Does your RSM run without a chiller?

[metrokat]

Hello, with summer approaching I was wondering if anyone has been successful at keeping a Red Sea Max without a chiller? If yes, how have you managed to keep temperatures steady?

 

I have a 130D and am running stock lights with a supplement panorama PRO that is on for 4 hours daily.

 

Thanks

[thadscottmoore]

run mine without a chiller! of course, its open top now with LED lights.... temps stay about 77-78

[metrokat]

thanks, so when it still had a hood, what did your temp stay at?

[metrokat]

bump

[metrokat]

bump

[androidx1]

[From my experience, you will need to add the optional fan that mounts in the back. just hook it up to a timer and make sure it goes on when the lights go on. You will notice some more evaporation so you will have to account for this. Also make sure your fan in the hood (on the side is working properly).

 

If you have air conditioning and keep your room around 75 or lower and you are not running extra pumps, you should be able to keep it at 76~78F. However, if your room gets warm, you are going to start to have problems I beleive.

 

That said, my tank is in my basement, and right now its pretty cool down there....but in the last couple of days, I have been experiencing elevated temps for some unkown reason. So im now having temp problems and my basement is pretty cool at this time......

 

In any event, I have been running my tank for about a year now without a chiller, and have not really had any problems (at least until recently) since adding the optional fan in the back).

 

So I guess the bottom line is - as long as you have air conditioning you should theoretically be ok without a chiller. If you dont have air conditioning then I think you will be getting into some problems with heat and may need the chiller. From my experience anyway........

[metrokat]

Yeah I read your post about the elevated temp, my tank is in an area of my apartment which has pretty steady temperature but the tank is running hot. I do have the optional fan running 24/7.

[androidx1]

you probabaly should be ok as long as its in a area with controlled enviornment, and you dont have problems like I am now experiencing for some unkown reason.

 

But if you do experience high temps, instead of buying a chiller which is pretty expensive and not so cheap to run, I would look at changing your lights over to LED's.

 

I am in the middle of an LED build right now, and one of the reasons I am switching is for the reduced amount of heat that the LED's throw into the tank. The heat in the LED's is on the back of the heat sink so it will be removed from the hood via the side fans. So I beleive the tank will see less heat.

 

Plus with the LED's you should theoretically be able to keep more kinds of SPS (Acro's) and Clams.

 

Right now with the standard lights, I have had success with only the following SPS:

1. Monti's (growth and color good)

2. Pocilipora's (spelling? growth and color good)

3. birdsnest (grows good but color is not good)

4. Bird of paradise (looks like a pocilipora but pollups are purple and the body is yellow)-growth and color good

5. Milli - growth slow and color not so good.

 

Mike

[metrokat]

I've got an ecoxotic panorama PRO already running witht he stock lights and also a stunner strip. Will be adding another PRO as well. I plan to run both T5s and LED's to get the best of both worlds. My SPS came back to life in the RSM under those T5's I'm not giving that up!

 

Good color and growth:

Montiporas, Lepastrea, pocillapora, birdsnest, digitata, zoanthids, palys, photosynthetic gorgonians, macros, favia, green millie, bali green slimer, sun corals, acan echinata.

 

Looks happy:

Kenya tree, frogspawn, duncan

 

Jury is out:

open brain, cephastrea,

[metrokat]

Bump for RSM owners

[metrokat]

bumping for more replies

[AMAYEU]

Old RSM 130 mixed reef.

Lights: DIY rapidled kit.

Equipment: stock return, tunze 9002, mp10, k1, TLF reactor w/cheapo pump, 50w heater

 

Local weather temps: 75-40. I only make sure the tank is heated and not trying to cool down.

 

Suggestion: Consistent house temp, AC. Upgrading fans.

 

Experimental Solution: If your temp is high with house temps consistent, try turning off the heater and see if its the equipment creating heat by a maintained high temp. If not then it may be your heater, with a reverse scenario. To pinpoint a specific piece of hardware, logically turn off/on to determine cause.

 

Or just throw RO/DI ice cubes into the tank as ATO during the summer months. LOL.

[metrokat]

Thanks. I have been throwing the ice cubes in there. Yesterday it went up to 81.2/ I shut off the heater last night (Jaeger and brand new), today it is at 79.5 but it is also cooler outside.

[Deepseamatt]

Hello, with summer approaching I was wondering if anyone has been successful at keeping a Red Sea Max without a chiller? If yes, how have you managed to keep temperatures steady?

 

I have a 130D and am running stock lights with a supplement panorama PRO that is on for 4 hours daily.

 

Thanks

I have a chiller and although I paid $400 for it I'm so happy that I don't have to stress about my temp

[metrokat]

So I discovered that blowing a clip on fan at the front opening of the hood keeps the water down a degree or two. Looking for more solutions.

[AMAYEU]

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So I discovered that blowing a clip on fan at the front opening of the hood keeps the water down a degree or two. Looking for more solutions.

 

Keep in mind evaporation and needing to top off more.

[metrokat]

ya, I have to set up my ATO too

[el fabuloso]

I have never been successful with running my RSM without a chiller in the summer. Finally got one and it made all the difference.

[metrokat]

I'm going to see if I can get the fan to keep the heat at bay. With a Midas blenny in the tank now, I can't afford to leave the lid open.