What's new
TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Heat problems

I finished a large 28 cu. ft. highland Nep chamber a couple of weeks ago. It has 12 fluorescent tubes over it and has a pretty good seal to keep in humidity.

My problem is heat. I've removed most of the ballasts from the fixtures already, but there is still far too much heat in there. I don't have a thermometer, and it may just be that it is so much warmer than my house (60°F).

Regardless, even if the temperatures get up to 80°, they should drop back down to 60° at night. Any ideas on how to cool the temperature by, say, 5° F? Thanks.

-D. Lybrand
 
Ice. Place a fan in front of a lot of ice somehow and blow it around in the tank, will be a cold breeze all over in the chamber. Not the easiest way, but certainly effective to some degree.
 
Don't seal the tank. Not only is circulation necessary, but your humidity will be kept up even without it being sealed. I get a decent increase in humidity at home by using a standard aquarium with NO top whatsoever. All of the plants and wet media will increase the humidity in the chamber even with enough air circulation to keep the heat down.

Capslock
 
I tried that for a while. The doors were slightly open, but it was still extremely hot and some of the plants began to dry out. That might work if I could somehow achieve negative pressure in the tank without pumping the humid air out. However, the only way I know to do that is to lower the temp! I'll try ice and then go back to slighly open doors if it doesn't work. Maybe the plants will adapt to the lower humidity.

-D. Lybrand
 
Sure, ice is very effective. 1.5 litres of it can bring a 30 gallon tank down to 15*C at night. Enough for the highlanders. Just use ice packs or frozen bottles. Also not a very suitable solution if you grow many highlanders and live in a hot place (like singapore). Luckily, I only have a few.
smile.gif


If you keep the tank open, though, the ice method won't be *as* effective (although it will still work well).
 
My night temps drop low enough already, I just need something that will keep the tank in the 70's during the day. Using a little less ice should do the trick. Anyone ever tried installing an ice maker in there so you don't have to keep refilling it every day?

-D. Lybrand
 
Back
Top