Do I need a chiller?

reef_doug

Premium Member
Temperature is running 79-81.5 degrees. I don't have SPS yet, but I hope to start adding some ORA frags next month.

I know the pH is a bit low, which is due to CO2 build up inside the house and lack of ventilation. I hope to have it 8.1-8.3 consistently within a few days.

I really don't want to purchase a 1/4 HP chiller for use for only 3-4 months out of the year, the tank is currently just under 82. I do have central A/C at 78 and a large fan blowing on the sump during the day.

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Tank is 180g
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Doug... where is the tank setup? is it on a wall that is getting alot of heat? sunlight, powerheads and pumps will cause heat. I do not run a chiller with the same size tank and mine stays a consistant 76-78 with MH. I also have the lights not coming on till 3pm-11pm....My central a/c is set at 78 degrees also.
 
82 is fine during the summer months....................maybe add an additional fan blowing across the top of the tank or sump if you want to lower 2 degrees or so...............
 
Tank is in Living Room, blinds are shut during day so very little direct sunlight. A large room fan is on from 9am-7pm with stand doors open. I will soon keep the canopy open, I just purchased a screen for the top.

Tank has 2 x 6100 + wavebox.

Photo period is only 4 hours: 3 x 250w HQI come on between 6:30pm - 10:30 pm. No other lights used, except may add either VHO or T5 actinic next month.

I'm hoping to get away with no chiller, maybe I'll just modify the canopy with a couple 4-1/4" holes on top with some 120mm stealth fans. The canopy is open in the back.

Any harm to aquacultered SPS with temps reaching 82?
 
Do you need a chiller? Only if you can ensure your house does not get too hot.

I normally leave the AC on at 86 degrees. Thursday I forgot to turn the AC on and came home to a house at 97 degrees. The chiller was pumping away and kept the tank temp at 84.

Had I not had a chiller, I would be writing a "my tank crashed" thread.

A chiller is relatively cheap insurance.
 
you don't need a chiller, I think chiller is worthless. I don't think they use chiller 100 years ago.

get a few water bottles, put them in your freezer and just take turn switching them in-out of you sump.

water bottles case of 24 = $4.00 compare to $500/600 dollar chiller. I am thinking of selling my 1/3HP JBJ chiller and go back to the water bottles method, LMK if you interest. =)
 
I took a close look at the daily temp graph and every 3 hours the temp goes up, then down a 1/2 degree which is the same time my Quiet One 1200 turns on (3 on/3off) for the zeo reactor.

The QO1200 uses 25.5 w, I'm looking to replace it with something under 13w, like a MJ900 or so.

Anyone interested in a QO1200?
It's a great little pump 296 GPH I believe and only one month old. I have original box and manual.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10436384#post10436384 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chaffey
you don't need a chiller, I think chiller is worthless. I don't think they use chiller 100 years ago.

get a few water bottles, put them in your freezer and just take turn switching them in-out of you sump.

water bottles case of 24 = $4.00 compare to $500/600 dollar chiller. I am thinking of selling my 1/3HP JBJ chiller and go back to the water bottles method, LMK if you interest. =)

Tom, you must live in a more affluent society where $4.00 is easy to come by. I just collect used water bottles, fill them with tap and then freeze 'em. It's FreeEeeeEee.
 
The nice thing about a chiller over frozen water bottles is that you dont need to be home to constantly supervise your tank. I set mine @ 81, so it has only turned on twice this summer. Two fans keep my tank between 78-80. I dont really need a chiller, but if me and my family are gone for a day, its cheaper to rely on the chiller than keeping the whole house @ 78 with the AC. I consider the chiller an emergency back up for those really hot days, I wouldnt rely on one to maintain the tank at a lower temp. Its for peace of mind.
 
it is not free to freeze water. the water in the freezer still takes the same energy use to freeze the water but without the control that a chiller offers.

100 years ago there were no reef tanks. aren't you glad you live today?

Carl
 
Unless you're turning on your freezer to specifically freeze the water bottles, then it is free. Freezer is already running so why not use the free energy.............
 
wrong, freezers also cycle on and off depending on the demand just like a chiller so it is NOT free just because the freezer is in use. they both operate on the same principle.

there is no such thing as free energy. one of those laws of thermodynamics. thre is no perpetual motion machine.


Carl
 
Before I got a chiller,I was sick of being tied to the tank and not being able to leave town for weekends.The best thing you can do is run a strong fan or two and make sure you have a working ATO system as the fans will evaporate a lot of water.

I was surprised to see that at times the fans brought down the temperature too much,so a reliable heater is important too.

The price of a chiller for me is completely worth my piece of mind and not having to babysit the tank in So Cal weather.Doesn't Victorville get hot as hell?
 
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