away for a bit.>
Thanks again for all the wonderful info on the site! We have a
temperature question. Just to refresh your memory (what? you don't
remember our tank specifically???). We have a 120-gallon reef tank,
fluorescent lights (don't know details), protein skimmer, the usual
stuff. No problems there. All tank tests are fine (ammonia 0, nitrates
0, nitrites 0, pH 8.4, phosphates 0).
Before we get to inhabitants,
let us ask: Our tank gets too hot. We have no room for a chiller and no
money for central air. We keep a fan blowing across the top of the tank
and, on all but the muggiest New York days, we are fine. <Ok>
On
those muggy days, however, the temperature spikes at 85-86. From reading
your site, we feel that although those are high temps, they are not
killer temps. <No, but large swings are tough on the livestock.>
What's bad is that at night, or when the weather breaks, the tank
settles back to its usual 78. <Big swing.> That large a swing is too
much. <Agreed>
So, the question: During the summer, when we know we
cannot keep the tank within a two-degree swing, is it safe to set the
heat to 82 and keep the tank between 82-85? <Yes, I run mine at 82 year
round.>
And then, in the fall when the weather is more stable and
cooler, we can drop the heaters a degree every few days until it's back
to the usual 78. Is this an OK scenario?
<Yes>
We have tried
floating ice (our entire ice-maker bucket ... enough for a decent
cocktail party .... melted in baggies within 15 minutes and didn't
change the temperature at all). We have tried shortening the lighting
cycle, also to no avail. <I'd skip the ice unless it gets really hot,
cutting back on lighting will help a little, but with just normal
fluorescent it will not make a huge difference.>
In the last three
weeks we have lost our beloved Foxface, several hermit crabs and one
yellow tang. All our coral is miserable. We have red slime. Life is not
good in our tank and we suspect a lot of it is temperature related.
<Make sure to have lots of circulation, as the water warms the dissolved
O2 level falls, and this is obviously not good.>
Thanks for the help
.... we hope you can answer soon ... it's 70 outside today but within
three days we'll be back in the 90s!!!
Gratefully, as always,
Michael and Dianne
<Stay cool.>
<Chris>
Temp., nano, SW 6/25/07
Thanks for the quick reply!
<your welcome>
I have two more questions, please...
My temperature
ranges from 74.8 - 75.3. I the new nano chiller (with a compressor,
built for nanos!) so it keeps it at a constant even on the hottest days.
Is that too low for a reef tank?
<I prefer temps closer to 78F when a
chiller is used. Your temps are a little lower than I would normally run
a reef tank. Temps above 82F start to stress corals and cause bleaching,
etc.>
The other question: About 3 months ago my first chiller
malfunctioned and stayed on the entire night (about 6 hours) before I
realized it had lowered the temperature of my tank to 53.2 degrees. YES,
I know...I was devastated to say the least. I thought everything was
lost. The fish were floating on their side, the corals looked horrible,
and the inverts were frozen in place (so it looked). I warmed it up very
slowly with a heater I had-it took nearly 5 hours to get it back into
the 60's. Everything recovered, the fish swimming. I did not lose a
thing. Could this traumatic event has lasting effects on the corals?
<You did the right thing by bringing up the temp slowly and letting the
tank recover naturally! Once an episode of stress has been eliminated
and the root cause removed in this case a new chiller) the corals will
rebound and continue to flourish if the right tank conditions for a reef
tank exist. There should be no long term issues from the cold exposure
for any of the survivors. Just check your water parameters daily/weekly
and maintain proper water chemistry and temps and everything will be
fine.>
<thanks Rich aka Mr. Firemouth>
Thanks again for being
there! Tank Crashed! Heater
Went Out! Help! – 5/30/07
Hello,
<Hello Helene, Brenda here>
I am so sorry to bother you with what might be somewhere on your site
but I have been looking for hours and still am not finding what I need.
I have a 75 gallon tank which you all helped me with originally. It has
been wonderful, with a few mishaps along the way but doing quite well. I
have few fish, just a clown and yellow tail and some corals. Also, a
beautiful brain, some polyps, assorted soft corals, a brittle star, lots
of crabs, snails, live rock and sand. For the past year we have had a
lot of mushrooms growing and we were starting to realize that they were
taking over. We also have a Condylactis anemone. He has been with us
since the tank's live rock came 8 years ago. We have a nice 50 gallon
sump, good protein skimmer, occasionally run a little charcoal in a
backpack filter just to make the water sparkle.
The heater broke 2
nights ago. I am not sure if something from that affected the tank or if
it was coincidental with the death of the anemone.
<When heaters
start to fail they can cause the temperature to rise pretty high, or
drop pretty low, or both. This can cause the death of an anemone. The
death of an anemone can wipe out an entire tank over night. You have
likely experienced the domino effect here!>
The result has been a
massive die off of all the animals with the exception of the fish. Very
sad.
<Yes, very sad! I’m so sorry!>
We are not sure if they got
electrocuted or something in the heater affected them. Just not sure. As
soon as we noticed what was happening we began a water change. We always
have premixed water waiting. But we only had 7 gallons. We knew we
needed more changes. We have done about 65 gallons of water change in 2
days. Our water is not chlorinated but we were not able to aerate the
water for the next changes....we did it for a few hours and then did the
change. The ammonia was up but now ammonia is at 0.
<Keep checking
ammonia daily until you are out of the woods. What are the rest of your
water parameters?>
The tank is just grey and lifeless with the fish
swimming around and doing alright. I think all the corals are dead but
some of them just look closed up and I hate to take them out if there is
a chance that they are alive. There is a little green left on the brain
but I am not too hopeful. The mushrooms are all closed and just hanging
around. What is the proper action to take now? Should I order some new
rock?
<I wouldn’t start replacing your live rock. You can buy a few
pieces and use it to re-seed your tank if you wish. Use only fully cured
rock. Did you also loose your snails and crabs?>
Should I wait and
see? Should I keep up water changes?
<Keep cleaning filters, changing
filter pads, emptying skimmer. I would run as much carbon as you can. I
suggest running it in something like a PhosBan reactor, similar to this
(without the PhosBan media):
http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/prod/207695/product.web Perfect water
conditions is going to be the key for any recovery.>
Should I try to
dislodge the mushrooms and get them out?
<They may recover. I’ve seen
some pretty sad looking mushrooms bounce back. Send us a picture if you
can.>
We never found the anemone.
<It has likely dissolved.>
We
found the star and got him out.
<Good!>
I am just not sure what to
do.......
Any help would be appreciated. Thank you. Helene
<Hope
this helps Helene! Brenda>
Re: Tank Crashed! Heater Went Out! Help! – 5/30/07
Hi Brenda,
Thank you for your fast reply.
<You’re welcome!>
I have said many
times that having an aquarium would be impossible without you
guys....Just having you to listen is a help.....
