how to bring my temp down

[[d]3v|L]

yoyo just signed up. got a very big problem. just set up my marine tank and my tank tempt cant go down. its 29 degree and i badly want to keep a few corals... cos my tank is outside the door it can receive good natural sunlight [not direct] and got 2 tube 1 for marine. so how to bring the temp down to bout 27 ????? i don wanna buy a chiller. can powerhead do the job ??

[schnauzer]

Hi,

For my 2ft tank the temp is 29oC to 31.8oC ,but the coral does not die .

i ever read a book that say some coral can tolerate high temp some dun so i think may be my does. hee hee ( cross finger)

[Tanzy]

Mr PCK,

Powerheads only move water around and will actually add heat to the water.

What you need is to increase evaporation by using fans, but this will cause fluctuations in salinity and you will need to top up water more.

In Singapore, the only way to bring the water temperature down and keep it constant is by using a chiller or aircon.

Some corals can tolerate higher temperatures, but they may be more susceptible to infections.

[ep4546]

try putting your power a bit 45deg up to the surface causing wave on the surface to bring it more cool air it may brng your temp down a bit and of couse the best will be using a chiller or in aircon as what tanzy say

[[d]3v|L]

yoyoyo, my temp had gone down to 27.5! by adding ice.. i think it works cos yesterday i add ice the temp do down today still the same but go up 0.2 de. schaunzer ur tank is absolutely beautiful. what corals are they? sorry man the chiller too ex for me cos i still young my father don allow unless he win 5k. v funny tt time i place the tank on tt v day he strike 4d. kk skip tt. i got 4 ac fans i think it sucks.. the brand ocean free. y is it bad? when at nite i go down take thing eat i notice the fan not working. then i move the wire abit then the motor continue.. corals tt can tahan high temp? can let me know wat kind is that?

[Morgan]

3v|L,Dec 6 2002, 10:37 AM]yoyoyo, my temp had gone down to 27.5! by adding ice.. i think it works cos yesterday i add ice the temp do down today still the same but go up 0.2 de.

continue.. corals tt can tahan high temp? can let me know wat kind is that?

[d]3v|L

There is no corals that can tahan high temp. <_<

Monitor your temp, if it hit 34C you will see the coral melt before your eyes.

Adding ice is only temporary measure and not practical.

It is diffcuilt to maintain hard corals for long if your temp is around 30C constant.

BTW corals require a very stable enviroment and plenty of light for photosynthesis.

[[d]3v|L]

my tank highest temp is 29. can? cos its outside the porch it will receive some natural sunligh+my 2 FL light.[don worry no direct sunlight for nuinsance algae]

[Morgan]

What is your temp fluctuation every day?

Between 29C and ..................

BTW this time of the year, it raining season so the water temp is lower,

When the middle of the year comes around you'll see your temp soar...........

[Tanzy]

Ay PCK,

Listen to Morgan. He has an outdoor tank!

I don't get it when you say it receives natural sunlight but not direct sunlight. If it is not direct sunlight then the amount of light contributed by the sun to your tank is negligible.

[[d]3v|L]

my tempt don fluctuate alot.. cos the water mass is big.. today go to pasir farm the reef world. tempted to buy coral n fish but don 1 cos still cycling. but can i add a damsel? the uncle tell me the best is not after 2 week then add. wait 2 week so sian then add add simi cannot add a lot at a time and must wait 1 week add then repeat. wait until holiday over and sian go school ar. btw my ammonia is 0. nitrite a bit. running out of marine test kit. when can i start adding my stuff?

[Morgan]

3v|L,Dec 6 2002, 09:08 PM]my tempt don fluctuate alot.. cos the water mass is big..

btw my ammonia is 0. nitrite a bit. running out of marine test kit. when can i start adding my stuff?

PCK

What do you mean the water mass is big?

What is your tank size?

As long as there is a reading for nitrite, it is not save to add fish.

Corals cannot tolerate nitrite. They will die.

You have no choice but to wait till your tank is cycled.

[Cedric]

Hi [d]3v|L, please dun get a damsel for cycling! If it is your intention to get a damsel for cycling, I suggest not coz its not very fair to the poor fish! If I got your intentions wrong, please forgive me and forget what I said.

Cheers!

[[d]3v|L]

hehehe i oso think so. my ammonia nitrite and nitrate all 0 leh. can add liao? cos i use aqumedi biobacta. 1 to use live rock to cycle my tank but couldnt find any. u all know where got sell except pasir ris [out of stock]? ya my alkalinity is high how do i bring it down

[Tanzy]

Mr PCK,

What did you cycle the tank with then? If freshly mixed seawater is added to the tank, naturally, the ammonia and nitrite will be zero. What is your source of nitrogen?

LR is used to cycle tanks because they have an amount of 'die-off' on them that can provide a source of nitrogen to feed the nitrifying bacteria.

