Chiller

[kar1998]

I need a recommendation for a chiller for 125 gallon tank with 12 36" T5 lights.

I don't know one brand from the other. I would also like to know a good source.

Ken Rhodes

 

[chaderic26]

Have you tried fans first. Chiller would be the last resort imho.

 

[kar1998]

Fans will not keep the temperature down. Once hot weather hit it will be worse.

 

[gws76]

Why is your tank getting so hot? What temp. are you running? What is the ambient room temp. when your tank gets hot?

Reason I'm asking is that I have a very old a/c unit on my house and my tank temp. swings a bit in the summer.

 

[madkat]

I wonder the same as glenn. Also what temp is too hot?

I have 6 t-5 belching heat in my 150 and in my office I also have network gear that belches heat to the point my office is 10 degrees hotter than the rest of the house.

My office never drops below 82 ambient, my tank runs consistently between 76 and 78 degrees.

Of course temp is subjective, some say it needs to be hotter, others say it needs to be cooler.

 

[chaderic26]

Post a couple pics of your tank, and a hardware list. There might be a couple tweaks you can do to save having to buy an expensive electricity hog chiller.

 

[gws76]

Post a couple pics of your tank, and a hardware list. There might be a couple tweaks you can do to save having to buy an expensive electricity hog chiller.

Good point. I think my chiller (when I was using it), peaked at start up of 10 amps then fell off to 3-5 amps during operation.

Pumps can be a source of heat buildup in a tank. If your running one or more danner supreme mag drive pumps, they are heat factories. They (mag 9.5) build up so much heat that my 75 gal. mixing barrel gets to hot in the summer to do a water change immediatly. I have to wait till it cools off or run a couple smaller maxi jets to keep the water moving.

 

[Lytehouse]

Good point. I think my chiller (when I was using it), peaked at start up of 10 amps then fell off to 3-5 amps during operation.

Pumps can be a source of heat buildup in a tank. If your running one or more danner supreme mag drive pumps, they are heat factories. They (mag 9.5) build up so much heat that my 75 gal. mixing barrel gets to hot in the summer to do a water change immediatly. I have to wait till it cools off or run a couple smaller maxi jets to keep the water moving.

That's why I'm looking at moving away from mag pumps in the sump for the frag tanks at the house. Not enough flow and too much heat as summer approaches.

 

[mskohl]

I don't have any information on chillers either, but I would start with the big online retailers and read the reviews and comments there. Though, I tend to agree with some of the other posters that you may not have to go that route. I have 8 80W bulbs over my tank and in the spring I have to turn my a/c on before everyone else, but otherwise, it's manageable in the summer. My house is usually around 74-76* and I can keep the tank about 80*, which some consider a little high, but I run 79* in the winter.

I see temp recommendations for reef tanks between 76 and 82*.

 

[gws76]

Mine is the same. I run 79* most of the time. In the summer during the really hot afternoons, it may get up to 81.5-82* at most. And that's with a box fan pointed at the sump.