<Happy to assist!>
Yes, I think that the snails and crabs died too. I am not seeing much
alive except a little florescent on the brain and one of the other
corals....so long ago gotten that I forget the name. It is closed but
not looking bad. He may be dead but just looks better than the other
kinds. I will try for a picture if it helps you guys with others in
sorry shape like we are. Again, thank you so much for being there. I
will tell you the other water parameters when I check them in the
morning if they are weird. They probably will be.
<Lets hope not!
I’ll keep my fingers crossed! Brenda>
Helene Heater
sticking protection and controllers 10/8/05
We have a 200 gallon
reef tank and travel for work. After reading horror stories, I am
worried about the possibility of a heater sticking on while we are gone.
We put 2 heaters in the sump, one 350 watt and one 150 watt to try to
ensure there would not be a problem.
<Good strategy. If one of these
heaters stuck, it would take a while to overheat the tank. It would be a
long shot for both of them to stick.>
We thought about a dual
controller for the heater and chiller... but then, what if the
controller sticks on or off and all the heaters were connected???
<A
controller is even better, and they are far more reliable than the
thermostats inside the heaters. The possibility of a controller failing
is remote. There really is no better solution. Also remember that if you
set the heaters thermostats to come on a degree or two higher than the
controller, you now have redundant control over the temperature and TWO
devices have to fail for the tank to overheat.>
Our house usually
stays around 75 degrees (air conditioned in room with the tank/sump in
an insulated basement that never gets below 68 degrees). With the
heaters in normal operation, the tank does not exceed 84 degrees without
the chiller (we keep the tank at 79 degrees with the chiller). My
question is... should we ditch the 350 watt Titanium (Won pro) and go
with 3 150s instead (or possibly a 250? and two 150s)? I love the
digital display on the Won Brothers Pro... but don't want to fry
anything if the wattage is too high. How can we calculate how much each
of the different wattage heaters would raise the temperature in a worst
case scenario?
<Using a larger number of smaller heaters adds a
safety cushion, but gets expensive. Here is a test for how fast any one
heater (or any combination) can raise the tank temp: Turn all of the
heaters off and let the tank temp drift down a couple of degrees. Read
the temperature. Turn the heaters to be tested back on at a high setting
(88 degrees perhaps) and let them run several hours during the day
(while lights are on) and re-read the temperature. After the test, be
sure to turn the settings back down on the heaters! You will probably
find that the lower wattage heaters would take several days to overheat
the tank.>
Also, are we wrong about considering the controllers a
hazard (it would be great to eliminate the 1-2 degree shift the chiller
allows)? Thanks in advance! Peggy
<I don't think a controller is a
hazard at all. Quite the contrary, I think it is a beneficial safety
device. As for temperature shift, a daily range of 1-2 degrees is fine
and is tighter than most of us can accomplish. Best Regards. AdamC.>
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 Temp
Swing!
Hey crew,
<Scott>
I'm stumped! I don't really
expect you guys to fully diagnose my issue because of all the factors
involved but here goes. The problem is temp swings from 78 to 80 - 81
degrees during the course of a day. I have a 55 gallon seahorse
tank. I have a slightly oversized sump with a Mag 9.5 inside the sump
as a return. I have a Hydor inline 300 watt heater that has truly been
great. It's been cycled and very stable and consist for about 3 - 4
months. At one point my skimmer crapped out, and I purchased a My Reef
Creation MR1 with a Mag 12. That's the only change I made to the tank.
All of a sudden temp started rising one day.
<Mmm, think about
this... isn't the gear listed... as it runs continuously... what
doesn't? The lighting and ambient, diurnal temperature changes...>
Wasn't a terribly hot day outside. The heater wasn't kicking on from
what I could tell. I thought it
might be the addition of the Mag 12
which was at first placed inside the sump. I plumbed the Mag 12 outside
the sump but still had the temp swings.
Next I thought the heater
might have malfunctioned so I unplugged it for a few hours. Still the
temp rose. I thought maybe the digital thermometer was bad or the
battery was going but the strip therm on the side of the tank read the
same. I've tried keeping the light off, no luck.
Most times it
makes it through most of the day and then around late afternoon the temp
raises.
I am truly stumped. I know a simple solution is getting a
chiller. I just have no reason why all of a sudden the temp would
raise. My concern is for the pair of ponies. From what I read
(Seahorse.org) the species of seahorse I have don't care much for temps
above 78.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Scott
(Sorry for the long email)
<No worries... here at all
likely, the daily swing of 2-3 degrees F., even with this species is not
a problem. I would not necessarily buy/use a chiller, but might change
the "lighting period" to more in the evenings, off during the midday
hours... as the season warms. Bob Fenner> Temperature Swings -
03/17/06
Hello from Tennessee, WWM crew!
<<Back at ya from
South Carolina!>>
I have a few temperature questions for you guys
(and possibly gals). I've recently slowly (few days time) lowered my
95 gallon reef tank temps from very low 80's to the high 70's (78-79 to
be more exact). I've read dearly about temp swings in the FAQ's, and I
know a lot is subject to situation, but I'm asking for my situation
since I am having trouble applying other situations in the FAQ's to
mine.
<<Um...ok <grin>.>>
Last night around 12:00 my
temp as per Coralife digital thermometer was 79.3 F, glass suction cup
thermometer said 79.0 F, close enough.
<<Agreed>>
This morning
at 8:30 digital read at 78.0 as well as glass thermo. Is this too much
of a temp swing given the time period?
<<Not at all, quite typical
really...and perfectly fine. My tank typically swings about 3 degrees
in a 24-hour period.>>
I don't know at what time it bottomed at 78.0
so I don't know how fast it dropped.
<<Probably within a few hours
after the lights went out.>>
In your opinion, what is the least
amount of time that it is acceptable to drop 1 degree F?
<<Hmm...speaking for myself here, a drop of 1-degree Fahrenheit over the
course of an hour should not prove detrimental. But keep in mind, any
deleterious effects may be a result of more than temperature swings. In
other words, if the tank is already stressed from other factors (poor
water quality, fish bullied by other fish, malnutrition, etc.), then a
rapid change in temperature of even one or two degrees may manifest in
ways it wouldn't if the tank were otherwise stable/healthy.>>
Also,
which should I trust more, glass or digital? The digital and glass have
disagreed many times at the higher temps by as much as a degree.
<<Use whichever you like best (I prefer digital for ease of use). The
"exact" reading is not so much important as monitoring the
changes...it's the same logic as that applied to the inexpensive
"swing-arm" hydrometers. Of course, you could always shell out the
bucks for lab-grade hardware.>>
The digital is also infamous to me
for jumping up and down rapidly example: showing 80.5 F and then
showing 80.0 two minutes later.
