I am looking at getting a chiller for my 92 gal corner tank. With the lights on the temperature fluctuates between 76-77 degrees and with the lights off if fluctuates from 75-76. What hp chiller should I be looking at to keep my tank aroun 73-74 consistently? I didn't know if getting a larger horsepower one like a 1/3 so it wont stay on all the time or an smaller horsepower one to use less energy. which is better and what route should I go. Thanks for the help.
Chiller question
- Thread starter vipjd39
- Start date
"Smaller" doesn't necessarily mean "more efficient". In fact, the opposite is often true.
Anyway, I know JBJ gives sizing guidance on their website. I bet most other manufacturers do as well. That would be your best bet.
A three degree drop is pretty small. I bet you could get away with a 1/5hp and maybe even smaller.
Anyway, I know JBJ gives sizing guidance on their website. I bet most other manufacturers do as well. That would be your best bet.
A three degree drop is pretty small. I bet you could get away with a 1/5hp and maybe even smaller.
justinm0424
New member
I would do a 1/4hp or 1/3 chiller. Also I'd look into the dropin models. They seem to be a lot easier to use since you just drop the coil in your sump and forget about it no plumbing or leaks to deal with
Shane Hoffman
New member
May I ask why you are wanting to invest in a chiller when your temps even at their highest are perfectly fine for most any coral on the market. Are you keeping something that requires cooler water????
VacavilleFC3S
Active member
i just purchased a used aqualogic 1/3hp cyclone and it's amazing, runs only 2 or 3 times a day with the way i have my fans setup to assist , i have about 110g total in my system
MarineMarty
New member
I also want to know why you need your water so cold? I want a chiller just to keep my tank at 80 
blennielove
New member
Hello there,
I was wondering if you have considered adding fans to help keep the air around your lighting fixtures cooler and to help with dissipating the heat created by the lights. I have had the experience where the fan/fans can bring the temperature down at least a couple of degrees if not more and this way, your temperature would rise slightly but it will be at a slow and steady increase throughout the day versus the cycline that is seen when chillers are used. I recently got a chiller because I added a couple of internal pumps which drove ambient temperature higher and then "lights on" temperature rose to 83-84 degrees. My temperature for the chiller is set at 79 which means my temperature fluctuates several time a day between 77.9 and 80.1, which I wonder if it could be more stressful to the creatures. If you plan on setting your temperature at 73-74, that means that you will have even more cycles ranging from 71.9 to 74.1, as that is much lower than your room temperature...
Sorry that it's so long, I hope you understand what I'm trying to say...
I was wondering if you have considered adding fans to help keep the air around your lighting fixtures cooler and to help with dissipating the heat created by the lights. I have had the experience where the fan/fans can bring the temperature down at least a couple of degrees if not more and this way, your temperature would rise slightly but it will be at a slow and steady increase throughout the day versus the cycline that is seen when chillers are used. I recently got a chiller because I added a couple of internal pumps which drove ambient temperature higher and then "lights on" temperature rose to 83-84 degrees. My temperature for the chiller is set at 79 which means my temperature fluctuates several time a day between 77.9 and 80.1, which I wonder if it could be more stressful to the creatures. If you plan on setting your temperature at 73-74, that means that you will have even more cycles ranging from 71.9 to 74.1, as that is much lower than your room temperature...
Sorry that it's so long, I hope you understand what I'm trying to say...
blennielove
New member
I don't think that fans will lower the temperature any more than the ambient temperature of the tank. An example will be if you have fans in a CLOSED room, it will not change the temperature in that space. If the room's temperature is 74 degrees CONSISTENTLY (which is hard enough if you think about how much your air conditioner kicks on throughout the day), and there are no additional heat sources (like pumps, lights, and so on), then the water MIGHT stay at that temperature. With all this said, think about the natural environment which the sea horses live - there are temperature fluctuations in nature.
Just on a sideline. I've noticed that sometimes we, reefers, wanting to replicate what we think is the best environment for the creatures we are keeping, forget that nature is not stagnant, and there are natural rhythms and variations to things. Before you spend so much energy, fixating on that 74 degrees, take a moment and review why you are thinking of that exact temperature and what temperature RANGE does that sea horse live in.
Best Wishes!!!
Just on a sideline. I've noticed that sometimes we, reefers, wanting to replicate what we think is the best environment for the creatures we are keeping, forget that nature is not stagnant, and there are natural rhythms and variations to things. Before you spend so much energy, fixating on that 74 degrees, take a moment and review why you are thinking of that exact temperature and what temperature RANGE does that sea horse live in.
Best Wishes!!!
They will.
Bad example. The fans help you cool the water because they increase the water evaporation rate. Considerable amounts of heat are needed to change water from liquid to gas state so if more water is converted to vapor by usage of fans than water left in the tank will have less heat => lower temperature.
So the usage of fans will cool the water down BUT it will require more water to be needed to keep the salinity stable and will make the air in the fishtank room more humid.
Using fans you CAN lower the water temperature in the tank below the ambient room temperature. The question is - do you want to deal with increased top-offs and increased humidity in the air. The chiller is quieter than fans and does not cause rise of the air humidity in the room where it is installed.
Pszemol
Re: Chiller question
Usually this value is from +/-2 to +/-3 degrees F, like for Oceaninc chillers: http://www.oceanicsystems.com/assets/008/15829.pdf
What it means is that even when you set the temperature of your chiller to 74 it will NOT turn on until the temperature of the water will be measured as 74+3 = 77F! When it turns on, it will wait to the temperature to go down to 74 before it turn itself off.
So depending how big/strong your chiller is the temperature in the tank will fluctuate these 3 degrees between the chiller cycles...
I think it will be worth mentioning, that the average aquarium chiller has a quite wide regulation window, also called regulation hysteresis. It is there to prevent the chiller from turning on/off too often in too short cycles...
Usually this value is from +/-2 to +/-3 degrees F, like for Oceaninc chillers: http://www.oceanicsystems.com/assets/008/15829.pdf
What it means is that even when you set the temperature of your chiller to 74 it will NOT turn on until the temperature of the water will be measured as 74+3 = 77F! When it turns on, it will wait to the temperature to go down to 74 before it turn itself off.
So depending how big/strong your chiller is the temperature in the tank will fluctuate these 3 degrees between the chiller cycles...
