Chiller

[ldc3000]

I have a 29 gallon in an upstairs room. Temperatures haven't even hit mid 80s and I'm already having temperature spikes. My primary cooling method is my uome's AC. I've already had to lower it to 72 degrees to keep my aquarium under 79.5. I was thinking about getting a chiller, but have read that they can put out so a lot of heat, which seems to defeat the purpose. I've read and seen video where people place them outside, but that wouldn't work for me. Was wondering if anyone who uses a chiller can tell me if the heat output is significant enough to where I would have crank the AC to counter balance the heat.

 

[mcgyvr]

What type of lighting are you using?
What type of tank/canopy?
Do you have a sump/return pump?

What tank temperature are you trying to maintain?

With a 29G tank and an ambient of 72deg I see absolutely no reason to need a chiller..

There are many things you can do to get the heat out without having to resort to a chiller..

 

[ldc3000]

I'm using leds, two Radions XR15. I'm not using a canopy. I do a sump and I'm using a Sicce 2.0. Last summer I bought a fan to hang over the sump, but it did not have any noticeable effect.

 

[sirreal63]

Why are you trying to keep the tank under 79.5 degrees? Do you have something in the tank from colder waters?

 

[jda]

Move the fan across the top of the water if you are concerned.

 

[alton]

Beg or borrow another pump. If your room is at 72 and tank is over 80, that would be my first guess

 

[mcgyvr]

I wouldn't worry one single bit unless my tank was getting over 83 deg C...

80deg F.. No problem..

But.. yes a chiller will produce heat.. but it doesn't put it back into the tank water.. It simply goes into the local air and your AC system can easily handle that and should keep the ambient at the set temperature..

I would really look at increasing surface agitation some to increase evaporation to decrease the temps if anything.. other than that I wouldn't worry

 

[ldc3000]

Thanks for the feedback. I'll try moving the fan to top of the tank. I thought it would have the same effect if I had it flow blowing across the water in the sump.
As far as keeping the temperature under 80, that is how I was brought up in the hobby. I was always told that you wanted to keep your temp around 76-80 with 78 being the sweet spot. Keeping at 80 is fine, but gives you less room for error. This was years ago when I was using Metal halides and VHOs and had a canopy, and there would be temp changes depending on what light were running.

 

[sirreal63]

Whomever told you that was misinformed but it is common misinformation. I won't go into here unless you are interested in learning why. I absolutely agree with the fan across the top of the tank, it should help. I also would agree with wondering what is causing the heat, the return pump being the usual suspect or a heater malfunction.

With your ambient temps in the house, your tank should only be a degree or two higher, if that. We keep our house at 76 and the tank will stay about 77 to 78 with the lights off and climb to 82 with the halide, VHO and leds on. Something is causing your heat.

 

[hitawaah]

Hello all,
I am actually in the same boat as ldc3000, and came to the website to look for a chiller.(I have a 75 gallon reef with some Lps,softies,inverts,and fish. I'm running a trigger 39 sump w/ led fuge light and a vectra L1 return pump, a protein skimmer. 2 Radion gen 3 30 pros with a fan blowing across the top of the water no canopy, one mp 40. I live in Southern Florida and its nowhere near August temps and my aquarium continually climbs to 80.5/81 during the day then cools off to 79.0+ at night) so for the people who answered ldc my question to you is what is in your tank, and why aren't you worried about these higher than average temps? Average being 78-80 usually wanting the temp on lower side for more room for error. I am not trying to hijack your post ldc but I actually turned down my thermostat in my house too, so it seems we are having similar issues. Thanks.

 

[ldc3000]

With your ambient temps in the house, your tank should only be a degree or two higher, if that. We keep our house at 76 and the tank will stay about 77 to 78 with the lights off and climb to 82 with the halide, VHO and leds on. Something is causing your heat.

Are others finding this to be true for their systems? I've had multiple systems and never had tank temp be that close to the house temp. I'm currently running a 10gallon with a HOB filter and a sponge filter, the lights are some cheap blue and white leds and I have a a mini maxijet for flow. This tank is downstairs and is currently reading 78.3. I don't know why, but all my tank seem to run warm and they all use different equipment.

I am not trying to hijack your post ldc but I actually turned down my thermostat in my house too, so it seems we are having similar issues. Thanks.

No worries hitawaah. I got some good info and will give the fan a try. I was asking about chillers, because I received a few emails where retailers have them on sale and now would be the time to buy one.

 

[sirreal63]

Are you certain of your house temps or is that just what the thermostat is set at? At our farmhouse the upstairs temp is set at 70 but my thermometer reads 74 where it is located at.

 

[ldc3000]

Are you certain of your house temps or is that just what the thermostat is set at? At our farmhouse the upstairs temp is set at 70 but my thermometer reads 74 where it is located at.

I was thinking the same thing. I'm just going by the thermostat. Maybe I'll pickup a thermometer this weekend.

 

[sirreal63]

It is only a 35 watt return pump, but if it is malfunctioning it could put out more. What else is on the system? Do you have a heater?

 

[ldc3000]

I have a heater but it's off, Reef Octopus Classic 110SSS, and Vortech MP10.

 

[hitawaah]

Are you certain of your house temps or is that just what the thermostat is set at? At our farmhouse the upstairs temp is set at 70 but my thermometer reads 74 where it is located at.

sirreal I think you were asking ldc, but That is something that I took into consideration. So yes I have checked what the ambient temp. is next to my tank as opposed to my thermostat. Plus I have a thermometer on the outside
wall where the tank sits(cinder block heats up because the sun shines on it all day long) and I have checked the inside drywall with thermometer in roughly same location nothing really going on there either.

 

[hitawaah]

I have a heater but it's off, Reef Octopus Classic 110SSS, and Vortech MP10.

I'm running the same skimmer too. Works like a champ.

 

[sirreal63]

I have a heater but it's off, Reef Octopus Classic 110SSS, and Vortech MP10.

Check that Octo pump, they are really crappy pumps. Feel the water exiting the skimmer, it shouldn't be much different than the water in the sump. I know your water volume is small, but you don't have much wattage in there either.