# Heat issues with mag drives?



## nokturnalkid (Feb 27, 2007)

Anyone have any issues running a mag drive dry and it heating up your water? I don't have a thermometer but, the water just seems a bit warmer to the touch ever since I installed it. It could just be that it's getting hotter but I've had it for a bit and noticed it a few days after install.


----------



## Travis.808 (Apr 2, 2009)

I don't know about mag drives but, we've had record highs lately this could be why. The wife and I broke down and ac'd our place.


----------



## TAB (Feb 7, 2009)

mag drives will increase the temp when run submurged. so will any other submurged pump.


----------



## nokturnalkid (Feb 27, 2007)

TAB said:


> mag drives will increase the temp when run submurged. so will any other submurged pump.


Well, I'm running it dry so I don't know if that will make a difference.


----------



## nokturnalkid (Feb 27, 2007)

Travis.808 said:


> I don't know about mag drives but, we've had record highs lately this could be why. The wife and I broke down and ac'd our place.


Yeah I know it's been hot and humid. Not a good combo. But, I noticed the water being a bit warmer ever since I plumbed my mag, that was a few months ago before this heat came along.


----------



## TAB (Feb 7, 2009)

even runing externely they will add heat.

water is the cooling system.


----------



## Travis.808 (Apr 2, 2009)

I did some reading so I wouldn't be completely ignorant on the subject so, I think what TAB is saying is correct most companies say to not use their pumps out of water and that the water in the body of water is supposed to keep it cool so I think your pump may actually be running hotter than it should be thus heating your water. Also, it looks as though this may ultimately end up damaging your pump. I have no experience with them so, can't tell you from experience either way but, this is just what I read after researching a little while.


----------



## Travis.808 (Apr 2, 2009)

Sorry right after I saved the message I had a thought, don't know if it will work but, maybe you could use a small container of water to keep the pump in that you are not actually pumping water from, this might insulate the pump some and you could just add a cube of ice a day or change the water every so often? Just a thought don't know if there would be any problems which would stem from doing this.


----------



## nokturnalkid (Feb 27, 2007)

Travis.808 said:


> Sorry right after I saved the message I had a thought, don't know if it will work but, maybe you could use a small container of water to keep the pump in that you are not actually pumping water from, this might insulate the pump some and you could just add a cube of ice a day or change the water every so often? Just a thought don't know if there would be any problems which would stem from doing this.


Yep, I was actually thinking of this too but I imagine it still would get hot in my cabinet. Maybe a small closed sump might actually help. Time to do some tinkering.


----------



## TAB (Feb 7, 2009)

a smaller water volume is going to heat up faster then a larger one. your best off putting some fans under your stand. evap cooling takes away 8500 btus per gallon of water loss.


----------



## Travis.808 (Apr 2, 2009)

Yeah I figured that would happen. But, at least the main tank wouldn't suffer and I think the fans would be a good addition to the general cooling of your setup anyway.


----------



## nokturnalkid (Feb 27, 2007)

TAB said:


> a smaller water volume is going to heat up faster then a larger one. your best off putting some fans under your stand. evap cooling takes away 8500 btus per gallon of water loss.


So, should I put my pump in a container of water, in my cabinet, and put a fan on it? It's either that or put a fan across my tank. Which would you think would work better? Btw, I want to keep my pump in a closed loop. I wonder if just keeping the surrounding water around the pump will help with it's cooling.


----------



## TAB (Feb 7, 2009)

Leave the pump external and just add fans. as to where to put it, it depends on the system. remember you have to a place for the air to get out.

*Generally speaking*, if your heat comes from your lights, you need to put the fans where they blow accross the lights/ tank. if its from pumps, you want to put them in the sump area.


----------



## nokturnalkid (Feb 27, 2007)

TAB said:


> Leave the pump external and just add fans. as to where to put it, it depends on the system. remember you have to a place for the air to get out.
> 
> *Generally speaking*, if your heat comes from your lights, you need to put the fans where they blow accross the lights/ tank. if its from pumps, you want to put them in the sump area.


The heat is coming from the pump. It's not in a sump or anything. The pump is on it's own loop. Should I just put a fan blowing on the pump itself in the cabinet or try to cool the water down with a fan blowing across the top of the water line? I could put the pump in its own container of water and put a fan on that if it's gonna help.


----------



## TAB (Feb 7, 2009)

if you don't have a sump, then blow of the top of the tank.


----------



## nokturnalkid (Feb 27, 2007)

TAB said:


> if you don't have a sump, then blow of the top of the tank.


Thanks. Will try it. Gotta go to walmart to get some dog food so maybe I'll go and see if there's some cheap clip-on fans there.


----------



## TAB (Feb 7, 2009)

most guys use PC fans. they are cheap, and you can get them that are slient.

just remember you have to places for the air to go out as well.


