keeping it cool

[ramoth41]

help-

have a 6g eclipse that is too hot any ideas on cooling it down?

We hav thought of drilling holes in the hood right on the lites to let the heat escapre but not sure if that is enough. a chiller would be great but thats to expensive(tho no one makes on that small). Any ideas?

sarah

ramoth41

[lizbeth]

Some vent holes would be good. You can add a small computer fan with a 12 volt adapter. Do a search with the word fan, you'll come up with all kinds of ideas.

[Djm9288]

Do you just have the light it came with, or did u retrofit it?

[ramoth41]

the hood and lights are the original haven't got new lights for it. still looking for a good retro any help non that front would be great too!

[Spencerx]

try raising the lights up off the water a couple inches to allow for air circulation. Then maybe get a fan and use it if that doesnt work. just my .02

[STUMP]

What is the temperature you are striving for?

 

I ask because I have a 6 gal eclipse on my desk at work with (2) 13 watt AHS www.ahsupply.com retro PC's, and my tank is easy to keep at 80.5 degrees. Infact my Won heater comes on every now and then through the day to keep the temp up that much.

 

I did however, cut out a few cooling vent holes in the hood with the Dremel. I used the small plastic pop outs from AHS. I put (3) in the hood right above the lights, and (1) on each side of the hood directly across from the lights. I basically saw this site: ( www.turetsky.org/nanoreef ) last year and decided I liked what he did with the 6 gallon Eclipse and did it to the one I aquired in my office Christmas gift trading game ;-)

 

I also have a small Radio Shack 12v fan hooked into the back of the hood. This fan is not used at all. I didn't even need to install it. I thought at one time I was having some heat problems, so I installed it over the large hole in the back next to the Eclipse filter system. Well, my heat problem ended up being nothing more than just my digital thermometer going belly up on it's readings. Fan has never been turned on again. Thank goodness, evaporation was crazy with that fan going.

 

As far as upgrading your lights, the (2) 13 watt pc retro is very easy, and looks great, and my frogspawn and torch have done very well under them. You can get the 13 watters from AHS, or www.hellolights.com . I think right now AHS only has the 50/50 bulbs, where at Hellolights you can get a true actinic bulb and a 6500 bulb. Just depends on what you want. My setup has been going since about this exact time last year, no problems at all with the lighting. Just wish these little tanks didn't scratch so easy.

 

HTH

[ramoth41]

thanks for the ideas! actually we had thought of drilling the holes in the hood last night! glad to see we are on the right track! i knew there was a place to get the lights just hadn't been there yet! Right now the tank is about 82 the buttons dont seem to mind but the little leather isn't to happy. also housed in there is a tiny rainsford goby, tiny yellow nosed goby, one peppermint shrimp, and a red legged hermit. I put the shrimp in because there is a rather large aptiasa (sp) but as of yet the shrimp hasn't even looked at it!! the one thing I did notice tho- the shrimp and the yellow nose are kinda playin at being a watchman pair!! really funny! the goby isn't a watchman but he seems to like the job!!

thanks again for the info every one and any other ideas you might come up with! always looking for more!!

oh stumph haven't scratched it yet! (notice i say yet). I got this for christmas this year!! we have good freinds huh!!!!!

sarah