I think im gonna need a chiller..........

[waverz]

Im at the point where i have so much invested in livestock i dont want to take any chances. Now that its getting 80+ degrees and we dont have the ac on its making me nervous. All it takes is a really warm day and my stuff is gonna be stressing. Im going to have to find a realiable cheap skimmer. I guess at this point paying another 300 to make sure nothing gets cooked during the summer is worth it.

 

[got2lb]

Use the money and buy an air conditioner. Then YOU and YOUR tank will be happy!

Otherwise I'll be thinking of you when it's 100 degrees outside and I'm sitting in my house with cent. air and it's set at 65!

 

[leeweber85]

I know what you mean... My tank was running warm today... still not too bad but it makes me nervous. We run the AC full blast most of the time, but there are a few days (especially in the spring) where we don't run it.

 

[waverz]

I have a big old AC unit, but i dont trust it, all it takes is one really hot day where someone forgot to to turn it on or it blows a breaker and i would be screwed.

When i get my own house ill either have the tank in a basement or the central air will be on. Until then i dont wanna take any chances.

 

[glaspie69]

Buy one of the small ones from foster and smith and install it in your sump....that should keep your tank at a steady temp

 

[iaJim]

I had one with a probe and returned it for one that I could plumb in line. I plumbed it down in the basement and return the water back up to the tank. Has worked great for years. You can be comfortable and so can your fish.

 

[waverz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7181246#post7181246 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by glaspie69
Buy one of the small ones from foster and smith and install it in your sump....that should keep your tank at a steady temp

Typical temperature pull-downs:
10 Gallon: 6-8 degrees
20 Gallon: 3-4 degress
40 Gallon: 1-2 degrees

I probably have about 25 gallons of water total. I dont know if a 3-4 degree drop is gonna help. This place is a freakin sauna in the summer.

I guess its worth a try.......looks like they are like $165 with the controller.

 

[phishcrazee]

homemade chiller

homemade chiller

I have a friend who made a "chiller", so to speak....... I beleive he has a 220g tank with a 150g sump/fuge. He has, I think, 2 300watt heaters. He's modifying it so that it doesn't cool quite so much. I thought it was a great and simple idea and I might try it as well. Thought I'd throw it out there and see what people thought.


The homemade chiller that worked to good
I thought about how water falling through air cooled it down (like when u use fountains to cool hot swimming pools in summer, and kio ponds) So last night I set to work on my device. I put a piece of pvc pipe off my pipe that returns to the sump. Instead of going straight into the sump it went into the pipe that had many holes drilled into it. The water went through the holes and fell though the air into the sump. It ran all night and day till I just got home from school. The temp was 70 degrees with both of my heaters straining to heat it back to 80. It was a good idea but work to good. I going to add extra heaters or modify it to get the temp back up! My leather was small and the zoos wasnt open.....but I think they will be fine

 

[waverz]

I just ordered an iceprobe 50 watt chiller with a single stage digital controller for a little under $200 shipped. It should be here just in time. Atleast now ill be able to sleep at nite knowing my corals and fish won't cook.

 

[cabenn]

My tank hit 88 degrees the other day. Turned off the halides and it dropped down considerably. Easiest solution on hot days is just to limit your photo period. It's the first time my tank has ever got that hot but its cause like you said. I was stubborn and didn't want to turn on the AC on such a beautiful day.

I'd invest though in a small window unit and put it in the room where you have your tank.

Phishcraze that's a brilliant idea

I always thought it was such a waste to buy those fancy chillers and user more power. Just need to work on an automatic mechanism that opens and closes those holes now

 

[cabenn]

funny thing today. I checked the temp again and it was high. I looked closer and realized the suction cup thingy had come loose and the temp probe was sitting about 2 inches above the water surface Heh knew there had to be a reason for my high temp. Put it back under the surface and it was a nice warm 81.4 degrees.

 

[tibbs2]

I cut a hole in the side of my canopy and put a computer fan in there. It really makes a difference.

 

[Atticus]

Fans should always be your first step. I suggest ice cap fans as they are variable speed and pretty quiet.

 

[cabenn]

I just bought a normal 12" clip fan or whatever size it was. Added a piece of wood to the back of my hood and hung it there. It comes on whenever the halides are on. Works like a charm.

 

[The Gnome]

Waverz ... you need more than a chiller my little hombre.

 

[tolkein6]

chillin

chillin

I've used the fans for years as I don't want to pay to run an additional condensor when I'm too cheap to run my central air most of the time. The cheap clip on fans pointed directly at the water in your sump will do wonders. A couple of them will bring down your temp 10 deg. They evaporate water like crazy but that's the least of our worries when the temps begin to rise. I've also heard of people using a dorm fridge with a bunch of tubing coiled up inside to cool things down. Hell of a lot cheaper than a chiller and they use less elec.

 

[waverz]

If i had a larger tank i would have just gone with fans, but in a 24 gallon letting 5 gallons a day evaporate just cant be good. Besides after you spend a ton of cash on livestock its worth another 200 to be sure your not gonna cook everything.

Chiller should be here today.