DIY Chiller

[ac7av]

While I can't say for sure on a reef tank, I wanted to cool a 55 gallon tank from about 65F to 55F. I used a new dorm fridge, and ran a line through the freezer and the fridge with various lengths and materials including 6' titanium. The best I could get was -5 deg F.
So I have to agree that it is not a very efficient method.
Eventually I filled a 25 gallon cooler with RV anti-freeze, used the 6' piece of Titanium as the aquarium heat-exchanger, carefully placed the heat exchanger from a dehumidifier into the cooler and used a temp controller to turn the dehumidifier on and off. A maxi jet to push water through and it worked like a champ.
So if you are into the pile of junk in the corner look, or really want to DIY, it can be done.
FWIW I have a real chiller now

Thank you, a dehumidifier again has a much larger compressor and higher btu rating, much like an air-conditioner.

 

[DonW]

thats nice so an article is going to tell me that what i had set up didnt work.....ok mr know it all

You seem to have an issue with me giving accurate information and retaliate with childish insults. The science and mechanics simply do not work. Although Ive proven it many times, its the hundreds of others that have also proven it does not work.
I am simply attempting to give accurate information so folks dont waste time and money on such a silly experiment that is doomed from the begining.

People with modern refrigerators with water in the door unknowingly prove that it doesnt wok on a regular basis. The filtered water in a modern frig comes from a coil of tube located in the full size frig. Mine a sub zero has 55 foot coil of 1/4 id tubing. Once the tube is drained the water comes out tap temperature well below that of an aquarium with added heat generating devices. It take quite awhile for the tube to cool water even a few degrees below tap temp with no flow. Thats in a frig much more capable than a tiny dorm frig. or even a full size frig that most homes have.

Chillers are rated for different sized tanks for a reason. I wouldnt expect that a chiller rated for a 20 gallon aquarium would chill a 210 gallon aquarium. Even the smallest of aquarium chillers are more capable than a dorm frig.

Don

 

[Scooterman]

210g tank with a dorm fridge temp never over 80*

Vague, what factors have you considered when you say the DIY chiller cools the tank? What room temp do you keep, lighting & air circulation etc, your comment can be misleading, what was the temp before you added the DIY chiller and was anything else changed at that time that could effect the temp?

Reason I ask, cooling with the best case scenario with a DIY chiller, it would be more efficient to just run a regular chiller, although cost is cheap with the fridge, long term chilling would be very costly in electricity if you tried to cool the same amount of water with a proper rated chiller.

As mentioned our home fridge has a 50 foot coil, in the coldest part of the fridge & If I can get a glass of cool water I'd be lucky & my unit is new & not a cheapy refrigerator. LOTs of factors to make that claim, try a comparison apples to apples with a chiller, I'd bet the chiller would win over the DIY chiller and it would be hands down. The math just doesn't add up long term.
I'm not trying to take sides here but the information is there & If compared side by side conditions it would be obvious.

 

[ac7av]

It’s not a matter of taking sides its the science behind it. It simply will not work. I suppose if you wanted to cool a 10 gallon or smaller tank it may work well enough to try but still, you could put the hole tank in the refrigerator and put a thermo glass panel on the front of the frig, then you wouldn’t have to worry about plumbing anything.

 

[danno14]

The time/money/space/convenience (etc.) analogy applies here..... the more you are willing to spend of any of these, the less you will require of some (or all) of the others.

If you want to have a REALLY efficient chiller, use the earth as your heat sink. Of course, the Ti tubing or exchanger will likely be spendy, the plumbing may be complicated, the hole(s) costly to do.... or you can DIY most of it and save some $$. That said, a really powerful chiller may be implemented that uses almost no power to cool whatever size system you (correctly) build it for. A few good thread searches on Rcentral will give lots to think about.
Rgds,
D

 

[pewpewlazerbeam]

Im confused, how do you have heat problems in seattle? Its august and im wearing a long sleeve shirt, jeans and an insulated vest

 

[danno14]

I suppose "heat problems" is relative..... Pumps and lights, with the house at 68f render my system at 79+ without any cooling. Others have the same occur, so higher temps need chilling.

I guess I must be menopausal.....I'm wearing shorts and a Tshirt
D

 

[ac7av]

Ya I here you, I wear shorts most of the year around here except when its gets below 35 or so outside. Some people around her do keep there houses really hot for some reason. 74+ degrees indoors is just too warm and sure raised the energy bill in the winter time. I mostly keep mine at around 68 too except when my wife, who is from California decides what I don’t know wont hurt me and I get home from work and the house is at 75. Nothing like having to open the windows when it’s 40 and blowing out side.

 

[Myteemouse]

Yes the heat problem can be due to MANY factors ie; a closed in hood , still air, a closed in stand (or sump room)
will be major issues here..
when my tank get up to 79 degrees I open the stand doors and it drops 1 degree in like one hour ..
I only need a chiller in the summer and I put it in storage in the winter

Accurately placed fans will do wonders for keeping tanks at a tolerable temp

 

[MrGone]

You could use a Reef Keeper Lite to control the temperature. The problem with the fridge is you are using air to provide the majority of the cooling and air is not terribly efficient at transferring heat.