Eclipse 6 overheating

[hypsophrys]

Has anyone had any problems with their Eclipse 6 getting too hot?

Mine's got stock lighting, is in a 75F (avg) room, and has been above 80 for days. I have been watching the heater, and it hasn't been on at all, not even early this morning. The only thing that has changed was adding CO2 about 10 days ago. Greenhouse effect? :?

Seriously, what's up w/dat? My C. panda are stressing.

Ian



Edit: Sp.

[Rolo]

Remove the heater, that will let you know quickly if thats your problem. You say its never on...well mabey the indicator light isbusted and it seems that it's never on.

[hypsophrys]

I did test it (crank it up til the light came on) and it seems fine. I will unplug it now and check the temperature just before lights-out.

Thanks.

[law]

hey hypsophrys -- my Eclipse 6 (no CO2) is a constant 82F in a ~76F room. The light is on for 12-14 hours... I sometimes put a bag of ice on top of the filter to cool things down a bit- the Bumblebee Gobys don't seem to mind the quick drop in temp (usually only 2-3 degrees). I guess its normal for these tanks to get that hot??


-law

[Rolo]

Actually come to think of it...I had a Eclipse 6 a year ago and never used a heater because it mysteriously was always at the right temp. Room temp was about 69F andthe tank at 75F. It definately was the lighting heat plus the hood's poor ventilation. If you have $15 to dish out, radio shack has computer fans and AC-DC transformers to keep your hood cool. 8)

[hypsophrys]

I was afraid of that. It was up to 86 yesterday...

I could definitely increase ventilation, but I think I would lose CO2. I've got DIY with an airstone, which has taken me from 5ppm to 20ppm. I've gotta believe that no airstone could be this effective - right? The good CO2 concentration must be related to the enclosed airspace... I think.

Ergh, damned if I do, damned if I don't.

[Rolo]

I could hardly imagine that air ventilation is going to lower CO2. Surface agitation is a much worse culprit. It isn't like the hood was air tight anyway, its just moving the air a little better. With 20ppm too any decrease won't be by any amount too severe.

High temperature is not good for plants either. They aren't meeting their highest potential and your actually increasing their "metabolism" and they will need alot more CO2 + ferts with that temperature. I heard the ideal temp for most plants is 75F.

So air ventilation will not only sever better for you cories, but plants too.

[Dapple]

Keeping the lid open helps immensely in mine, although I have to top them off every other day. You could add some pop-up ventalation thingies from ah supply as well, they sel them seperately in a four pack.

[hypsophrys]

Well, I'm still trying to figure out a way to lower the temp without losing my good CO2 levels...

See this thread for an explanation:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4231

[Daemonfly]

In the summer, I have to keep the lid open to keep it cool enough. They have both the bulb and the ballast inside the lid which doesn't have many openings for heat to escape, so it heats the water pretty well.

As for the CO2, I just removed the stock filter, cut the back of lid a bit and popped in an AC Mini with sponge on output to reduce any agitation.

[hypsophrys]

Thanks D-fly.

I wouldn't have bothered with CO2 at all, but happened to check the levels a few days after planting it. It was <5ppm. I'll think about trading out the filter and yanking the DIY. That just might do it.

Maybe I should have pulled the biowheel before I did anything else? It kind of scares me to lose all that bio-filtration, though...

Thanks, all, for the input.

[Dapple]

I use the little Hagen systems on my Eclipse 6's. Their diffuser is down in the main tank and still seems to be genenerating enough to make up for both bio-wheel and open lid. You can buy the diffuser seperately too. It's fairly unobstrusive (and I kinda like watching the bubbles zigzag up the ladder *grin*) and it even fits in my 3g too. I'd post a pic if I had a digital camera...

[Daemonfly]

Yeah, even with the fitler & bio-wheel running, the Hagen systems(as well as just reg DIY if they're decent) will keep the CO2 at proper levels.

You won't lose too much bio-filtration if you yank the biowheel. They do work, but not that much better as people think they do. I put a AC Mini in with sponge & filter floss & haven't noticed any problems or rises in A/Ni/Na.

If you do yank anything, make sure you watch the CO2 levels.

[Geo]

My Eclipse 6 overheats as well, I'm running 2 13 watt CF bulbs though, so it gets to be about 81-82 with the lid closed. (With VENTS)

I am going to build a new enclosure for the hood out of wood, and have it sit above the water surface. Right now I have placed little blocks in the front corner so it lifts the hood off the tank top and allowed air-flow, that has helped a little bit. Right now the tank is at 76.9 degrees, and it's a couple hours yet till the lights come on. I think I might need use a dremel to modify the existing hood a little bit more, we'll see.

[Ray1214]

I use a desk fan to blow into mine, I uncovered the vent hole that the heater is suppose to go through. The desk fan is on the same cord as my lights since it only needs to be on when my lights are on, and keeps my tank at at constant 73 degrees. I use a small sticky note to throttle the amount of evaporitive cooling during the AC months.

Ray