<<Is likely just that the
digital-thermometer registers the change faster then the other.>>
The probe is installed in the Megaflow overflow part of my tank.
The tank is heated by a 250 Watt Visi-Therm Stealth in the sump, set to
79 F (give or take), and was functioning last night before lights out @
12:00 a.m. Should I remove it from the sump and place it in the main
tank?
<<I wouldn't>>
If so, what would be an ideal location?
<<Where it is is fine/my preference for all such hardware.>>
Near
the overflow? With a powerhead pointed at it? Or with one of the
return nozzles from the sump pointed at it? Mid-tank on the back, or is
it OK to put it on the side?
<<Just leave it in the sump. My only
recommendation would be to replace the 250w with two smaller 150w
heaters for redundancy/safety.>>
I apologize for all the questions,
but I am a firm believer in creating a great place for my fish to live
comfortably with minimal, if any changes, and I need some
advice. Thanks for all your help and for tolerating my many
questions. It is greatly
appreciated, as is your website and
FAQ's.
<<No worries mate...am happy to assist. Regards, EricR>>
Broken heater & resulting contamination 2/1/07
<Hi, David.
GrahamT with you tonight.>
Hello, I just did my weekly water change
and realized after I poured the new water in that my heater had broken
inside the bucket.
<Uh-oh!>
I quickly stopped before the brown
cloud at the bottom of the bucket poured in.
<I would be willing to
bet that any of the water was fouled.>
Within an hour EVERY coral
closed up.
<Not at all surprised. Who knows what exactly is in
there...>
(not the way I see my corals normally close after a water
change) I'm not sure what could have been in my heater to contaminate
the tank. All the fish seem fine but the zooanthids and leathers and
Heliofungia looked terrible. I quickly made another 10% water change and
replaced the carbon after reading WWM.
<Would think something along
the lines of 75% or more would be on the menu here.>
Funny I found
the same thing happened to another aquarist only they were smart enough
not to use the water in the bucket. DOH!
<Relax, it only means they
looked in the bucket a little closer than yourself. Can't beat yourself
up...>
I learned during that research trip that we shouldn't worry
about the innards of a thermometer these days but what about the insides
of a heater?
<That is what you need to act on, IMO. Not sure how
much/how fast carbon will remove the chemicals here, but would help to
do a LARGE water change.>
I'm really going to sound stupid when I
say this explains why the breaker in my son's weight room was popping.
< "It popped AGAIN?!?" I can see you now. ;) >
I'm wondering if the
electricity that was probably charging the water before I caught it
could have done something more to the water than just the heater parts
leaching.
<I can't answer that question, though I suspect not. I
think your main problem would be the electronic components/circuitry
that went supernova with your water as it's "atmosphere" to absorb the
toxins. You must be able to picture (through experience or my imagery)
an electronic device smoking as it burns up? That foul-smelling smoke is
burnt resin, epoxy, rubber, plastics etc. Each heater has their own
makeup, but many are made with more than just a coil and tension-style
temperature control. These models have semi-complex regulating circuits
built-in that would provide the fuel for some nasty toxins in your water
if burnt... but I digress. Whether you have toxins or not, or some odd
chemical transformation from the prolonged exposure to current is mott
at this point. You are well-served to perform as massive a water change
as you are equipped to do.>
I guess a lil time will tell now what is
to happen.
<Let us know how it turns out!
-GrahamT>
David
Conway Nitrifying Bacteria Wipe Out? (Heater Breakdown)
3/16/2007
Hello to all,
<Hi.>
Need to ask one
question on the bacteria, I've recently lost a marine aquarium to a
heater malfunction. Of course it stayed on instead of off. Like they
usually do.
<Sorry to hear that, recommend going with two heaters
next time, lower wattage. There is still a risk but if one goes awry
again...it's less likely to cook a tank since it's not as
powerful....and less likely two will go down simultaneously.>
My
question is how high a temp. can the bacteria take before dying?
<Unless the tank literally boils for a sustained period of time, it is
not likely you will kill all of the bacteria. There will however be a
die off and it will take time for them to procreate and return to
optimal levels. Think of it as restarting your nitrogen cycle.>
Thanks so much for your answer.
<Of course.>
Jim Jesko
<Adam Jackson.> Heater Hazard! 2/27/07
I have
(actually had) a 75 gallon reef tank with a variety of soft corals
(zoos, mushrooms, polyps, etc), a jawfish, blue/red wrasse, Clarki
clown, Blue goby, and the cleaner crew. It was beautiful! This past
weekend when I came home, my heater was shattered in the tank, the top
of my aquarium was cracked, the plastic was broken away, and there was a
black substance splattered on the wall all the way up to the ceiling.
<Oh boy, sorry to hear.> All the snails and crabs were dead, all the
corals were withdrawn and the wrasse was dead. <Painful loss I'm
sure.> I did an immediate water change, not knowing if there were any
chemicals in the water from the shattered heater, but I lost all the
corals anyway. <Not unexpected unfortunately.> The temperature did
fluctuate and dipped to around 72 degrees. <Left and right hook.> The
heater was not touching anything, and I can't figure out what happened.
<Have seen this before, does happen from time to time, weakness in the
glass gets worse over time with repeated heating and cooling until it
gives way catastrophically.> I always unplug my heater for water changes
and have never had a problem before. <Not really avoidable, sort of a
ticking time bomb.> I immediately removed all the dead creatures. Since
then, I have a consistent ammonia reading in my tank and have done daily
water changes to try to save the fish. <Good.> Do you have any other
suggestions regarding the ammonia?
<Doing all you can currently, the
die off from the LR is probably causing the ammonia spike.>
Obviously I am completely devastated and am contemplating reverting back
to a fish-only system because I can't afford to restock the tank.
<Discouraging for sure, but I encourage you to continue, would have had
the same problem in any tank.> Any suggestions on how to avoid this in
the future? <Avoid the glass heaters, got with one of the titanium
ones.> Do you think there are chemicals in my tank still? <Yes, run
lots of carbon and Poly-Filters.> Was it the temperature change,
electric shock, or chemicals that killed everything? <Yes to all, a
triple whammy.> Are there heaters that don't contain damaging chemicals
or will automatically shut off if there is a problem? <Putting it on a
GFI outlet will help, although the bigger culprit is the metal inside
the heater.> Or are some heaters just doomed to shatter. <All glass
heater have this possibility, go with a titanium one.> Also do you
think my live rock is damaged? <Only time will tell, see how it
recovers. I would bet on it being ok long term.> Or the substrate
filtration? Thanks! Amy
<Sorry to hear of your troubles. Have faith
you will be able to work through this and get back on the right track.>
<Chris>
Heater Hazard! 2/28/07
Thank you for your reply! I
appreciate all your help.
Although frustrating, at least I know I am
doing all I can do.
