Temperature consistency with MH

[rjestrada]

I just purchased 2 x 250w MH lamp and my temperature is fluctuating drasctically (as expected with MH). What can I do to lower the temperature and keep it constant when the lamp is on during the day and off at night?

[charlie]

Have a fan timed the same as when your lites come on, let it blow on your sump.

[Ninong]

I just purchased 2 x 250w MH lamp and my temperature is fluctuating drasctically (as expected with MH). What can I do to lower the temperature and keep it constant when the lamp is on during the day and off at night?

If your metal halides are inside an enclosed canopy, then you will need one or two ventilation fans mounted in your canopy to remove the hot air.

[Poseidon]

+1 on the fans. Clamp style fans from Walmart or other department store would work fine.

[nailbender07]

Fans! Fans! Fans! the more the better. the number one solution for this is to keep those bulbs as cool as possible. What ever it takes.
i would suggest checking these out.
Vivid Aquariums - Buy Online - Fish Store in Los Angeles - Buy Ice Cap 4” Cooling Fan
depending on how you have your canopy set up. i like these because of the probe that controls the fan speed. in otherwords. NO Timer and less clutter

[mcarroll]

You don't specify how high your temp is going, but generally speaking consistency in temp is more important than absolute temp.

If you're under 85ºF (hopefully well-under) then you're probably not too bad off - again in general.

In addition to what other have already suggested, there's a no-new-equipment option you can try as well. Throw your heater(s) on a timer so they only run when the lights are out. During the summer when evap. is at a minimum I actually dropped about 1.1ºF off the daytime temp. this way, and cut the day/night temperature swing to less than 0.1ºF.

YMMV, of course.

Don't underestimate the power of evaporative cooling though! Now that the air is dry (i.e. winter) I'm having to keep the heaters on 24/7 and even having to consider adding another. Fans will obviously boost this effect, if needed. (My ~50gal system has 6 square ft of open top, so no fans needed so far.)

Good luck!

-Matt

P.S. Please provide a little more detail on your tank (size? canopy? livestock? etc)...hard to give good advice to a generic situation. :-)