1/10HP Chiller Suggestions

[plankton]

Saw this on SF Bay Area craigslist. Someone has a 1/5HP drop-in chiller for $210. The seller says it will need to be recharged. I'm not related to seller in anyway.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/for/329666705.html

 

[kevin95695]

I may have come off wrong. For clarification: My contemplation of my reef addiction was done at a much cruder level than the sophisticated introspection in this thread. There, all better now.

 

[Reefugee]

Looks like I might to have to buy a chiller. With my MH lights off (except for the 65 watts LOA fuge light), my tank was at 82 degrees. That's with two of the small Lasko personal fan blowing over the top of my tank. And it's not summer yet! *sigh* BTW - I am leaning towards the 1/3 HP Current USA Prime in-line Tower chiller from DrFosterSmith.

 

[kevin95695]

Group buy? Mini-group buy?

 

[MrMikeB]

I am about to order a couple chillers for my various systems and can put together a group buy if there is enough interest. I am leaning toward Current USA as well. PM me if you are seriously interested and want to place an order within a couple weeks - sorry John, not trying to steal the thread.

Drop in, tower, thermostats, etc. - hell anything Current USA makes for that matter. I am working with one of their distributors so the larger the order the better the leverage!

 

[Nuuze]

Does anyone know how quiet are the Current USA chillers compared to the JBJ Arctica's?

 

[MrMikeB]

P.S. The folks I am working with also distribute JBJ stuff too. If there are discounts to be had I am sure it would applicable to everything in my order from them, so if you rather go JBJ, just PM me the model and size and I can put it all together run it past them for pricing.

Power in numbers!

 

[shiveley]

MIke, I'd be interested if the price was right. I'll send you a PM. Thanks.

 

[shilo_1]

Not sure if it would be something you're interested in, but theres a guy on Sac craigslist selling 2 chillers, both 1/2hp, for under $400 each. Can't remember the brand though, sorry.

 

[schrun209]

I saw it too, I believe they are the Coralife Aqua Chill.

 

[kevin95695]

Them 2 are gone. :smokin:

 

[maxdout]

hey just a suggestion... im working on building or peiceing my own chiller together. got the idea from an engineer friend of mine, using a 50$ fridge and some coiling of waterhoses. i'll let you know if it works out. looks like it will cost about 100$.

 

[kevin95695]

Saw that here on RC as a DIY thread... Can't remember if it worked out or not and the stinkin' search is forever broke. I won't buy a premium membership until they fix that for us cheap people.

 

[Nuuze]

Here's a cool calculator I found from JBJ that may help. It recommends that I use a 1/3.

http://www.jbjlighting.com/prod_chiller_size.asp

 

[MrMikeB]

Hey Max, be sure you do not use any metal components for water to pass through (sure you knew this, just wanted to toss it out there just the same). Many coolant coils use copper given its exchange properties.

 

[dots]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/s...=8269515&sortby=lastpost&sortorder=descending


hehehe........doesn't seem broke, in fact works a little TOO well.....if you ask me.


Had a discussion about building your own last summer, by the time you buy it all and piece it together, it will only be a fraction of efficiency, size, or reliability than if you bought your own. But is an interesting and fun exercise if your mainly looking for that. You guys think finding minor losses due to friction for pumps is fun, you havn't lived until you have done some Thermodynamics problems!!!!

On a side note, just to show I am not set in my ways, I have been using a fan under my sump this last week and my chiller has come on noticibly less. I like the idea of combining the two rather than relying on just the fan, they compliment each other well cooling and energy saving wise as well.