Amy
<Stay on the path.>
<Chris> Blue Tang vs. the Heater
Hi,
I have a blue
tang that has developed a strange habit of bumping his body against the
in tank hanging heater. I thought that he was perhaps doing it because
his face itched (he has HLLE). Then I thought that he was doing it
because he liked the noise (rather loud) that the heater makes when it
bangs against the tank's walls. After watching him for quite some time
last night, I think that he is doing this because he sees his own
reflection in the glass & he thinks that it is another fish (although he
is not the largest fish in the tank, he is the most aggressive);
therefore doing it out of aggression. Have you ever heard of this?
<Yes, many fish attack heaters. Most are attracted/annoyed by the little
red light.>
Suggestions to make this behavior stop?
<Simple,
remove it. If you have a sump, locate it there. Else, Tetra has a new
brand of powerfilter that can have a heater added to it in the filter
box. This way the heater is protected and cannot become broken and
electrocute or cook your fish. I think Eheim makes a canister filter
with a heater module, too.>
Thanks again, Jennifer J. Ford
<You
are welcome. -Steven Pro> Broken heater in sump
Dear Mr.
Fenner- I hope this isn't a major problem. I just noticed that one of my
two Ebo Jager heater is broken in my sump. I recently put in a new
protein skimmer and I am afraid it banged up against my heater which was
laying on the bottom of the sump. The internal parts of the lower end
were exposed to water. I immediately unplugged it and removed it. It may
have been this way for up to seven days. Do you know if there was any
inside the heater that could cause problems for my tank(75gal). Thanks
for your time. - Anj
<no worries... little or no source of
contamination and the livestock was safe in the insulated tank (from the
floor by virtue of the silicone/gals/acrylic tank) as a floating ground.
Just do a water change and run a poly filter and/or carbon for better
sleep. A common problem... no worries. Anthony> Re: broken
heater in sump
Yesterday I wrote about a broken heater I
discovered in my sump. Today I added carbon as you indicated but I
noticed that 3 out of my 6 Xenias look shrunken and very unhealthy. They
even seem to be given off some type reddish color discharge. They were
extremely healthy and thick yesterday. Can this be attributed to my
heater problem.
<still almost certainly not... Xenia have been
observed goring on sewer discharge pipes near hotels!!! If anything,
they have been shocked by the improvement in water clarity/light of you
haven't used carbon for a while or have gone without a water change for
more than a few weeks>
I will start some water changes right away.
Anything else you can suggest?
<mostly patience and time>
Do you
think the rest of the tank will start to have problems.
<depends on
carbon/clarity issues as per above>
can you suggest a better heater
than Ebo Jager?-
<they are one of the best brands. If you are
willing to spend more, look into a good titanium probe heater with a
remote thermostat>
Thanks so much- Anj
<kindly, Anthony>
Horrors with heaters; what could/I be going/doing wrong?!? 11/9/05
Hello Bob.
<James>
To start with I think I will complain about the
general quality of many marine components in general as I have had bad
luck with lights (Coralife power compacts... went through two but had a
very assistive {helpful?} store owner go great lengths there) and
powerheads have given issues of late... same store we had to try two
before we got one that worked out of the box on my return trip. So, I am
just a little bit frustrated by quality in products of late.
<I sense
this>
However, it is the heaters that are causing the most grief...
Okay, the first failure was undoubtedly my own and it was a Neptune in
my small tank... I know I was tired and let the water get too low during
a water change and that one stuck on shortly thereafter. I since
'learned' and unplug all the heaters first while during any maintenance
and I even allow about 10 minutes for thermal equilibration before
plugging any back in.
<Good>
However, I have gone through two
Neptunes and one or perhaps two Visitherm Deluxe in the past 9 months.
<Unusual...>
I even now suspect the Ebo Jager I just bought as the
temp over shot in another tank this morning while at the same time the
heater overshot in my quarantine tank... rather than risk the health of
the Flame Angel I decided to place it in the 55 gallon main tank where
the conditions are/have been (knock on wood) stable. I would have
preferred to not do this yet but here I am at work and not at home to
unplug/reconnect or get another as necessary.
What could be going
wrong?
<I don't know... are you setting these at a reasonably low
initial settings? Allowing a few tens of minutes for the thermostats to
adjust before plugging in initially?>
I use GFCI for every tank and
everything plugged into them that is connected with the tanks. Should I
check the polarity at the outlets?
<Mmm, in general circuitry itself
will do this...>
Have I just been plagued with bad luck????
<Most
likely... yes>
I have been trying hard to do everything right and
just do not understand what is going wrong. Bob, I am truly
frustrated...
Thank you.
James Zimmer
<Time for a holiday!
Honestly, the brands you mention are typically good... Bob Fenner>
Re: Horrors with heaters; what could/I be going/doing wrong?!?
11/9/05
Thank you Bob.
<Welcome>
10s of minutes and low
enough temperature... hard to say here. I know the Ebo Jaeger was left
in the tank for well over an hour (the water and heater were about 70F)
and the temp set on heater was 76F..
<The setting about time is
fine... But I do want to make a statement re the "pre-sets" of
submersible, non-submersible heaters... they're not accurate, nor
precise! I encourage all to "turn barely on" by hand (regardless of what
the "dial says"), check back later after the "light has gone off", and
re-adjust...>
since that one was in the overflow in the rear of the
tank
<I would not place heaters here... too much air mixing, chance
of the things breaking, burning a hole in the side... place either in
the tank, and/or in a permanently filled part of the sump/s>
I had
thought that the water coming out was hitting the thermometer and just
giving a higher reading based off of location. However, I had since
moved it and notice it is stuck on running passed the set temp.
Bad
luck... yeah, this would be an understatement and the holiday sounds
like a great idea. Truth is I am just concerned for the well being of my
pets. I didn't want to put the Flame Angel in the 55 gallon yet as there
are inverts [Branched Frogspawn... yes, 'finally' discovered the
identity!!! ; ), star polyps, mushrooms, sponges, zoos and other
horseshoe worms/featherdusters coming out of the rock] but with a heater
running out of control it seemed more prudent than trusting the fate of
the fish in a potentially... ahhh soupy environment. The article on
heaters from your site made me consider some overtemp devices... in this
case even if stuck on then the power will cut out with the controller in
place.
<Good insurance...>
IT is a bummer about the quality of
products of late. The same store owner mentioned that this trend is
causing some problems for people. I insist that these issues of quality
are a huge problem as our livestocks are directly dependent on the
functional reliability of the products we use. The bigger the tank the
more money invested...
<Yes... though less per gallon....!>
On the
positive side the Flame Angel seems very happy and the cleaner shrimp
now has a new customer to service. The inverts attached to largely
immoveable (nowhere big enough for them to go other than where they are)
rocks are another matter if this same fish decides to go picking. What
could I do though? I have three tanks and two potentially down. Thank
God for redundancy because at least there was still one!
