will 2 400 w MH over heat my 135g

[jwils27]

i am going to buy a 4 ft hamilton MH retro fit for my tank. will it over heat my 135 g tank?there are 2 400 w MH 20K with 2 VHO110w i think. if i can mount the ballast out side of the stand i think it will help. what do ya'll think

 

[wbholwell]

What temp does your tank run at now, and how often does your heater come on? Oh, and what size is your heater, and do you have a fan over your tank or sump?

 

[jwils27]

around 79 and my sump heater is on pretty often but the tank one is not. 2 400 W hydors. no fans curretly but i dont have MHs on now

 

[rhomer]

You will see the temp rise a bunch. I have 2 250's on my 90 with 100 gallons of water in the basement (constant 68 degrees), and my chiller is kicking on quite a bit lately. Even during the winter prior to me putting the sump in the basement the water temp was up around 83. I've got 2 very good fans on my hood as well that run while my lights are on.

Rob

 

[jetchris]

I have a 1/10 horsepower chiller on my 90g with 2 250 mh and chiller works hard my tank stays around 80, so i would invest in a chiller they are expensive so that makes it suck!

 

[wbholwell]

You could always give T5's a try. I'd recommend the new TEK reflectors

 

[cameron]

Add fans and keep your house cool and I think you will be OK. Add a chiller if you want to be really safe. Otherwise switch to T5s or LEDs if you have the money.

 

[xyzpdq0121]

I can not belive how much of a difference adding a $8 walmart clip fan to my fuge has helped out. With my 55 gal running 2 175 halides the temp was getting up to 85 or so. I started the morning at 79.4 and am at 81.2 at 4:00pm. The fan just kicked on at 81 so it should not go over that by much today. So $300 chiller or $8 fan, you take your pick!

 

[chicagoman_35]

Hey Jake,
you change your mind on my lights?

 

[justonemoretank]

The fans that I have (one big one running over the sump and two smallish ones running in the hood) run off my ACJr Controller. They work well to keep the tank temperature in check. However they really make my house pretty humid. Uggh! My wife and I are pretty cheap and havent run the AC yet and it is pretty warm and humid in the house because the tank is trying to keep cool.
Just something to think about. Fans do work (that is what I am using currently) but at a certain cost to the comfort of the room that the fan is operating in.

 

[rhomer]

One thing that will make the ac unit work more efficiently is a dehumidifier as well.

Rob

 

[judochop]

Once I start my 2 400W MHs I am afraid I will have heat issues as well. There are two AC ducts that run over my tank. I am thinking of breaking into them and having them split to where the blow directly on my main tank surface and into the sump area. Do you think that would cause any problems? I will be able to cut them off during the winter when the heat kicks on.

 

[wbholwell]

judochop;38630 wrote: There are two AC ducts that run over my tank. I am thinking of breaking into them and having them split to where the blow directly on my main tank surface and into the sump area.

I don't know- have you ever seen the stuff that builds up in duct work? Maybe you could add a filter upstream somehow.

 

[washowi]

I have 2 - 400's on my 90....for over a year. tank stays at about 80

 

[ouling]

135 total volume of water. 400w X 2 of lights, 10 hour photo period, 1/4 hours power chiller to cool it down. Oh yea, my lights are 14'' off the water with no lid and fans. no chiller just fan and no lid = 86 - 90 degrees

 

[wbholwell]

Man- is anything still alive?

 

[ouling]

oh yea, thats why i have the chiller, it cools it down to 82-83 with no problem, i'm just mean what the temp would be like with no high price chiller.