Chillers

[Macbeth417]

I moved into a new house last Fall and now that summer is just around the corner, I am thinking that my lower level, where most of the tanks are, will not remain cool enough for evaporation to handle all my heat reduction.

So what's the scoop on the different types of chillers?

What brands are old reliables?

Which are just too damned loud?

Are thier any RIO's of the chiller world?


Any outstanding reason I shouldn't try to find one for this summer?

Finally, can I have yours?

-Erik

By the by this section sure is bare...

 

[szidls]

Hey Erik,
To chill or not to chill? WA state being what it is weather wise, I am hoping not to buy a chiller. Last year was the endless summer for sure. Don't know if it will happen again or not. We are moving all the reef tanks downstairs where it stays about 10 deg cooler. If that dosn't take care of it, I'm thinking of a window style air conditioner. With a chiller you still have to exhaust the heat outside.
Still this is a great question. Looking forward to hearing from other folks.
Scott

 

[MzWeazelle]

Okay - April 11th and heading for 80 degrees in North Bend. Believe me, after last summer (our first with saltwater fish) we are looking for cooling answers big-time! I think we'll be going with air conditioning units in a couple windows - might as well all be comfortable, instead of just having happy fish!

 

[Witfull]

i have a Via Aqua 1/5ph chiller. it works well. i got it off of ebay for just over $300.00 i had a problem with the first one, and had to send it back. they replaced it with a new one in around 2 & 1/2 weeks including shipping time from NJ to Ca to NJ. customer service is a bit of a pain as the phone # is always busy or rings forever, but Email supports was fairly quick.

right now its on my 72 bowfront, and with my pumps and dual 250 halides,,,,i need it all year long. the tank stays steady between 78 & 79.5*F.

 

[Gordo]

I think we'll be going with air conditioning units in a couple windows - might as well all be comfortable, instead of just having happy fish!

I agree with that. If I'm going to use electricity to cool something I'd want to cool the house instead of just the tank. I'm going to put a frag tank upstairs and it will get pretty warm. I'm planning on putting a big window A/C unit on one end of the house and sucking it into the other rooms with fans. Hope it works......

~Gordo~

 

[Crows Ridge]

We lived in The Dalles where its likely to cool off to 89 at night. We did just fine w/ window a/c. We have almost 2000 watts of light and the tank did fine as long as you keep up with evaporation. I am putting a float on my sump this week finally!

Chris

 

[Witfull]

window units help as does central air, but having used both, i have found that inorder to truly effect the tank, the room has to get pretty cold, colder than i prefer for the house as it makes going in and out less comfortable. years ago with my 125g i experimented and in order to keep the tank at 78*F i had to get the room to 65*F.

alot depends on your lighting, halides over a tank in a canopy will heat up water rather quickly, hold a small cup of water near your lights and see how fast it warms up.fans will help but evaporation can only do so much, especially here on the East coast where summer time humidity is easily 95% day in and day out.

 

[Macbeth417]

Thanks for the replys folks, but I am not really trying to figure out the 'best' means of cooling a tank so much as information on chillers themselves. I am well aware of the various means of cooling a tank, however I am not very familier with the different styles and brands of chillers. Any anecdotal advice would be greatly appreciated.

I see a good deal of heat coming from one DE 250watt pendant over my frag tank, this new larger tank has three of these pendants and two 48" 110watt VHO's (not to mention pumps ect). The house is not what is warm, it is the tank itself and evaporation may not cut it alone this time.

Thanks,

-Erik

 

[Fly n Reef]

Hi Erik,
I have an Aqua Logic Chiller and would not buy one again. The unit itself is very effective but it is also very loud and exhausts alot of heat. If you could mount the unit with optimal exhaust and noise control I think it is a good deal but if you need to live with it in the same room I would shy away from this product. Hope this helps.
Fly

 

[Macbeth417]

Fly n Reef:
Many thanks, that is exactly the type of post I was looking for. Just trying to do some initial information gathering, thanks for the input.

-Erik

 

[ronin253]

Last night I received a panic text message to my cell that the fish were frying! I called home to hear the news that my tank was a sultry 89 degrees, I had my wife open all the windows shut the MH off and put a fan on the tank. The results...the tank went down to a whole 88 degrees by midnight last night. I live in an apartment with skylights and this problem is only going to get worse as the summer progresses. So today I was in desperate need of a chiller! My LFS (Indoor Reef) hooked me up with a Pacific Coast Imports unit (CL-280) for my 55 hex. This unit sounds slightly louder than the refrigerator (not loud at all) heck my skimmer and fluval are louder. So far it seems to be doing just fine at keeping my tank at a constant temp. I will give it a good week or so before I can make any real informed call on it but as of now I have a happy tank again

 

[Thefishcouple]

Erik
I just picked up a Pacific Coast 1/10hp and put it on my tank last weekend. Although I think it may end up being small I'm hoping that it will be enough. With the recent warm weather my tank was creeping up to 82 83 and last year hit 86 a couple of times. My house stays closed up all day so its been getting kind of warm. Monday was the first test and 80.3 was the max temp for the tank that day all lights on no windows open. Thats what I was hoping for. It is super quiet and pretty compact. All chillers put out heat thats how they work. The units are very resonable and Pacific Coaast Imports is right here in Or. Same company that imports Genex Pumps. Most of the LFS sell them. I'll give mine two thumbs up. By the way my system total gallons is 250 so this little guy will have its work cut out.
John

 

[Macbeth417]

Thanks John and ronin253,

I actually have been looking at that Pacific Coasts as I saw one on the display tank at Below Sea Level, but haven't rustled up much information. After comming home to 83 tank this week I think I will look into one. Many thanks for the reviews.

-Erik

 

[DisturbedReefer]

My Pacific Coast 1/10hp is doing great. I really like having only a one degree fluctuation at any given time. It took a few days to fine tune the temps between the heater and the chiller but the result is a very stable environment for my piece of reef. Great purchase

 

[Macbeth417]

What pump do you guys use on your 1/10hp Pacfic Coast? I am cosidering either that model or the 1/6hp.

-Erik

 

[DisturbedReefer]

Right now mine is connected to a Fluval 404 since is down on the ground for safety (bought it with a home made stand) that stand will be replaced with a custom one from crows ridge. Once I have the stand I am going to have to get a real pump since it will not be able to handle the head pressure, so...John? I need to know also.

 

[Macbeth417]

So you got a stand from Chris also eh Todd?

He is in the process of wrapping mine up. Then its OH PLUMIN TIME!

-Erik

 

[jazznreef]

my basement is so cool during this spring heat wave. feels like the meat locker in rocky (yo adrian!). yippie, no chiller needed in the new house!

 

[DisturbedReefer]

Erik,

Chris is just starting on mine. I will get it in June...Can't wait!!! His work looks great, how do you like your new stand?

 

[bigdave]

I Have a JBJ artica Chiller on my 90gal it is a 1/10 HP thats rated for 150gal and it works great no problems and it runs really quit you have to be right beside of it to here it run. it was 400.00 with shipping on ebay and i had it in 3 days. my 90 has 2 400w MH on it cools it very well with not a lot of power use