Ihave a 180 that i built a hood for myself out of 1x10s. up untill recently i had 6 power compact lights and 2 t5s for lighting. I just last week changed that set up for a better one. i kept 4 36w power compacts, and added a fisture that has 8 56 w t5s. the tank is a lot brighter, and the plants are very appreciateive. but the heat from the bulbs has driven my tank up 4 degrees. NOW, i do have some fans in my hood. there is a four inch and a three inch, both on the same end, both pulling air out of the inside. My question is, should i turn them around to blow air across the lights and out the back of the hood? I have another 4in fan(these fans btw are ones used in computers) that i could add to the other end of my hood also. Whats the general opinion. I just need the most effective way to dissipate some heat.
using fans in a lighted hood.
- Thread starter lethalcustoms00
- Start date
assuming that your tank is against a wall or something, i would place both of the fans on one side of the tank (nearest the freshest air source in the room) and point the flow into the hood. the hot air caused by the lighting will be forced out, while cool air is rushed in on the opposite side. it would just seem like it flows better than having fans on both sides.
I had a fixture with two 175 watt metal halide, These suckers get hot man I have scars to prove it. LOL anyway my fans were blowing into the hood from one side as you describe. I think that this would be better because you would have air directed toward the light not just pulling air. If you have the ability to add another fan,I would put one on the other side blowing into the hood while the others are pulling the air out. Also any air directed toward the water surface is going to cool it by evaporation.