My RSM 250 is running too hot!

[Marvilis]

Hi everyone

I just started to setup my RSM 250. The tank is in my basement which is cool room temp. I added RO water and salt and turned on the two pumps to help mix and dissolve the salt and set the thermometer to 76 degrees to help with the mixing.

The morning after I saw the tank temp was at 84 degrees. So I figured I'd turn off the thermometer. Two days after the tank is still running at 84 degrees with jus the two pumps on, no lights no thermometer. The basement temp actually dropped and is cool but the temp just won't go down. Is that normal for the RSM 250?

Summer is still not here and I just have two pumps running, imagine when I turn on the lights and summer gets here! I went out and got a deep blue kryos 1/10 chiller and hope that's up to the challenge.

Do the RSM's 250 really run that hot? I don't know how people run these tanks without chillers.

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

Are you running the rear cooling fans? my tanks runs 80-81F rear cooling fan always on, ambient room temp 73F (year round - no chiller)

check your thermometer too... I have owned a 1/2 dozen & they all are off a bit, my favorite one now is a digital $30 food grade one for the kitchen

here a good :read: Ron Shimek's Website...Critters

a partial extract...

The average temperature calculated for all 1000 + coral reefs was 81.7°F. Over all reefs, the average lowest temperature observed was 76.4°F, and the average highest temperature was 86.4°F. One way that these data could be interpreted would be to say that for most corals and coral reef animals, the best conditions would be between 76°F and 86°F, with the average being about 82°F.

 

[thedru13]

did you pull the heater or did you leave it in the tank? I would pull it and see also leave the hood open

 

[Lipman]

Mine runs hot also, and its in my basement too.
When i use the back fans it drops to about 81 - 82
I now have a chiller and my tank sits at 76-78. I still use the rear fan though.

I think your chiller will fix your problem. I have also turned off my heater, left it in though because winter in Canada gets really cold so I may need to use it.

 

[goma]

Agree with everyone else! First thing take the heater completely out and test it in a bucket of water with a digital thermometer. Make sure you are running the rear cooling fans as well.

 

[Marvilis]

Man you guys are good! Gals to report that the temp seems to be dropping. At 83 now with the back fans going. Hopefully it will continue to drop

I'm going to return the deep blue chiller 1/10 I bought yesterday and keep the aqua euro 1/13 chiller which should drop the water temp at least 2 or 3 degrees if needed. With the $ I get back for the chiller ill buy an AC for the basement.

I'm new to saltwater and I know I'll get help and guidance here. Below is what I have so far and I still need to set it all up except for the tank which is running with water already. Tested my salinity and its at 1.025.



RSM 250 (up and running)
Tunze osmulator (which I need to setup)
Aqua euro 1/13 chiller (which I need to setup)

What should I do next rock or sand? I heard that the live rock would be more stable if I put it first and then add the salt, what do you guys think?

 

[thedru13]

I would get both rock and sand in there.. Is your rock cured already? Or will you have to cure it? How much are you adding? Also what kind of sand are you planning to put in?

 

[goma]

Sand first, then rock on top of it.

 

[blackbeltmom]

Man you guys are good! Gals to report that the temp seems to be dropping. At 83 now with the back fans going. Hopefully it will continue to drop

I'm going to return the deep blue chiller 1/10 I bought yesterday and keep the aqua euro 1/13 chiller which should drop the water temp at least 2 or 3 degrees if needed. With the $ I get back for the chiller ill buy an AC for the basement.

I'm new to saltwater and I know I'll get help and guidance here. Below is what I have so far and I still need to set it all up except for the tank which is running with water already. Tested my salinity and its at 1.025.



RSM 250 (up and running)
Tunze osmulator (which I need to setup)
Aqua euro 1/13 chiller (which I need to setup)

What should I do next rock or sand? I heard that the live rock would be more stable if I put it first and then add the salt, what do you guys think?

Just wondered why you bought such a small chiller. Are you not afraid that it will run longer trying to cool the tank? I bought the size that Red-Sea recommends for this size tank. I believe that is 1/6 hp. Some people recommend you buy larger than the recommended, so I guess I don't understand the going smaller.

 

[blackbeltmom]

Sand first, then rock on top of it.

There are two schools of thought on that. Some say if you sit the rock on the glass, then you don't have to worry about the rock shifting if you get a fish that likes to move sand.

 

[Marvilis]

Well I went to my lfs today and got 50lbs of cured live rock and 60lbs of caribsea arag-alive sand. They are both in the tank now. I will got to the supermarket tomorrow to buy some shrimp to throw in the tank to aid the cycle.

 

[Marvilis]

It's not that I bought such a small chiller on purpose it's just that it kind of fell on my lap and that's what I have. I know the 1/13 would definitely work better on a smaller tank but hey I'm hoping that with the basement AC the chiller won't be needed.

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

Beautiful rock & scape ! Great start !

 

[goma]

Nice job on the rock scape! Get that shrimp in there and get that cycle started!

 

[Marvilis]

Thanks for the comments on the rocks scape but I couldn't leave well enough alone and ended up messing it up and after about 2 hours I realized that I would never be able to put it back the way it was so I re did it lmao!

I like to report that the tank is now at 78 degrees and holding with the heater off and the AC in the basement off

I also got the shrimp in today excited to see this thing coming to life. I bought microbacter7 to help with the cycling, what do you guys think about that? Have you used it or do you use it? Your thoughts.

Tonight I will work on fixing the sand bed which I couldn't do last night cause I had to let the water clear up. Once again thanks for your input.

 

[Marvilis]

One more thing, what should I expect now that I have the shrimp in there?

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

Cycling tank:

Watch for the ammonia to soar then fall to zero, then the nitrites soar & then fall to zero, then the nitrates soar, once this happens, do water changes to get rid of the nitrates - tank cycled

Depending on the state of your LR (how cured it was & how much die off it had), in general it will look something like this...

 

[Marvilis]

Cool thanks! So after the water change am I ready for a cleanup crew? If so what should I get for this tank? Where can I get a good CC?

 

[goma]

Awesome! Start testing in a few days and compare to the pic Glenn posted.

 

[goma]

Cool thanks! So after the water change am I ready for a cleanup crew? If so what should I get for this tank? Where can I get a good CC?

Reefcleaners.com