----------



## Travis.808 (Apr 2, 2009)

Thass what I said booby traps. Walmart? What do you feed your pom? Spend $2 a bag more and get the organic stuff from Pets discount at least you know whats going in them. The purina and such from non-pet specific stores use meat products... whats that? I am a firm believer in good animal food also if poochie don't like the food from Pets discount you could take it back. Sorry, semi dog advocate here. I still hope to pay you back for everything man, and I hope your tank heat issues work out.artyman:


----------



## nokturnalkid (Feb 27, 2007)

TAB said:


> most guys use PC fans. they are cheap, and you can get them that are slient.
> 
> just remember you have to places for the air to go out as well.


Maybe I'll do that but I was thinking of just running the fan on a timer for the daytime anyways. I'm gone all day so noise isn't a concern.


----------



## nokturnalkid (Feb 27, 2007)

Travis.808 said:


> Thass what I said booby traps. Walmart? What do you feed your pom? Spend $2 a bag more and get the organic stuff from Pets discount at least you know whats going in them. The purina and such from non-pet specific stores use meat products... whats that? I am a firm believer in good animal food also if poochie don't like the food from Pets discount you could take it back. Sorry, semi dog advocate here. I still hope to pay you back for everything man, and I hope your tank heat issues work out.artyman:


A bit off topic but I feed my dogs Iam's. They are picky as hell and so far this is the only thing they seem to like to eat. I've tried a bunch of the "good stuff" and they don't like it. Oh wells, it'll have to do...


----------



## TAB (Feb 7, 2009)

your evap rate will go up, so you will need to top off more.


----------



## nokturnalkid (Feb 27, 2007)

TAB said:


> your evap rate will go up, so you will need to top off more.


Not a problem. Takes me about 2 min to get the hose out and ready. Thanks for all the help...


----------



## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

Check the instructions with your pump. If it is intended to be run externally, do not submerge it. 
Ventilate the cabinet _and_ cool the tank with fans as you are thinking. Both will help.
The more air movement in the cabinet the less heat will build up in there. Heat rises, and the tank is directly above the cabinet. 
Do whatever you can to keep the pump as cool as you can, I am sure it will lengthen its life as well as helping out with the aquarium temperature regulation.


----------



## nokturnalkid (Feb 27, 2007)

Diana K said:


> Check the instructions with your pump. If it is intended to be run externally, do not submerge it.
> Ventilate the cabinet _and_ cool the tank with fans as you are thinking. Both will help.
> The more air movement in the cabinet the less heat will build up in there. Heat rises, and the tank is directly above the cabinet.
> Do whatever you can to keep the pump as cool as you can, I am sure it will lengthen its life as well as helping out with the aquarium temperature regulation.


The pump is a mag drive 5 and it can be run externally. I can't really ventilate the cabinet. I might be able to just drill some holes with a hole saw and maybe put a fan on there that will blow hot air out. There's already a few holes in my diy stand but that's mostly to get tubing and wiring into the cabinet. I plan on at least adding a fan blowing across the top of the tank for some evaporative cooling. Putting an "exhaust fan" in the cabinet will probably be my next project if nothing else works. Last option, go back to a reactor.


----------



## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

I have a mag drive 9.5. I'm having heat trouble as well. I believe it's a combination of the mag drive and my lights. If I could solve the mag drive issue I'd be fine. My water is running 82 which is WAY TO HIGH. I can't really put a fan across it unless I lift my lights. It's an issue. 

I'd be interested to see how you solve your problem.


----------



## TAB (Feb 7, 2009)

Tex Gal said:


> I have a mag drive 9.5. I'm having heat trouble as well. I believe it's a combination of the mag drive and my lights. If I could solve the mag drive issue I'd be fine. My water is running 82 which is WAY TO HIGH. I can't really put a fan across it unless I lift my lights. It's an issue.
> 
> I'd be interested to see how you solve your problem.


have you tired cutting holes in your canopy to let the heat out/ put a small fan? having a open back is also very helpful.


----------



## nokturnalkid (Feb 27, 2007)

Tex Gal said:


> I have a mag drive 9.5. I'm having heat trouble as well. I believe it's a combination of the mag drive and my lights. If I could solve the mag drive issue I'd be fine. My water is running 82 which is WAY TO HIGH. I can't really put a fan across it unless I lift my lights. It's an issue.
> 
> I'd be interested to see how you solve your problem.


Hey just be glad that your tank runs at 82. Mine ran higher than that before I even put the mag drive in. I should be able to put a small fan across the top of my tank so hopefully that helps. I'll get one of those clip-on fans next time I go to walmart. I'm just gonna run that fan on a timer so noise won't be an issue. I was gonna buy a fan on my last trip to walmart but, I ended up with a flat screen tv. Whoops...


----------

