Outdoor frag tank?

[Vaideen]

It's summer now in Australia and I want to set up a frag tank (which has nothing to do with it being summer) to sell what excess coral I may get. In the daytime, it gets very hot, sometimes over 40 degrees (100+ degrees Fahrenheit), too hot for a heater to be required. On the other hand, the spot where I wanna place my frag tank (which is actually a 10 gallon plastic container and around 7 inches deep) gets a few hours of sunlight in the morning and would be an ideal light source for growing corals.

 

So what I propose is that the tank relies on heat from the ambient temperature, with a heater being used to heat the tank when the temperature drops at night, while during the daytime, I use a fan to keep the temperature from going too high (the water is around 30 degrees during the day, even with a powerhead running).

 

Thoughts?

[WV Reefer]

1 hour ago, Vaideen said:

It's summer now in Australia and I want to set up a frag tank (which has nothing to do with it being summer) to sell what excess coral I may get. In the daytime, it gets very hot, sometimes over 40 degrees (100+ degrees Fahrenheit), too hot for a heater to be required. On the other hand, the spot where I wanna place my frag tank (which is actually a 10 gallon plastic container and around 7 inches deep) gets a few hours of sunlight in the morning and would be an ideal light source for growing corals.

 

So what I propose is that the tank relies on heat from the ambient temperature, with a heater being used to heat the tank when the temperature drops at night, while during the daytime, I use a fan to keep the temperature from going too high (the water is around 30 degrees during the day, even with a powerhead running).

 

Thoughts?

I’ve seen lots of outdoor reefs but thats still pretty warm. Do you think you can keep the temp consistent enough? 

[Vaideen]

Well in theory, the heater would keep the temperature from falling, and the fan would keep the temperature from rising, so....... maybe? It'll be interesting to test with a thermometer.

[WV Reefer]

4 minutes ago, Vaideen said:

Well in theory, the heater would keep the temperature from falling, and the fan would keep the temperature from rising, so....... maybe? It'll be interesting to test with a thermometer.

The only way to know for sure is to just set it up! I’m curious.  😃

[jedimasterben]

You'll need a lot of evaporative cooling, or would need a reliable chiller.

[Vaideen]

2 minutes ago, WV Reefer said:

The only way to know for sure is to just set it up! I’m curious.  😃

Looks like I need to get myself a thermometer then!

1 minute ago, jedimasterben said:

You'll need a lot of evaporative cooling, or would need a reliable chiller.

Evaporative cooling?

[WV Reefer]

23 minutes ago, Vaideen said:

Looks like I need to get myself a thermometer then!

Evaporative cooling?

Fancy word for fan. 🙂

[Vaideen]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh

 

Yeah I have that, haha

[patback]

Just keep in mind the more evaporative cooling you rely on, the more evaporation.  

I'm also not convinced you can depend on it for that much of a drop (20* f)

 

It will be ALOT of topping off.  What's your humidity levels?  Im assuming your on a coast somewhere and are pretty humid?

[jedimasterben]

2 minutes ago, patback said:

Just keep in mind the more evaporative cooling you rely on, the more evaporation.  

I'm also not convinced you can depend on it for that much of a drop (20* f)

 

It will be ALOT of topping off.  What's your humidity levels?  Im assuming your on a coast somewhere and are pretty humid?

A 20F drop really isn't an issue with evap cooling, but it will take a ton of airflow across a flat surface to achieve.

[patback]

1 minute ago, jedimasterben said:

A 20F drop really isn't an issue with evap cooling, but it will take a ton of airflow across a flat surface to achieve.

Depending on where he actually lives, Australia temp/humidity makes florida feel like a cool autumn day though. 

I'm convinced I wasnt sweating in australia... I was collecting water droplets from the air. Lol.

You would also need to account for not only the ambient temp difference, but the localized heat from the sun light when it is directly on the tank.  

[Vaideen]

19 minutes ago, patback said:

Just keep in mind the more evaporative cooling you rely on, the more evaporation.  

I'm also not convinced you can depend on it for that much of a drop (20* f)

 

It will be ALOT of topping off.  What's your humidity levels?  Im assuming your on a coast somewhere and are pretty humid?

I can deal with the Evap with an ATO, just a float valve and some RO water.

14 minutes ago, jedimasterben said:

A 20F drop really isn't an issue with evap cooling, but it will take a ton of airflow across a flat surface to achieve.

 

8 minutes ago, patback said:

Depending on where he actually lives, Australia temp/humidity makes florida feel like a cool autumn day though. 

I'm convinced I wasnt sweating in australia... I was collecting water droplets from the air. Lol.

You would also need to account for not only the ambient temp difference, but the localized heat from the sun light when it is directly on the tank.  

I live in Mediterranean climate, hot dry summers and cold wet winters. Right now, it's actually pretty arid, not humid, but I think it is quite humid up north in the tropical areas.

[patback]

Just now, Vaideen said:

I can deal with the Evap with an ATO, just a float valve and some RO water.

 

I live in Mediterranean climate, hot dry summers and cold wet winters. Right now, it's actually pretty arid, not humid, but I think it is quite humid up north in the tropical areas.

Ahh, okay. 

I stayed in Cairns my whole trip with only 1 day in Melbourne.  Beautiful, but hot and humid.  

I hope you can prove me wrong.  I say give it a try and see how stable the temps stay. 

[Vaideen]

Yup I second that, Cairns is beautiful.

 

Cairns' climate differs from down here in Perth, which is more arid but probably equally hot.

 

But yeah, I'll give it a go and see how wildly the temperatures swing, with a fan and heater.