Sincerely,
James Zimmer
<Keep your "eyes on the prize" James... the "big
picture" is not bad at all... Cheers, and happy holidays my friend. Bob
Fenner, not going out to Garfield this Xmas, but down to sunnier/windier
Ft. Lauderdale>
Crab Boil
Hello guys...
<Hi Mario,
Don here today>
It finally happened. After 2 years of clear sailing,
something has finally gone terribly wrong in my reef. My siphon
overflow stopped overflowing (these things are constant trouble IMO).
<I don't believe that anyone here will disagree with that>
Luckily, I
have a float switch that stopped the return pump from the refugium, so
the tank did not overflow.
Unfortunately, my heater is in the
refugium and the temperature sensor is in the main tank. Without
circulation between the two tanks, I came home to find the main tank was
about 76 F and the refugium was HOT... well over 120 F (that's as high
as the thermometer goes.) I can't describe how terrible it was to walk
in to the smell of cooked seafood (actually smelled sadly delicious).
<So sorry to hear>
I had about 35 lbs of live rock and some
Chaetomorpha in the refugium. Should I junk the rock or do you think
it's still got some life to it.
Keep in mind, this stuff cooked for
probably the better part of a day. I have put it in a big Rubbermaid to
re-cycle, but if you think this is futile, I'll just trash it.
<You
are on the right track and the rock will be useful in the future,
'restocking' with beneficial life over time.>
Luckily, the reef
itself seems unscathed.
<Indeed, the aquarium angels were with you>
To anybody reading this email I can say two things: 1) put your
temperature sensor and heater in the same tank and 2) siphon overflows
are an accident waiting to happen.
<Well said>
Thanks for this
opportunity to vent and share my sad story with somebody. You guys are
the closest thing to therapy I have.
<Well, as long as the topic is
marine aquaria, I will try to help, just don't start me on that meaning
of life stuff <G> >
-Mario When good heaters go bad! OR.....
Aquascaping anyone? - 4/15/03
Salutations to all,
Well, My
Tank is nearing its completion. <Glad to hear and congratulations! A
very rewarding adventure is about to be had. Paul at your service.> 55
Gal bow front corner tank 20 High sump DSB and Fiji live rock. I have a
four inch sand bed and now that the live rock (60 lbs) is curing in a
trash can I need to know how to support it in the tank. That is a lot
of rock! Should I make pvc supports or just sit it on the sand bed?
<Either way. Most times though, with that much rock and depending on how
high you build your structure, you will probably need to glue them
together or employ a PVC frame. Anthony Calfo has a great book that
broaches this subject and many many more. Check it out.
www.readingtrees.com > Is there any consensus on which is preferable?
<Aesthetic symmetry is the key. What would look better to you? See here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/aquascaping.htm>
The second
question is about heaters. If I put two heaters in the sump, how will I
know when one is bad? <Well, that is a good question. Sometimes damage
is obvious (physical), sometimes the light will stay on for hours, and
hours turn to days so the temp slowly rises. Sometimes there will be no
light on at all for days while the other heater light may be on
frequently to adjust for the lack of heat output from the other heater.
Wow, good question! I never put much thought into that, as I have never
had one go bad. (cross my fingers)> I can foresee one breaking and not
being noticed and then the other breaking and then I'm out of luck.
<Could happen> How is this better than using one heater? <The other
thought process is having the total wattage of the tank's heating needs
spread out over two to three heaters in that they all work in
conjunction when heating to the set tank temperature, but if one were to
go bad, it would be only a third of the total wattage for the tank's
heating requirement. Therefore it would only be able to slightly affect
the temperature as it is way underpowered in its heating ability by
itself.> Should I set them at slightly different temperatures and then
if one goes I would notice the temp difference? Any thoughts? <Not
necessarily. See the above thought>
Thanks again for a great website,
You do realize that I could be finishing my bathroom remodeling project,
but instead I am always reading on this website or at least that is what
my wife is always yelling LOL <Heheheheh>
Bryan Flanigan <Thanks
Bryan.> -Fried heater-
Hi, I am hoping for some
advice. I had a catastrophe happen today. My lights flickered and I
heard a popping noise and then saw smoke. The heater in my 38 gallon
salt water aquarium blew up.
<Ouch, never fun.>
It broke the glass
cover and came apart in the tank.
<Is your plug a GFI? If not you may
want to either change the plug to one or buy one that plugs in. These
devices will shut down the circuit if it suddenly draws too much
current, like when a heater fries. Check out
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/gfcimarines.htm for more info.>
I
believe all my fish are dead. They're laying on their sides
gasping. My question is, would this electrocution kill the
coral and
live invertebrates as well? And how do I tell?
<If something dies
it should be exceedingly apparent, the tissue will peel off, it may turn
black and necrotic, I suppose it would depend on what's dying. This was
not a good situation for the inverts either so you may have more loss.>
Also, before buying new fish, do I need to wait a certain amount of
time, and do anything to the water? Do I need to replace the gravel or
rock?
<Do a large (50%+) water change.>
Are there toxic substances
inside the heater that may have been released into the water?
<Absolutely, run a few Polyfilters.>
I read a post about a broken
thermometer, but I didn't see anything about electrocution of the salt
water. This was terrible. I purchased a new heater and cover. The man
at my local fish store was busy and didn't have time to help me out. I
would be ever so grateful for any help you can give me. I am just sick
over this.
<You're lucky you were home, this could have started a
fire. Good luck, and check out GFI's. -Kevin>
Thanks, Julie
- Fried Heater Follow-up -
Thanks, I already have a GFI's in my
house. <But was your tank plugged into it? Having them 'in the house' is
of little use unless it is house wide, or you are directly plugged into
it.> But, some good news, my fish didn't die. <Ahh, good.> They, I
guess, were stressed, I replaced the bacteria and made sure all my
levels were ok, and during the night they got up and started swimming!!!
I'm glad I didn't flush them. Just in case any else ever asks.
But
thanks, Julie
<Cheers, J -- > DOH! Well, Now Ya Know!
>Another difficult question for you (sorry), I took my heater out of my
pre-mixed water for a minute and put it back in while it was plugged in.
>>Doh! <smacks forehead> Well, when we do it (and many do), we only do
it ONCE. Now you know. ;)
>I noticed that the heater light wasn't
turning off and the water was cold so I took it out and noticed that the
glass was broken at the bottom and the wires were exposed. I am now
replacing with a titanium one.
>>Cool.
>My question is, is my
water still ok? Nothing to leak out of the heater, i.e. mercury or
various metals etc?
Thanks in advance.
