Where to put sump to be cooler – under the tank with AC or in garage without AC

[Seafan]

I am planning a 180g reef in a room next to the garage. I’m wondering if it’s better to put the sump and refugium (40-50g) in the garage, not in the stand. There are obviously some advantages to do so – easy to access, no limit on the height of skimmers etc, easier to clean from accidental floods, less noise in the display room, etc. But the garage has no A/C, while the room where the tank will be has. I will have MH lighting and the summer here is long and hot, so temperature control is a big concern. If I put the sump and refuge in garage, it will be open-top, and I could put fans over them, and heat-producing refuge lights and return pump are all in the open, but it’s hot in there (90s F) without A/C; if I put them under the tank in the stand, they are in close space, but with A/C set to 78-80F in the summer. which way is better to cool the water?

[Reefland]

I think it would be better to place them under the stand if temp control is a problem. Right off placing them outside with no temp control has the obvious heat concern, as well as evaporation. Placing it outside along with fans over top of it will really increase the evaporation rate and cause a need for a steady top-off.

Just some thoughts,

[zhenya]

I alwas thought that evaporation is another form of cooling water.I probably would think about steady top off from ro/di with some floatswitch and put nice size fan blowing on it in the summer,but that's just me.I hate all the noises from my sump,the skimmers,pumps.....It's my project to move atleast one sump to the garage this spring and work on some heating issues for the winter.

[Reefland]

Evaporative cooling is a method used however it will probably evaporate ALOT of water being outside in conjuction with the heat. I guess there you have to determine what is too much top off water to add in one day.

[zhenya]

Good point Scott ,

For 180g tank I think if you add a 4 gal of fresh or with kalk water you should be ok. I think if you evaporate water you wont loose your salinity but mostly water,I could be wrong on that though.Now, if you just dump 5 gal backet of fresh water in the sump,it could pose some problems but slow replenishment via auto top off,should be fine I think. JMO

[Valclore]

Could you build a small very well insulated box for the sump/refug. to set in and run a 4" a/c vent tube (from your duct work) into it for cooling? 1 or 2 four inch holes in the wall are better than a 180g boiling pot!!!! haha Being here in Tulsa it gets pretty D@%M hot in the summer and cold in the winter, last summer during it's hottest my 125g +44g sump got up to 86°F. This year I put in a a/c vent above it and we'll see how it does. P.S. It might help to keep the dust and stuff out of the water if you were to put it in a closed box w/positive pressure?!?