Tank Too Hot...Why!?!?!?!?

[Dean]

Hi All,

I have a 35g hex that has been setup for 6 weeks or so. Currently 3 damsels in there. It has no heater, 3 PHs one MJ 1200 to run the Remora skimmer and 2 MJ 600s for circulation. It has a 12" NO strip light and thats it. Its consistently 5.5 deg hotter than the outside temp. Why? I didn't think PHs gave off heat. I need this tank at 76-78 degrees as its for an octupus Im getting.
Any ideas?

Thanks!
Dean

 

[Anonymous]

PHs can add considerable heat to the water, especially having 3 in a relatively small tank. The only PH I use is to mix new salt water, and a 5 gal batch is surprisingly warm after having the PH in there for 24 hrs or so.

If you need to keep your temp that low to accommodate a ceph, a chiller may be in order.

 

[cmc1]

Is the top open or close, do you have a canopy? Leave the top open if otherwise and/or place a small fan inside the canopy if you have one

 

[reefland]

Powerheads with an octopus sounds like a bad idea to me. And an open top will likely not be an acceptable solution either. They are known for getting out of tanks. If the beak will fit in an opening the rest of the animal will fit.

 

[jamesw]

I second that. Powerheads are no good - especially for an octopus tank. I think the recommendation is an external canister filter with screen over the intake. Someone had an octo climb up into the intake pipe!!!

When you think about it, a 35watt powerhead dumps 35 watts of heat into your tank. Powerheads get hot when they run, just like any motor - so some heat comes out there. The rest is in the form of fluid velocity energy. Through turbulence, this is actually converted to heat eventually.

HTH
James