>>Should be, but filtering
through fresh (and well-rinsed) carbon and/or PolyFilter (brand name)
would eliminate most all concerns. I don't think there's anything that
would be of any real worry. Glad you didn't get shocked! Marina
Broken heater
Dear Crew, I recently lost a bubble tip anemone
and all the mushrooms in my tank as a result of a broken heater in my
sump. The glass was shattered and it was still plugged in so I am sure
that I sent an electrical current through my tank. While I am not
positive that this caused the deaths, it is the only thing that changed
in my tank.<Sorry John, without a doubt this caused the deaths. I
strongly suggest using a GFI where you plug your equipment in to
eliminate this possibility in the future.> Since the anemone died I now
have some ammonia in the tank. I have done a 30% water change and am
going to do another 25% tonight. My question is, could or did the
electrical current that killed ( I think) my inverts also kill the
bacteria that I need to break down the ammonia? Should I expect another
full blown cycle or should my 1 year old tank with 150lbs of live rock
be able to handle the mini cycle I am getting from the die off? <Dave,
its hard to say. I certainly would monitor ammonia levels daily for a
while.>FYI my tank is a 110 gallon with a 20 gallon sump. I use bio
balls in the sump. Other filtration (besides the LR mentioned above)
comes from a EuroReef CS8-2 skimmer and a Magnum 350 with fresh carbon
that I mainly use for extra circulation. I'm pretty diligent in keeping
the Magnum clean. I like the extra flow and it is a convenient way to
use carbon. <David, can I suggest using Chemi-Pure rather than
carbon? I've done some tests on carbon relating to excessive algae
growth due to the phosphates present in activated carbons (especially
coconut shell carbon). I have found that Chemi-Pure has the least
effect. It also creates a crystal clear blue/white water along with
other benefits.> there are 4 150 GPH powerheads in the tank, and my main
pump runs at 800 GPH. Altogether the flow is about 1750 GPH. Lighting
comes from 4 110watt VHO's and a 260 watt PC. Finally, I also have
about 2" of live sand on the bottom of the tank. All rock and sand has
been in the tank for at least 12 mos. <Good luck with your problem
Dave. James (Salty Dog)
Thanks for taking the time to answer my
question. Buoyant Heater Warning!!
Dear Crew,
<Paul>
I appreciate the great information that you have provided me and now I
believe I can contribute some useful information in return.
<Okay>
I'd like to caution everyone about using the new aquarium heaters that
are made from clear "unbreakable" plastic materials. I acquired one of
these heaters that was imported from Italy. The heater I had acquired
for my refugium was very buoyant. When its rubber suction cups come
loose, the heater floats to the water surface with the bottom end
sticking out of the water. The exposure of the heater to air will cause
overheating.
<Yikes! What a design defect!>
Apparently, the heater
floated loose when I was away on vacation. When I came home, the heater
had overheated and exploded with plastic particles adhering to the walls
and ceiling of my refugium cabinet.
<Yeeikes!>
Luckily, the GFI
circuit had cut power from the heater and from the pumps that circulate
water between the refugium and the main tank. Otherwise, I would have
had to clean out not only my refugium but also my main tank as well. I
hope that this is news you can use.
Regards,
Paul
<Thank you
for sending this along. Am glad you had the GFI and that no one was
hurt, your place didn't burn down. Bob Fenner> Heater problems
I recently received a response about some heater issues that I have been
having. Here is the scoop, I have a digital thermometer that I've
calibrated at my LFS. My temp in the tank has episode were it fluctuates
throughout the day. Usually it stays around 78 during the day and drops
down to about 76 at night, but on more than one occasion I've woken up
to find either my temp lower or higher than my heater is set at. In my
latest incident I woke up this morning to find my temp at 81.5 and my
heater is on!
<yikes>
Its only set at 78 and it is practically a
brand new Rena cal. What is the deal? Should I move it out of my sump?
<if the temp is the same in the tank and in the sump, No>
Is my
heater malfunctioning?
<sounds like it>
What do you know about
the titanium heaters with the digital controls?
<love them, use them
all the time MikeH> - Heater Scale Deposits -
Dear
Crew:
Thanks for the great site. I am new to marine aquaria. I have
two large tanks, 75G and 125G, which I maintain similarly and are 9
months and 6 months old, respectively. Both have 300W submersible
heaters. I found a heavy scale on the heater of my 125 a few days
ago. How long it has been there I am not sure but there is no similar
scale on the heater in the 75G. Here is a picture of the scale in the
125G:
It is orange-brown and has spalled in places taking away with
it the decorative glass-stenciling. I am interested in what caused the
scale to form because I am trying to track down the cause of a prolonged
micro-algae or phytoplankton outbreak in this tank. <They are not
related.> The calcium levels in the two tanks are similar (around 500
ppm) but the temperatures are different: about 75°F in the 75G and 83°F
in the 125G. Possibly the higher temperatures or longer "on" times could
have promoted scale formation in the 125G, but I was also considering
another possibility. I thought that the scale formation might be due to
my having left a floating glass-cleaning magnet in the tank for
two-weeks. <Nah... doubt that. The scale is simply just the product of a
high calcium level and the temperatures of the heater right at the
surface of the glass.> I had seen other people leave them in their tanks
but I took the magnet out after the algae or phytoplankton outbreak
because I thought iron might be leaching from it. <Not all magnets are
made of steel...> I had difficulty controlling the outbreak but
eventually managed through water changes, improved skimming and use of a
canister filter. Do you think that increased iron levels could lead to a
runaway algae outbreak and produce the scale on the heater? <No... that
is just calcium and very normal for just about any accessory attached to
a marine tank and not regularly cleaned.>
Respectfully,
Karl
<Cheers, J -- > The Dreaded Heater Mishap!
>Dear crew,
>>Hello.
>First, thanks again for all of your hard work and patience.
I am writing because I had a heater mishap, I must have turned the dial
without noticing and the next morning the tank was up to 96 degrees!
>>It is not unknown for thermostats to become stuck in the "on" position
as well. Sounds like you've got a bouillabaisse going there, eh? Very
sorry to read it.
>Well, needless to say some things died (Coral
Banded Shrimp, Mushrooms, and I think my purple Pseudochromis). Yellow
Tang, damsels, percula, snails, and hermits- all OK.
>>Real bad,
sorry to read this, mate. Glad you didn't lose the whole lot.
>I
can't find the pseudo I think he must be dead inside a piece of live
rock.
>>Could be, or the hermits got a hold of his warm carcass.
>I can't think of a way to get him out if he is dead, because he gets in
the smallest of holes.
>>As those Pseudos are often wont to do.
>1) Do you have a suggestion of a way to maybe get his little body out?
>>No.
>2) If not, how long will this affect my cycle?
>>This
depends on many things, but you can certainly boost it with Bio-Spira.
This is the good stuff <opens trench coat> right here.
