ways to keep resevoir at good temp

grapeoptimo said:

im trying to think of a way to maintain 60-75 degrees in my res! i have frozen some RO water in dixie cups i was thinking of putting them in would it be safe or should i float the cups in the res? ideas help they are getting too warm

Click to expand...

High grape.. you arent saying how big your res is (at least I don't remember seeing it) or how big your budget is but my res is 17 gals and this chiller:

IceProbe Chiller: Aquarium Supplies - Aqua Buys

keeps my res at 66 ambient is 72ish. $104! (the controller isnt necessary, unless your res is ??? 1-5 gals).....
I just bought a backup one, just in case.
One has to drill a 1.25 inch hole in the res though.
I've had no problems, even moving it from one res to another...
when they are empty of course! LOL!!!!!!

Hope this helps.

4maggio said:

keeps my res at 66 ambient is 72ish. $104! (the controller isnt necessary, unless your res is ??? 1-5 gals).....
I just bought a backup one, just in case.
One has to drill a 1.25 inch hole in the res though.
I've had no problems, even moving it from one res to another...
when they are empty of course! LOL!!!!!!

Hope this helps.

Click to expand...

Do you have any insulation around your rez?
.

There used to be a sticky on cooling a reservoir on Overgrow. It'll take 8-10 degrees off almost any reservoir.

A hole is cut in each end of the lid, of the reservoir. A computer fan is placed, face down, blowing onto the top of the water. The hole in the other end lets out the hot air.

Heat rises in a column of water. The air over that water is humid; and hot. When you blow air in over it, it removes the heat. Instead of the air over the water being sa, 85 degrees, it'll be about 75. This makes a differential that is greater: which means heat will leave the water easier. The speed of transfer of heat between to objects is determined primarily by the difference in their two temperatures.

There is also an evaporative cooling effect which knocks off the additional temps bringing most reservoirs down to a comfortable 70 or so. The warmer water on top is the first to evaporate off; cooling the water and bringing the temperature down below room temp.

the thread was very long and many, many people said they got their temperatures down to 68, 69, 70, 72.

Earl said:

Do you have any insulation around your rez?
.

Click to expand...

Yes I do Earl, top is insulated too.

It is amazing when the res is in the 60s',
there is less worry about alot of bad stuff.

I didn't mention that I have 2 pumps in da rez too, for circulation only (and to drain it when I have too).
1 runs 24/7 (generating heat) and the other I run when I add water and/or nutes and once and a while for good luck (10-15 min at a time).
I found that each pump raises th temps in the res 2-3 degrees. So if I were to put the 24/7 pump on a timer I could probably get the temps into the low 60s'.
Good enough for me.

Later, Earl

I am moving my main spray pump out of the rez,
but I'm not sure this will improve the temperature,
since the pump is cooler when submerged.

So I am worried,
I will add heat through the pump,
as the water flows threw it.

I guess I'll see.

I may have to make the 1250 gph spray pump,
it's own private rez to sit in,
just to help it stay cool.

I have 3 submerged pumps running 24/7,
along with a dual outlet airpump.

Earl said:

I am moving my main spray pump out of the rez,
but I'm not sure this will improve the temperature,
since the pump is cooler when submerged.

"is cooler"... yes. but where do you think the heat is going?!! Tada!

So I am worried,
I will add heat through the pump,
as the water flows threw it.

"The" pump? You say down there VVV that you have 3 going in there 24/7.

I guess I'll see.

I may have to make the 1250 gph spray pump,
it's own private rez to sit in,
just to help it stay cool.

I have 3 submerged pumps running 24/7,
along with a dual outlet airpump.

Click to expand...

Are all 3 necessary, Earl? can't they be put on timers so they alternate? That will help temps some.
I guess you're not concidering a chiller any longer then.

Life is easier with cold res.

GL Earl!

I need all the pumps to run 24/7.

One of those pumps is for the chiller.

Earl said:

I need all the pumps to run 24/7.

One of those pumps is for the chiller.

Click to expand...

Sorry Earl.. got you cornfused with grapeopimo.. he startesd this thread..
I forgot again.. sorry grape... I smoke pot.. sometimes.. like now.

Bye..

its cool man i am gonna save for that chiller, on my list is the procyon led 3 x 3 tent and then the chiller even wit the heat I am keeping my res at about 65-70 by blowing cold air into the intake of the dual outlet air pump. some times i throw a dixie cup sized ice cube for good measure

If you have a spare cooler laying around,
you could run your airlines through a cooler of salty ice water,
and drop the air bubble temp considerably..