jpc763;178062 said:
Sorry. I think I led you astray!
Is heat an issue with the HQI version?
I have the HQI and run it with a chiller. I haven't run it in the summer without the chiller...but imagine the temps would get too high without one, as I let the ambient room temp get up to 78. In the winter/ spring I did run that hood without the chiller or any additional evaporative cooling and the temps didn't go any higher than 82 degrees...but my ambient temperature was significantly lower then, as it never got above 72 in my house. Also worth mentioning, as I don't know how much heat they contribute, is that my hood is also retrofitted with 2 18w actinic PC-R bulbs and I'm also running an HOB skimmer (Aquamaxx HOB-1) that includes an 11w submersed pump.
I think the fans in the hood work well enough to dissipate heat in the summer as long as your ambient room temp is low enough. Prior to picking up this hood for my tank, I did poke around other forums for info, and it seems that many people solved minor heat issues by upgrading the fans in the hood. I have a habit of not running the AC while I'm at work though, so opted for a chiller as I witnessed the tank temps climb up to 83 degrees once the room temps started hitting 76+.