>3) Is the
best thing to do is just frequent water changes if I can't get him out?
>>Yes, and do them anyway. You may need to do one or two really big w/cs
- on the order of 75%-100%. Make sure you've aged that water at least a
full day, two or three are better. Match everything, as I'm sure you
know. Oh yes! Be SURE to bring your tank temp down slowly! No more than
two degrees Fahrenheit/24 hours.
>Thank you so very much.
Sincerely,
Keith Tallbe
>>Again, so sorry to hear this. Get that
Bio-Spira first thing, then mix up the water anyway (it's always good to
have on hand). Best of luck, and if you don't have a hospital set up, be
prepared. This sort of thing may spur on some stress-induced troubles.
Marina How to handle a heat wave
>Hi all,
>>Greetings, my apologies for the late reply. Your email has been in
another's folder and I just found it.
>I have a problem. I keep a 75
gallon saltwater tank with a 6" Volitans lion and a 4" Long Longnose
Butterfly. I live in the southern US. Recently, the heat pump outside
the house gave out. With temperatures inside the house climbing to over
100 degrees in the hottest part of the day, I am EXTREMELY worried about
my fish. I have turned off the aquarium lights and directed a fan over
the top of the tank that stays on all the time, but the temperature
still climbs to above 86 degrees in the tank. With repair on the heat
pump expected to take 2 weeks (!) and no local fish store willing to
"board" my fish, what can I do? I work during the day four days a week,
so a hands on solution is out.
Worried!!! Frank
>>You should have
in place a system of fans to utilize evaporative cooling, along with an
automatic top off for adding freshwater in order to keep the salinity
stable. This can be quite simple, using gravity feed and a few 1gallon
plastic jugs or soda bottles - you silicone in some airline valves and
set the drip rate manually. Or, it can be a dedicated top off system
with float switches, etc. Also, you can fill some plastic jugs (must
have screw tops or otherwise be SEALABLE), those "Gladware" reusable,
sealable plastic containers, or, in a real pinch, Ziploc baggies (I'd go
with freezer quality bags, just to be sure), fill with water and freeze
over night. Let them float in the tank for the day, but be careful with
this method, as you could cause too much of a drop, which is harder on
the fish than a rise. Let the temps stay around 80-83F if possible.
Marina Temperature Spike- Loss of Livestock 7/6/04
Hey There- You seem to be the end all resource here so I have a few
questions for you. I got home from work last night to find my reef tank
a whopping 83.5 degrees.
<hmmm.. the temp is not so
terrible when the climb is/was slow. Many reef creatures can tolerate
much higher temps. But in general, more then 2-3 F spike over a short
period of time can be rough>
I added a frozen bottle of water to the
tank to bring the temp down but it appears I have lost some livestock
and everything in the tank looks ill.
<a sharp drop can
be equally stressful. Do note this for future reference. All good and
bad things should happen slowly in aquaria <G>. The first thing to do in
such cases is heavily oxygenate the water. Turn up venturis, add an
airstone and/or add fans to blow across the tank. Improved O2 and slow
temp reduction>
My LT Anemone hasn't melted but was found in the
back of the tank with a lot of the mucous looking stuff in the trail of
its path. The cleaner shrimp was dead, and my goby, wrasse, and blue
tang look like death has touched them. I did an emergency water change
this morning (20%).
<excellent... when in doubt do a
water change - agreed>
Is there anything else I can do to save my
tank???
<a few more large water changes in the next week
or two>
I took the anemone out and put it into a hospital tank to
see if it opens up again. If not I think it shall be the toilet for
him. My live rock looks ill as well (the mushrooms and zooanthids are
closed.) What happened during the temperature spike- The tank is
normally 78.3?? Did the temperature spike cause an ammonia bloom????
<more likely sudden oxygen deprivation>
Will a water change be
sufficient to bring this under control or am I S.O.L.??
<no worries... the tank can get right back on track. DO consider adding
a fan to the timer for the lights, or run full-time if needed. It also
would not be too expensive to add a fan to blow across the top of the
tank plugged into a thermostat>
Thanks for you time on this
matter. Russell Sacramento, CA
<best of luck! Anthony> The
Heat Is ON...All The Way ON! (Heater Too High)
Yesterday morning
I cleaned my tank, moving tubes around. The heater I have has the temp
dial housed with the plug that plugs into the wall, well moving things
around pushed the dial on the heater all the way up!
<Yikes!>
It
sat like that for about 8 hours reaching about 110 degrees, when I got
home, I quickly changed some water and had the temp down a few hours
after that! So, lets see, Flame Angle, Bubble tip anemone, cleaner
shrimp, feather dusters, Pseudochromis- DEAD. Mostly all of the turbo
snails and hermits died also.
<Sorry to hear that!>
The Tomato
Clown and Purple Tang are still alive! (clown is lonely without the
BTA). Bubble Coral and Toadstool fell apart. I have Mushroom Corals
(hairy/Bullseye), Button Polyps, Sally Lightfoot and a large clam (I
think still alive). My questions would be this, is the live rock ok. I
mean the bacteria that makes it live, will the tank need to be recycled?
<Good question. Bacteria are among the most hardy organisms on earth, so
it is likely that the majority of the population survived. However, do
monitor water quality to confirm this. You can always make use of a
commercial "bacteria in a bottle" product to help kick-start things if
needed.>
Will the tang and clown have problems?
<Hard to say. If
they made it this far, they should be able to survive. Keep an eye on
them!>
Is all the purple encrusted algae dead?
<Again- hard to
say...You will just have to maintain proper conditions and hope for the
best...>
Should I remove anything that would eventually be a
problem? I guess what should I do now, clean it up, let it sit for (how
long) then BUY A NEW HEATER, then add new fish. In other words how bad
is the aftermath? Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated
<You're on the right track here...Observation and upgraded husbandry are
the vehicles of choice here. It may not be as bad as you think. The
worst may be over. Monitor your fishes and water quality carefully here,
and stay on top of routine husbandry practices (water changes, protein
skimming, etc.). Continuous use of chemical filtration media (activated
carbon and/or PolyFilter, etc.) and a lot of patience will see you
through! Do get that new heater ASAP. Good luck! Regards, Scott F>
Mark Halatin
Water temp. 06/11/05
Hi, first just want
to say that I love your site. <<Thanks a bunch :)>>I'm having a water
temperature problem. Background: 75 gallon FOWLR, about 100 lbs. live
rock, 2 clowns, 1 blue tang, 1 yellow clown goby, 1 scooter blenny, 1
emerald crab,
several snails and hermit crabs, one anemone, one
mushroom. We've had the tank for about 1 year, and recently upgraded to
metal halide lamps in order to hopefully start getting some corals. They
are mounted on top of the canopy about 8 inches away from the top of the
tank. Even before the metals, the tank was never below 80-81 degrees
(with about 200 watts of fluorescents), but now its up to 85ish in the
daytime. At night it doesn't go below 81. I'm worried that this is too
hot. We live in South Carolina, and keep our house as cool as possible,
and the tank isn't by the window. Yesterday we hooked up a fan to blow
between the lights and the tank, but this today, the water is still
warm. By the way, we try to keep the lights on for 13-14 hours a day. Is
this too long maybe?
