Do I need a chiller?

[Dangerwill]

This is my first summer in Tucson with a reef. I haven't turned on the ac yet in my house but am noticing my tank getting warm quick once the lights turn on. I have a fan cooling the bulbs and this evening i turned off my heater but my tank is sticking around 80-82 degrees depending on lights off/on. What do you guys do?

 

[brettinteriors]

I would try a fan first. You can get a 3-5 degree drop in temp. I have my fan set on a timer with the lights and I get consistent temps. Chillers are a little pain because they also make heat and are expensive to buy and run. Fan and timer at Walmart $20


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[Newsalth2o]

I run one on my 125. I did the fans on my 55 last year. I added allot of water because of evaporation. I do have my chiller outside and plumbed inside due to the noise and the waste heat being put into the room. The fans did keep my tank in the 78-80 range when the AC was set at 76 in the house. The fans were noisy and mine got allot of salt on them. They were on the sump inside the stand one facing the surface of the water and the other facing out of the stand. So really I would say the chiller is convenient but it costs more energy to run. I am not sure if you keep the house warmer what kind of tank temps you could get.

 

[oscarslr]

what lighting? what size tank?

 

[Dangerwill]

I have a 90 gal with a 30 gal sump. I run 4 54 watt t5ho lights. I have 1 fan built into my canopy that blows across the lights and has been keeping it cooler. I think my house is just getting warmer at night. Stucco is funny like that. It got hot today in the tank. I hit 83 and my fish were not very happy about it. They were all hanging out in front of the power heads trying to cool off. I turned my heater to min setting and put some cooler fresh top off water in the tank to drop it back to regular temp of 80-81 my concern is that it will get too cool during the night if I don't have the heater on but to hot in the evening when the lights come on if the heater is running. Maybe I should put my heater on a timer...

 

[Jmnazari]

I think with your AC and a fan from Walmart (or where ever) you should be good. I ran a little fan on my 46g. The water was at 77-83 or so. I don't have an AC, just a swamp cooler. Also, I pointed one of my powerheads up towards the surface, making more surface action thus the evaporative cooling was much more rapid this way.
Another thing that us desert dwellers are known to do-freeze trays of RODI water! Top off and cooling in one :beachbum: My tank hit 90 one day last summer, so I ran out and bought a fan & 2 hours later I was back at normal temps. Nothing was damaged or stressed (granted I did have easy fish and no sps.) I hope this helps :thumbsup:

 

[forrestcook]

If you end up needing a chiller, I have an old 1/4 HP chiller with a mag 9.5 for $75.

 

[aquaph8]

I ran a chiller for years and I'd go with a fan if I had to do it again. I also haven't used a heater in years, I have a couple on hand if I need them but never use them.

 

[fishaholic911]

My tank runs 80 -83 with no issues. In the past when I ran M/H I would use fans. In 10 years I have never found a need for a chiller. I have always had AC though

 

[aquaph8]

My tank runs 80 -83 with no issues. In the past when I ran M/H I would use fans. In 10 years I have never found a need for a chiller. I have always had AC though

When I started this hobby I was in a trailer. I was more concerned about it falling through the floor than temperature, LOL.

 

[Newsalth2o]

When I started this hobby I was in a trailer. I was more concerned about it falling through the floor than temperature, LOL.

That's funny....I can relate...:lol2:

 

[sillygoose]

I just got an RKL controller - that I have to learn how to use - but you can use a controller to turn heaters and fans on and off.

 

[oscarslr]

I used keep the temp in my tank at 83-84 with Halides over the summer with AC at 72. Fish and coral were fine. Right now I average 81-83 with 8 t5s. A fan should work but will increase evaporation