I found my problem

hung · 02-01-2001, 09:06 PM

Well TRT I finally fiqured out why the last 4 peppermints died. I read that my PC would not give off any or little heat. Well I found out it was raising my tanks water almost 10 degrees (from 82 to around 92).

So i had to remove a heater and my water is about 81 degrees with the lights on and when the lights are off it goes down to around 78 degrees.
So i hope having my water down to 78 at night is ok, and then up to 81 during the day.

Hung

Raszagil · 02-01-2001, 09:18 PM

Hi hung...

Ouch, that sucks... I have the exact same problem with my reef when summer hits, my tank water is always around 85F to 87F during the day and falls to 82F at night....man I am going to need a fan.

Sorry about the pepperments....

Raz

Powrplay · 02-01-2001, 09:46 PM

Oh oh! I think I better reinstate my Hawk's reputation for being Peppermint Shrimp haters. Last summer I introduced about 7 of them in my 90 and most were found on the carpet within several days. Yes, it did get hot (87 degs) and it wasn't pretty. Sorry to hear about your shimps. A fan would help cool your tank, in turn increase water evap.

[This message has been edited by Powrplay (edited 02-01-2001).]

Doug1 · 02-01-2001, 10:38 PM

Hung, about those lights and heat. When you get more light out of a radiating area of a given size you get more heat as a byproduct.
Power compacts produce heat and so do icecap powered VHo. Metal Halide produces about the same amount of heat per watt but seems more intense because the radiating area is more concentrated. big lights on small tanks will always cause them to warm up unless the waste heat is gotten rid of, hence the fans usefullness. To avoid temp swings reset the heater to come on just below the typical daylight temp with lighting on.
I have the opposite problem, Even with 440 VHO on my 75 I still have to use 450 watts of heater to keep my tank at 80F and the fan isnt plugged in. My house doesnt have central heat on a thermostat and the woodstove isnt going during the day

On a brighter note the 3 pepps I added a while back are begining to come out and survey their seperate little domains

mAnd the pods and mini brittles are starting to show up ll over. Gawd I love this hobby

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I dont advocate holding marine creatures for ransom but......since you asked

Doug, plank owner

[This message has been edited by Doug1 (edited 02-02-2001).]

hung · 02-02-2001, 10:10 PM

Thanks DOug,
DOug you always have good advice to help me out.
Thanks all

Hung

bill-e · 02-03-2001, 10:07 AM

hung,

It wasnt the lights that caused the problem, it was the heater. As you stated, the lights are causing the tank to heat to 81 degrees, about a 3 degree increase by light heat only. so in order for your tank to get to 92, your heater had to stick on.

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Bill Esposito
bespo@cereal.mv.com
JAqua for the AquaController 2
http://cereal.mv.com/jaqua.html
My Reef Page
http://cereal.mv.com/reef
The box said "Use Win 95 or better", I chose better so I run OS/2!

Alice · 02-03-2001, 10:27 AM

Hung,

I know people who have used the same heaters for years and never had a problem. I, on the other hand, had two heater malfunctions in the last two years. One on a 10 gallon FW and one on my 17 gallon nano. The FW killed off three fish but the temp in the 17 got to over 100 and it wiped everything out but one snail, one hermit and one hitcher crab

It does happen.

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Reefkeeping is my life; I can't afford a hobby too!