<< I would try the MHs for 8 to 9
hours. The corals that you are keeping do not require that long of a
light cycle so I would shorten the MHs to 8 hours and leave the actinics
where they are at. Also try having a fan blow across the top of the
water. You do not have the glass lid on top right? >>
Is there some
way to keep the water cooler? Thanks a lot for your
help. I hope
I've provided enough info. Tait <<Thanks for all your support :) EricS
>> Water temperature 06/08/05
I'm having some problems with
temperature in my salt water tank now that the hot weather has come. I
have a ceiling fan on in the room and windows open and tank lights
off. The tank temperature seems to stay around 87 F. I would like to
know if there's anyway to cool the tank down or is there just nothing I
can do?
<< You can setup a small computer fan to blow across the top
of the water. A sump is a great addition too because it helps to
naturally cool the tank. Some people have taken plastic zip-lock bags,
filled them with ice and floated the bag in the tank. Good luck EricS>>
- Tank Temperature Too High? -
Hello, I have a 39G FO tank with
one Cleaner Shrimp. The room that it is in is hot in the summer, and
moving it to another room is impossible. Anyway the tank seems to be
holding at about 86F. Is this too hot? <Well... it's on the high side of
what is sustainable, and considering that summer is isn't here yet,
you're going to run into problems if you don't try and bring that
temperature down.> If so what would you recommend to try to lower the
temperature short of buying a chiller?
<A fan blowing across the
surface of the water will help.> Also I plan to get live rock and
corals, etc.... in the near future if this temp is ok for the fish will
it ok for corals? <Will accelerate their metabolism and will result in
shorter life spans. In the case of the corals, almost certainly you will
need to get that temperature down by six degrees or more unless you only
want to keep them for a couple of weeks to months.> Thanks BTW I have a
Current-USA Lunar Aqualight.
<Cheers, J -- > Temperature
Problem
I have a newly cycled 100g corner FOWLR tank with 1
Yellow Tang, 1 Hippo Tang, and 2 Yellowtail Blue Damsels. I'm using
power compacts lights. The temperature is 79.5 during the day with the
lights off and 82 at night with the lights on. The lights are on for 5
hours each night. The heater is set to 77 and never comes on. I just
added a fan and it did not help. It seems like the lights are doing all
the heating and I can't bring it down. I also just started using my
protein skimmer. Does this increase the heat? My fish seem non affected.
Please help.
<Is this a wood canopy you have your lights and fan
mounted in? Pumps will increase the temperature of the tank slightly.
You might try blowing the air from the fan across the water and see if
that helps you. James (Salty Dog)> Fluorescent to MH blues...
too much heat, vacillation in temperature in a SW 55
Hello all,
I just purchased a new light for my 55 gallon reef tank. I went from a
compact fluorescent which was about 130watts total to a metal halide
system. I wanted to be able to get some of the cool corals. I already
have a few corals and they seemed to be doing alright with the other
light but figured they would love the new light. The new light is a
Current USA Outer Orbit fixture 48”. It has 1x150W 10K HQI-MH 1/ 2x130W
Dual Actinic & 6 Lunar Lights. I Have it mounted almost 13” over the
tank. The problem that I’m having is that the temperature in my tank has
sky rocketed. It’s usually 76-78 and since I have added the light it’s
gone up to 86 which I know is on the high end. The fish and the corals
seem to be doing alright but I don’t know what the long term effect will
be. I keep the AC in the house set at 70 and I still can’t get the
temperature down below 81. When the light comes on the temperature
climbs to 86 before the light goes out. Is the light too much for a 55
gallon tank?
<As it is, yes... you have too much thermal fluctuation
for health and safety's sakes>
I’ve looked into chillers and they're
so expensive. The light cost a fortune. Is there anything that I can do
to get the temperature down?
<A few things... evaporative cooling by
supplying fan/s to blow air across the surface would help... elevating
the light even more over the tank... adding more volume... in a BIG
sump/refugium elsewhere, that's tied in with the 55...>
What’s the
long term effect?
<Shortened life-spans for your livestock, big
electrical bills... all that goes along with these>
Set up is a 55
gallon tank set up in December 2004.
Filtration - Eheim Professional
II Canister filter up to 92 gallons.
Protein Skimmer - Aqua C Remora
with Mag Drive
Power heads - 2-600, 1 1200 Maxi Jet, 1 Zoo Med Power
sweep 228
Heating System - Hydor Eth 300 External Thermal heater
75 pounds of Fiji Live Rock,
60 LBS of Fiji Pink Aragonite Live
Sand.
Kent Marine Maxxima 35 Hi-S R/O / Deionizer 4 Stage Reverse
Osmosis Unit.
Current USA Outer Orbit Fixture – 48” 1x150W 10K
HQI-MH 1/ 2x130W Dual Actinic & 6 Lunar Lights
Inhabitants –
1.
Purple Tang
1. Blue Damsel
1. True & 1 False Percula
1.
Lawnmower Blenny
1. Dottyback Fridmani
1. Diamond Goby
1.
Branch Coral - Paralemnalia or Lemnalia Tree Corals, Finger Leather,
Branch, or Cauliflower Corals
1. Red Feather Star
1. Torch Coral
– (Brown) Large Polyp Stony
1. Red Star Fish
Misc. Hermit Crabs
Misc. Snails
<Bob Fenner> Tank temperature, Too Warm...
Bring Down Gradually with Chiller. 3/2/07
Dear Bob,
<Hi
Jason, Mich here.>
I have a 55-gallon reef tank that has a typical
temperature of 85 degrees.
<It's getting hot in here!>
I bought a chiller to reduce the temperature as well as protect the tank
when we lose power from hurricanes.
<A wise investment. Do you have
a back up generator?>
I have a bubble tip anemone with some feather
dusters, yellow tang, 2 percula, 1 tomato clown, coral beauty angel,
brittle star, flame scallop, urchin and some gobies.
<Oh
buoy! Watch that anemone, can cause big problems. The yellow tang
should really be kept in something over 75 gallons. The flame scallop
(Lima scabra) needs a large supply of plankton in order to survive...is
best to culture your own.>
I don't want to reduce the
temperature and hurt anything but I also know the temperature I have now
is too high.
<Yes. If the temperature has been consistently this
warm, I would bring the temp down very gradually over several days.>
Thanks for all your knowledge and help
<Welcome! -Mich>
Jason
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