Seattle to hot 90º this week

[windwaterwaves]

Tooo HOT

Ok, I have to admit I panicked a bit when it hit 85.3 last night and my lionfish was going ape with no lights on for hours..

This morning after a full night of cooling and fans still 83.9, so I chucked a block of ice in the sump, it needed fresh water anyway, albeit not ro/di.

Temp now down to about 81...

Freezing some ro/di and cold packs in ziplock..

 

[jezzeaepi]

If you are turning off your ights for an extended period of time, make sure to closely monitor your alkalinity. With the lights off, the corals wont be growing and using alk, so whatever method you are using to dose, will cause your levels to climb to possibly unsafe levels. I had to make some adjustments this morning because I was already 1.5dkh higher then normal.

 

[roscoe]

If you are turning off your ights for an extended period of time, make sure to closely monitor your alkalinity. With the lights off, the corals wont be growing and using alk, so whatever method you are using to dose, will cause your levels to climb to possibly unsafe levels. I had to make some adjustments this morning because I was already 1.5dkh higher then normal.

Great point. Would the actinic PCs be enough light to keep the alk stable?

 

[gas4544]

Great point. Would the actinic PCs be enough light to keep the alk stable?

I imagine that it depends on your individual tank. You could test your water more frequently during this heat wave.

 

[roscoe]

I imagine that it depends on your individual tank. You could test your water more frequently during this heat wave.

Test?:lol::lol::lol: You make me laugh:lol::lol:. I hate doing test! I test my tank like once every quarter if that. I tend to mess with the tank to much when I test.:eek2:

 

[Myteemouse]

I have the chiller outside now but GOSH IT'S HOT.

 

[makeme1098]

how long can I go with out turning the lights on? I'm on my 2nd day and it looks like I might have to 2 more days.

 

[lizardarm]

I guess it really depends on what's in your tank. I've left my lights off for four days straight once and had no ill effects, and I've got light lovers in mine. You could try just turning them on for a couple hours in the morn before it gets too hot?

 

[jezzeaepi]

I think 4 days would be the limit I would feel safe with. I have heard of people having serious problems when going as long as 7 days. I think it was Hugo who had a 300 gallon tank in LA during the big power crisis. He was able to get enough power to chill his tank and run his pumps, but he couldn't power his lights and after 7 days his tank was in a serious state of death. There was other contributing factors though. I know he was without power completely for at least a little while, so there was more then just the light issue that caused his tank death.

 

[Myteemouse]

I agree
run your lights for just 2-3 hours in the morning like 5 am to 8 am then just let it ride..
It wil be fine
I know a guy who turned his lights off for 3-4 days in a battle with some algae and his corals (sps) were fine!
'
Sorry if my typein g is bad I got off early today and Heat + lots of alcohol is a funny mixz!

 

[makeme1098]

Ok, I think I will turn the lights on later tonight. Good thing, I came across this thread.
Now, I know that I shouldn't dose my tank with Alk when you keep the lights off.

 

[jmwooden]

Homemade chiller - i posted this on another thread, thought I would put it here too
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Found this link yesterday on making a homemade chiller using a small fridge:
http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/diy...ychiller_2.htm

One mod is to substitute a cooler filled with ice instead of the fridge. I just got tubing from Lowes. The plan is to run water from the sump through the ice-packed cooler and back to the sump.

 

[Myteemouse]

I've thought of that exact thing before without this thread..
Thanks for the link!!

I will not be using this method but
I actually thought a small FREEZER would work even more efficiently ..
If the water keeps moving it wont freeze

 

[gloo]

Here are some DIY air conditioners you can make for cheaps;

http://www.gmilburn.ca/2005/06/14/homebrew-air-conditioning/

 

[roscoe]

Holy crappers I just got home. I was on Canyon Rd. in Puyallup and my car temp registered 115 f*^*&^()g degrees!!!!! It is 90 degrees in the house and both my tank is at 82 degrees. I was worried about coming home to a cooked tank. I am releived to see that both tanks is at 82degrees.

 

[NC2WA]

inside of my house is 87 and that is with a 12,000 BTU A/C portable unit...we have two skylights that let in alot of heat...BUT my tank is in the garage and is only 83.7 with lights out for 1 hour, am i not turning on the actinics until the wkend..all corals and fish look fine..

i've gotten the "I want central a/c in the house" speech from my wife once than once so far.

 

[edwing206]

i've gotten the "I want central a/c in the house" speech from my wife once than once so far.

That's a good thing, if the wife wants it, then it means "go for it" lol.

 

[jezzeaepi]

man.. Its over 90 in my apt still...

 

[sgwill122]

I have an alternate green cooling method which I did not plan for. My drain on my tank room floor is tied into the house gutter drain line which skirts the house foundation 2-3 feet deep. When I tied the drain into the gutter line I failed to put in a trap to prevent air from flowing up from the drain line into the room. When the bathroom fan controlled by a thermostat kicks on it really pulls cold air through the drain and keeps the room cool. Not sure how someone would take advantage of this cold air unless they had a dedicated tank room. Another source of cooling I am using is the cold air under my house, when the tank hits 80 degrees I have a 4" hole drilled into my crawl space with a computer fan which kicks on and pushes cool air into the room. I run 1000W of lighting and my tank topped out at 80.7 tonight.

 

[mfinn]

One of the best chunks of money I ever spent,, heatpump with ac.