Has anyone tried these fans?

[Jadinop]

There is some increase in metabolism at higher temps but I don't see that causing an abundance of algae by itself. Algae simply needs food and light to grow. Since you obviously need light in a reef tank the only alternative is to remove the excess nutrients.

[czieler]

So.. after spending $55 on these fans.. I went to walmart.. stuck a $7 clip on fan on the sump.. and temp is stable at 81.5.

I'm thinking I should have just purchased a $7 clip on fan for the canopy as well..instead of wasting my money on these...

So in other words.... my official opinion on these fans is that... a $7 clip on fan will do the same job.. it just doesn't look as pretty ...

[mpdharley]

If you can do it, go topless. My 330g tank is topless and with 3 400 watt MH lights that are on for 10 hours and I keep my house at 78 during the day. My chiller isn't even hooked up and my tank temp ranges from 79 to 81 degrees.

My full setup is this:

- 3 400 watt MH lights that are 12 1/2 inches from the water
- Lights are suspended from the ceiling in an open topped box (4 sides, no top, no bottom)
- There is a ceiling fan above the tank that is on when the lights are on.
- The lights are on for 10 hours, from 3pm to 1am
- The house is at 78 degrees until about 5pm when I take it down to 75, then down to 73 at 9pm.
- Other than the ceiling fan, I don't have any fans on the tank

I had the chiller hooked up last summer, but it never came on, so I unhooked it. I know this type of setup isn't possible for everyone, but if you can do it, you may be able to run without a chiller, or if nothing else, with the chiller running less.

[czieler]

Yeah.. I thought about topless.. but I'd have to buy all new lights..and by the time I do that.. I may as well get a chiller

Plus the tank is right next to our picture window in the front of the house..and if we went topless..everyone would probably think we were growing something in the house from the glow you'd be able to see down the street ... LOL

I should probably run my lights less.. I have them on 9:30 am - 9:30 pm now...

The temperature has been pretty stable since adding the last fan on the sump...although I need to locate my thermometer tonite.. my sea urchin took it for a ride somewhere ... I'm sure it's stuck in a rock or something...

[mpdharley]

True, that glow can make people wonder. I've had people ask me, and I just smile :-)

On the lights, why would you have to buy new? I simply built a holder to hold my 3 bulbs with and the Lumenarc reflectors

[czieler]

It's the focal point of my living room.. if we went for no top.. I'd want to do some sort of pendant hanging from the vaulted ceilings... something like the solana light or something would look ok...