A chilling discovery

[coral_reefer_25]

My friend that just setup an in-wall tank has just run into the problem of properly cooling the tank.

Here's the setup: Display tank = 90g. (probably 80g of water after rock & sand displacement), Sump = 40g. (probably 15g - 20g of water) Refugium - 40g. (proabably 20g of water) = roughly 120g of total volume.

The deal is that all of the tanks are in the garage, and now that the weather is heating up, so is the temperature in the tank...and we haven't even begun to see our hottest days yet.

I've never had the need for a chiller, so I can't make a recommendation. What size do all you chiller users recommend for that volume of water?

Recently, the tank is hitting about 83ºF.

 

[Bebo77]

jbj chiller... maybe a 1/10 hp

 

[c_stowers]

They will need at least a 1/3 HP IMO. I run a 1/3 HP on my system which has a little more volume, but is inside and I never let the room temp get about 80-82. In the garrage in Nashville, I could imagine it getting up to 90 or so.

 

[pitbullpooch]

i have never had to use one but i found this page to help determine chiller sizes
http://www.jbjlighting.com/prod_chiller_size.asp

 

[jefathome]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9591886#post9591886 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Bebo77
jbj chiller... maybe a 1/10 hp

No way... I'd say at least the 1/5hp or ideally the 1/4hp.

I have a 1/5 JBJ on my 90g system and it is great.

 

[coral_reefer_25]

I was leaning toward a 1/4 or 1/3 as well, but I wanted to make sure. Any particular brand that you guys recommend. Preferrably something that is efficient and cost-effective.

 

[kevlouie]

Hmm I have had an idea for a cheap chiller. I am going to run some tests, and potentially try and patent something, but I might give you a sneak peak...

 

[cee]

You can use a bong cooler (google it) like the overclockers use; it's a lot cheaper and can be made from a fan, water pump, large PVC pipe, and a shower head. They're quite efficient and can pull the temp down below ambient.

Dave

 

[crumbletop]

Just a <em>word</em> about what I have <em>heard</em> about in-walls....

They need to be ventillated well so as to guard against mold and mildew from the contained warm and humid environment. So a chiller will cool it down, but you may need a dehumidifier as well, or some other way to vent the moist air.

I have no idea if any of that is true -- just what I have heard.

 

[fishdoc11]

I would recommend an Aqualogic chiller... at least 1/4 hp (which is what I have on my 120), 1/3 hp would probably be better for your friends situation.

The problem is if a chiller gets too hot it won't run well either. How hot does the garage get in the summer?

Chris

 

[KAiNE]

I have all my sump/frag tanks/equipment in my garage. Putting a window unit in prevents me needing a chiller, and its allot cheaper.
I could keep my garage no higher than 80 during the hottest of last summer.

Ventilation is the key, my FOWLR has solid glass tops and without allot of lighting and no submersible pumps its hotter than my reef.

 

[pitbullpooch]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9593559#post9593559 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by KAiNE
I have all my sump/frag tanks/equipment in my garage. Putting a window unit in prevents me needing a chiller, and its allot cheaper.
I could keep my garage no higher than 80 during the hottest of last summer.

Ventilation is the key, my FOWLR has solid glass tops and without allot of lighting and no submersible pumps its hotter than my reef.

i was actually trying to find my friends post with his setup on here becuase i was thinking about how he has an inwall tank in his garage and they had to use a window ac to keep there tank cool in the summer without using a chiller.

 

[danieljames]

Re: A chilling discovery

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9591838#post9591838 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coral_reefer_25
Sump = 40g. (probably 15g - 20g of water) Refugium - 40g. (proabably 20g of water) = roughly 120g of total volume.

damn...that's a pretty large refugium. Is it three different compartments? Main-->sump-->'fuge/return, or main-->'fuge-->sump/return? Just curious

 

[fishdoc11]

I was wondering about a window unit myself.....just didn't know the electric cost to cool the whole garage compared to the tank. Of course if the garage got too hot for the chiller to work it's a mute point
That should also take some humidity out of the air.
Glad to see some people have used that effectively.....definately cheaper on the front end.
I have a chiller and all my pumps and ballasts in my garage but it doesn't get much over 80-85 in the summer due to it's location.

Chris

 

[coral_reefer_25]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9593022#post9593022 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fishdoc11
I would recommend an Aqualogic chiller... at least 1/4 hp (which is what I have on my 120), 1/3 hp would probably be better for your friends situation.

The problem is if a chiller gets too hot it won't run well either. How hot does the garage get in the summer?

Chris

I don't really know. I installed some electric roof ventilation fans over there last summer, but it was close to the tail end of the season. He also added a great deal of insulation above the garage.

 

[coral_reefer_25]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9593559#post9593559 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by KAiNE
I have all my sump/frag tanks/equipment in my garage. Putting a window unit in prevents me needing a chiller, and its allot cheaper.
I could keep my garage no higher than 80 during the hottest of last summer.

Ventilation is the key, my FOWLR has solid glass tops and without allot of lighting and no submersible pumps its hotter than my reef.

I thought about recommending a window AC unit. I have one that I could give him. My condo association made me take it out of the window...I hate the way the look, but I hate being hot when I'm trying to sleep at night too!

 

[coral_reefer_25]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9594203#post9594203 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fishdoc11
I was wondering about a window unit myself.....just didn't know the electric cost to cool the whole garage compared to the tank. Of course if the garage got too hot for the chiller to work it's a mute point
That should also take some humidity out of the air.
Glad to see some people have used that effectively.....definately cheaper on the front end.
I have a chiller and all my pumps and ballasts in my garage but it doesn't get much over 80-85 in the summer due to it's location.

Chris

He has a fan blowing across the top of the display tank...the MH reflectors are mounted with the long side going parallel with the long side of the tank...and the fan is at one end, blowing across the bulbs. Honestly, I think that's just blowing the hot air straight onto the main tank water.

Daniel, yes it is a 40g refugium. It's acrylic...has three compartments in it...one where water drains in from the sump...then the 'fuge in the middle, and then a return chamber. Both the sump and the 'fuge have a return pump back to the tank. (main > sump/return > 'fuge/return)It's a pretty sweet setup...I'm going over there tomorrow...I'll get some pics.

 

[wooglin]

I have a 1/10th hp unit on my 75 with a 20 gallon sump. I keep my tank at 74 and it runs about 20-30 percent of the time. When our AC went out the chiller kept the tank below 80 and it was 95+ degrees in the house. My wife was peeved because you could stand next to the tank and feel the cool coming off the water. I even left my halides on while that was going it. It took 3 days to get the AC fixed (blown compressor).

 

[coral_reefer_25]

Good to know!

I talked to my friend...actually, we have the capability of putting the chiller under the house in the crawl space (that you can actually stand up in). If we did that, the chiller would be approximately 8 feet away from the tank. It stays around 60ish down there year round.

 

[anthony34]

Unless you want the unit working all the time get either 1/3 HP or 1/4 unit the other would work twice as hard and far more often keeping the water cool, also keep in mind in all the brands the measurements are not created equal, always make sure you check the Pull Down rate (Capacity BTU)/and lowest amperage draw that is the major factor a 1/X in one brand is not equal to another to make sure you get the correct chiller you need, Choose your chiller size by the amount of temperature Drop-Down needed from ambient temperature to desired tank temperature, in your case a 1/3, or 1/4, or 1/5 chiller is what I would say you will need a 1/10 would be a waste of money would have to work longer extra hard to keep the temp down.