[[d]3v|L]

no more 0 liao. nitrate nitrite ammonia all detected today. maybe those fly tt drowned helped.. added 3 piece of shrimp inside. eh so how long should i wait ?

[Tanzy]

Wait as long as it takes.

Test the water every 2 or 3 days until you see the ammonia and nitrite go up and then down to zero followed by an increase in nitrate. That's when it is ready.

[[d]3v|L]

hey can i add coral banded or pistol shrimp inside my tank first? cos i see phang did tt ...

[Tanzy]

I suppose Mr Phang has his reasons which I will not comment on. Furthermore, I do not wish to go into a great discourse on the sanctity of life for the fear that it may bore the average reader to sleep.

I won't recommend that you do the same.

[[d]3v|L]

heh ok..

[Tanzy]

BTW, you are posting these questions in the wrong forum. I personally don't mind but I don't know if other reefers want to go over these topic in this forum. You do sound like a beginner, forgive me if I am wrong, there's an appropriate forum for that.

[[d]3v|L]

should had posted this topic in the beginer column. so wat if im a beginer? we all start from beginer then go to more advance wat. btw wat r u trying to tell me posting tt pic huh?

[Tanzy]

Hey Mr PCK,

Don't get too edgy. It's just a regular advice. It's for easier referencing later.

Lighten up and get some humour in your life or is it too much angst?

[[d]3v|L]

enlightened by u. ok i will wait at least 1 and a half week. shopping for LRs and changing 1 of my white FT to marine white tomorow.

[bawater]

[d]3v|L- wrong thread, but

From what i gather- u have a 3ftx1.5x1.5(36"x18"x18") without sump 6mm glass tank?- so it would be external filtration?

2x 30w FL(1x white & 1 x acitinic)?

Your volume is 191 ltrs or 50gal FULL. Counting LR & sand water displacement would give u 152 ltr or 40gal.

u started whole setup on the 2nd dec?last week?

You are right to say that everyone has to start somewhere...but do it the right way so its back to BMT on this one(Basic Marine Training)

- Becareful of how much LR u stack in your tank,6mm is very thin.

- Your lighting is enough for fish & macroalgae.....& very very very low lighting corals - the brown colouration mushrooms,or sun corals(with supplementation feedings).ONLY WHEN the tank is cycled.

- Your tank has not cycled, 1 piece of prawn is enough(3 pieces will rot &

water quality will spiral down).

you should not see the peaks till the 2nd week(ard 14days later-

u should see a slight rise in nirites,this should be zero in an establised tank). i would even guess that your filter has not even established yet.

The bacteria needs abt 2-3weeks to get a foothold. ceramic is fine.

The final peak u should look out for is the rise in nitrates, then your tank has finished cycling.-if all goes well by the third week. A month would be better.(then u would need to look into the nitrate level,hopefully by your deep sand bed or a partial water change)

- u cannot compare the situation to phang's, he did a transfer(from one exsisting to another) & the only new thing was the tank so minimal stress created to its inhabitants.

- Your alkalinity is the least of your worries now- it will settle out once the tank gets going.

- unless u are getting direct sunlight into your tank-its not doing much good. Your tank volume is not high enough to dissipate the heat from the sun & everything will cook. i understand what u mean by not direct sun(enough light to view), that's why i say its not enough light for corals.

Reefworld does that in koi tubs cause its just holding corals for transhipment to other countries or LFS. ASK to view his showroom & see how they actually keep em.

only way now for temp is using AC fans(using evaporation to cool) or a chiller. ADDING ice directly is only a temporary solution- it keeps temp down for 4-6hrs(2x 2ltr ice cream tubs will cool your 3ft from 29c to 26c in 20mins) & once u add fish and invertebrates u have to becareful of this method.(the same amount of ice will cool 8gal to 23c)

do a little reading on the nitrogen cycle while u r waiting to cycle- there are so many articles,& there are sooo many topics to cover & u can never read enough. Welcome to marine

[Phang]

3v|L,Dec 7 2002, 07:35 PM]hey can i add coral banded or pistol shrimp inside my tank first? cos i see phang did tt ...

Hi d3v|l,

Sorry for miscommunication that lead to a few wronf assumptions...

Firstly, although those pistols are considered to be rather tough invertebrates, I would not recommend that you follow me in the cycling approach...

As with reference to Bawater's comments, my current setup was completed through the transfer of a already establish system which I had previously, so no casualties were incurred..... which if you would to follow as a starting reefer will result in circumstances that you would most likely want to avoid...

And even with that, I gave a short period of stabilisation before proceeding on to what I have today......

Very sorry that my previous thread had caused some misconception.....

All the best to your reef...

Please do heed the advise from the others....like Tanzy and Bawater..

It will save you many heartaches...