Chiller Question

[bcjack]

We have a 50 gallon open top LPS tank in our bedroom. This, unfortunately is on the southwest corner of our house and gets baked during the afternoon and evenings. The central AC is a joke and can not keep up when the ambient air temp hits 86 degrees. Tank temp last night at 10pm was 85, normally 79. We knew this would be a problem when we set up the tank last fall, so now is the time to deal with it - before summer temps hit 90-100 degrees.

Anyhoo, how do you cool your tank during the summer?

I had been thinking of getting a chiller, but I am not sure if that would be the best solution. Room AC? Portable AC unit? Fan blowing over the top of the tank? other?

Thanks for your help.

Todd

 

[freddie40]

Try a couple of cheap fans, they work very well with my tank.

Dave

 

[bcjack]

Thanks Dave. Makes sense to start cheap with a couple fans to see how much that may help.

 

[Thurge]

I have been debating a chiller and what one to get if I do go that route. WHen my tank hit 85 I threw a fan in front of the tank and was plesantly supprised at how effective this is. They even make a thermostat controler for the fans so you don't have to remember to turn the fan on and off.
and come to think of it mine isn't on and nobody is home to do that.

 

[rmougey]

Fans can help quite a bit, as has been discussed. Be aware that your evaporation rate will increase, so be prepared to have a drip system or other top-off if your sump capacity is small.

Other items that help on warm days include frozen 2-liter bottles of water floated in tank (or small zip-locks filled with ice cubes). Beware of using the blue gels as they can leak. You can also float these in the sump. Obviously smaller tanks should have less ice or cold water in the bag/bottle than larger tanks.

That said, you may still find that a chiller is necessary. My experience with most is that they are generally loud.

-Rob

 

[bcjack]

Thurge, Rob - THanks for your input.

So if a chiller is the route I must eventually take...for those of you running chillers...what brand are you using, are you happy with it, what would you have done differently, etc etc etc.

Thanks again.

Todd

 

[Thurge]

From the search I did on RC it looks like the two favorites are Pacific Coast Chillers and JBJ's Arctica chillers. The PCC has higher BTU raitings but the JBJ are supposed to be the quietest on the market.

The thing I can't figure out is how to figure out what size to use. I will use Fosters&Smith's suggestions as an example:
JBJ Atctica 1/10hp: 1270 BTU, and rated for upto 130gal
Current Prime 1/10hp: 1485 BTU and rated for up to 70gal
Does that make sence?
I thought not.


Needless to say I have more questions about chillers, than I had when I started researching them.

 

[Thurge]

Here is the search for "chiller" in the Reef Discussion forum.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/s...by=lastpost&sortorder=descending&pagenumber=5