temperature
I posted this in the evaporation thread, but it is relevent here. I have a 3 sided 120 gallon tank with 2 metal halides and two blues. I had evaporation of over a gallon a day and a water temperature of 82 - 84 degrees even with 2 fans blowing air into the side with two holes on the opposite end in the top of the canopy to allow the air out. Temperatures above 82 degrees are really unacceptable for reefs. I bought a 1/5 hp JBJ Arctica chiller ($559.00), installed it under my house and ran soft plumbing through the wall and under the house. There's no noise from the chiller and the water temp is a constant 76-78 degrees all the time. My evaporation rate has gone from about 1 1/2 gallons a day to about 1/2 gallon a day. I highly recommend a chiller, but if you are able to keep your temp between 77 - 78 without a chiller you can save the $559.00.. Not only does lower temperatures allow for more oxygen in the water (at 76 degrees there is much more oxygen in the water as opposed to 82 degrees), the evap. rate is cut by 2/3's and there is no stress on my corals or inverts and with more fish, the oxygen level in the tank will never be critical. Hope you get it worked out.
Mike
