Drop in or in line chiller ?
- Thread starter SPotter
- Start date
Dustin1300
Reefaholic
Neither, your running LEDs! 
SPotter
Active member
You're funny! Im still having heat issues even after exhausting the dehumidifier. the portable ac unit cant be exhausted properly either. my evaporation rate has doubled because of the fan and I Cant think if any other way to cool the tank down since the fish room pushes 81 during the day and Im just not comfortable with that temp for my tank.
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Mmiller40gt
arrogant reefer
Inline for sure.
Drop In
Drop In
Steve,
IMO, I think drop in is better, because you don't need a pump to drive it.
1- you save money spend on the pump and eletricity and heat.
2-if the pump die on you then big problem.
I had use many inline before and these things happened to me.
If I need a chiller for my new tank i would go with drop in.
Good luck,
Drop In
Steve,
IMO, I think drop in is better, because you don't need a pump to drive it.
1- you save money spend on the pump and eletricity and heat.
2-if the pump die on you then big problem.
I had use many inline before and these things happened to me.
If I need a chiller for my new tank i would go with drop in.
Good luck,
SPotter
Active member
Thanks Lam. I do have an open spot on my manifold to feed it which does away with the pump. There's a used drop in for sale that I am thinking about picking up to see if it will give me that drop that I need.
Mmiller40gt
arrogant reefer
That's why you plumb it to your return. If your return fails, then you in trouble anyway. A drop in in your sump with a dead return is the same difference... 100% ineffective. Lol
Check some studies, the drop ins are not very efficient. For a nano they are fine. For a large tank a inline plumbed to your return is the way to go.
atreis
New member
I've had both, and they both work. Both have advantages and disadvantages.
Drop-In Advantages:
1. Don't need to divert flow or use a separate pump. (This can be more efficient, as adding a pump also adds heat.)
2. Easy. Submerge the coil, plug it into the controller. Done.
3. Can be brought out just for the summer season, then put away again when the season is over, much more easily than an inline can.
4. No worries about a failed pump resulting in freezing.
Drop-In Disadvantages:
1. They don't make them in small sizes. (My current chiller is 1/10HP. Smallest I've seen a drop-in is 1/6HP.)
2. The hose to the coil is pretty stiff and not very long, so maneuvering it around things and into the right spot and getting it to lay so that the whole coil is submerged can be a challenge.
3. More expensive (generally speaking).
4. The cat, walking on the hose, can cause the coil to come out of the water. (Ugh)
Inline Advantages:
1. Come in a wider variety of makes and sizes.
2. Generally less expensive.
3. Easier to locate where you want it since the plumbing can go around turns.
Inline Disadvantages:
1. Have to plumb it somehow.
2. Can be less efficient if a separate pump is used.
3. Installation tends to be a more "permanent" thing, since re-working plumbing is a pain.
4. A failed pump can cause the unit itself to freeze and break. (Many have sensors that will turn them off if they get too cold.)
My current chiller is an inline (JBJ - nice unit), but I actually prefer drop-ins. If I could have found a small, quiet one, I would have gotten that instead.
Drop-In Advantages:
1. Don't need to divert flow or use a separate pump. (This can be more efficient, as adding a pump also adds heat.)
2. Easy. Submerge the coil, plug it into the controller. Done.
3. Can be brought out just for the summer season, then put away again when the season is over, much more easily than an inline can.
4. No worries about a failed pump resulting in freezing.
Drop-In Disadvantages:
1. They don't make them in small sizes. (My current chiller is 1/10HP. Smallest I've seen a drop-in is 1/6HP.)
2. The hose to the coil is pretty stiff and not very long, so maneuvering it around things and into the right spot and getting it to lay so that the whole coil is submerged can be a challenge.
3. More expensive (generally speaking).
4. The cat, walking on the hose, can cause the coil to come out of the water. (Ugh)
Inline Advantages:
1. Come in a wider variety of makes and sizes.
2. Generally less expensive.
3. Easier to locate where you want it since the plumbing can go around turns.
Inline Disadvantages:
1. Have to plumb it somehow.
2. Can be less efficient if a separate pump is used.
3. Installation tends to be a more "permanent" thing, since re-working plumbing is a pain.
4. A failed pump can cause the unit itself to freeze and break. (Many have sensors that will turn them off if they get too cold.)
My current chiller is an inline (JBJ - nice unit), but I actually prefer drop-ins. If I could have found a small, quiet one, I would have gotten that instead.
LinkinReef
Member
I've had a drop-in chiller on my old 210g and it was doing a perfect job. It cooled down the water very fast. I do believe that that they are very efficient as long as you have the right hp's for the right tank.
I personally decided to go with a drop-in because I can always remove the chiller during the cold months and not need to have extra space in or around my stand for a chiller when it won't be in use.
Meercat_Maric
New member
IMO an inline is a more efficient way of cooling your system. It actively distributes water back to your tank via its feed pump - this is huge when your system is massive and you have a lot of water to cool.
The drop in chiller depends on the movement generated by your system (sump or tank) to distribute and cool the tank. In most cases, systems cannot produce the same amount of flow as a feed pump turning water over actively.
+1 on the JBJ - my 1/4 eats heat for breakfast.
Good luck!
The drop in chiller depends on the movement generated by your system (sump or tank) to distribute and cool the tank. In most cases, systems cannot produce the same amount of flow as a feed pump turning water over actively.
+1 on the JBJ - my 1/4 eats heat for breakfast.
Good luck!
SPotter
Active member
Sizing now is the hard part. I am using the "how to size a chiller" tool from JBJ and I am trying to calculate my total watts. not sure how to respond to these questions....
total watts for lights? since leds and t5's do I not include the leds total watts and since I am only running my t5's for about 4 hrs a day how much of those watts should I allow for?
total watts for return pumps? my return pump is external so how do I account for that?
total watts for lights? since leds and t5's do I not include the leds total watts and since I am only running my t5's for about 4 hrs a day how much of those watts should I allow for?
total watts for return pumps? my return pump is external so how do I account for that?
SPotter
Active member
Thank you!!! I just looked at it on my phone and its just what I was looking for. I will try it out later.
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atreis
New member
Very nice tool. It came out pretty much right on target for what I know works for my system.
Mmiller40gt
arrogant reefer
Yeah it contains a ton of variable that other generic calculators leave out. It takes some work to get all the numbers in but it's a great tool. I like that you can change room temp or fan speed and see how that effects your temp. For some people lowering their ac a couple degrees or even turning on a ceiling fan will fix their heat problems.
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