Ides to chill my tank

[Caronte]

Ok guys, temperature raise to the high 90's on my area and I need to chill my tank/. I can't afford a chilling device now, but it will be on my priority list.
In the mean time I wonder if I can made some RODI ice Cubes on my fridge? using an ice cube tray like THIS and maybe inserted into a sealed sandwich bag to prevent contact with freon or other contaminants, and then dropped some cubes on my sump, do you think this can work? or it's a bad idea?

 

[gojk]

Do you have fans on your tank now? Just a fan blowing across the surface of the water will lower the temp dramatically.

 

[NeilFox]

Fans, try to get them to point more downwards onto the water. This will encourage evaporation. You will have to make up alot but this will cool your tank for sure...

 

[Caronte]

I have 3 fans running together and temperature is close to 84 and 95 outside

 

[NeilFox]

How are the fans situated. They will work best if blowing as straight down on the water as you can get them. For alot of reasons that I can't fit in this post this will work better. 84 degrees isn't the end of the world. I intentionally keep my tanks around this tem due to species selection. Could you post a pic of your setup. You can also freeze some ziplock baggs filled with water, or even gallon jugs for that matter and it will help cool things down. RO ice cubes will be gone in seconds and have very little effect on cooling.

 

[johnike]

Before my chiller, I would freeze 1 liter soda bottles and float them in the sump.

 

[slipknottin]

Get a window AC? If the room with the tank is 90+ degrees fans and the like aren't going to do much. Keep the room around 75-80 and you have a start

 

[Caronte]

How are the fans situated. They will work best if blowing as straight down on the water as you can get them. For alot of reasons that I can't fit in this post this will work better. 84 degrees isn't the end of the world. I intentionally keep my tanks around this tem due to species selection. Could you post a pic of your setup. You can also freeze some ziplock baggs filled with water, or even gallon jugs for that matter and it will help cool things down. RO ice cubes will be gone in seconds and have very little effect on cooling.

For the display I have a four 120mm computer fans pointing at the water *picture one . For the sump the fan is situated at the right side of the skimmer under the switcher Box. I know that 84 degrees is not the end of the world, but during summer time, temperature raised up to 110 degrees on my area, and I need to find a solution before that happens. The third fan is an stand alone unit situated at the front of the stand. Probably I'll gonna get a window ac unit I think

Before my chiller, I would freeze 1 liter soda bottles and float them in the sump.

Good idea. I fill a bottle with RODI and put it in the freezer all ready to let them float on the sump/ Lets see How it works

 

[RA]

You have a lot of money invested in your tank, I don't understand why you are reluctant to just buy an AC unit. Or you can just wait until it's 110 and you can't find an AC to fit your window.

 

[dkeller_nc]

I know that 84 degrees is not the end of the world, but during summer time, temperature raised up to 110 degrees on my area, and I need to find a solution before that happens.

I'm scratching my head over this one - what difference does it make what the temperature is outdoors? Or are you telling us you have no air conditioning in your house?

 

[Caronte]

You have a lot of money invested in your tank, I don't understand why you are reluctant to just buy an AC unit. Or you can just wait until it's 110 and you can't find an AC to fit your window.

I Know, but I'm currently upgrading to a 180gl display with a 90gl sump and I stop putting any money in my current tank, just stocking corals. However this will be a very slow build that I planning to end sometime next year.
I realize that I'm so wrong on that, and I just come from Home depot with my new windows ac unit.
I do have a central ac unit on my home, but my wife is allergic to ac and nobody in my family like it, but me.Anyway, a chiller will be on my priority list for my next shopping. Any recommendation for a 180g display/90 sump?

 

[dkeller_nc]

I Know, but I'm currently upgrading to a 180gl display with a 90gl sump and I stop putting any money in my current tank, just stocking corals. However this will be a very slow build that I planning to end sometime next year.
I realize that I'm so wrong on that, and I just come from Home depot with my new windows ac unit.
I do have a central ac unit on my home, but my wife is allergic to ac and nobody in my family like it, but me.Anyway, a chiller will be on my priority list for my next shopping. Any recommendation for a 180g display/90 sump?

Well, it sounds like this is too late since you've just returned from Home Depot with a window unit, but you'd have been a lot better served by buying a chiller (unless the AC unit is for your comfort as well as the fish!).

The reason is power draw and efficiency of heat transfer. Since you've LED lights, you really don't have that much heat that you need to remove from the tank's water that's being generated by tank equipment. Given that's the case, a quite small chiller would've been sufficient - perhaps a 1/10, 1/8 or at most, 1/5 HP. Those tend to use a lot less electricity than even a window AC unit.

Comment about the 180 gal display (I just went through this process, though I wound up with a much smaller display of 50gal): Decide first whether you wish to put the money into a custom tank, or only wish to afford a standard design. Roughly speaking, a custom tank is going to cost you about 2X to 4X the cost of a standard design by Marineland, Aqueon or Plexto.

If you want to consider a custom tank, I'd decide on design attributes before deciding on a company. For example: Starphire, Diamante, or Regular glass? Rimless or Framed? Black or Clear Silicone? Drilled through the bottom w/ "standard" type overflows, or drilled through the back for a "coast to coast" overflow?

Marineland Deep Dimension Size Chart: http://www.marineland.com/Products/...~/media/6012E0A3249E4E2787C7C80D6DE47E0E.ashx

Standard Tank Size Chart:
http://www.marineland.com/Products/...~/media/739F8551D55146DD86789B7442ECFAD4.ashx

Approximate Prices (You'll likely get a better deal than this website from your local LFS):

http://www.fishtanksdirect.com/Glass_Aquariums.aspx

For custom tanks:

http://www.elosusa.com/ (very high end, don't be shocked!)
http://www.leemarpet.com/
http://reefsavvy.com/
http://www.cadlights.com/ (The company I went with - beautiful tank)
http://customaquariumbuilders.com/
http://aquavim.com/
http://www.glasscages.com/ (Think carefully about this option; they're the cheapest, but many are not impressed with their builds)

 

[Caronte]

Well, it sounds like this is too late since you've just returned from Home Depot with a window unit, but you'd have been a lot better served by buying a chiller (unless the AC unit is for your comfort as well as the fish!).

The reason is power draw and efficiency of heat transfer. Since you've LED lights, you really don't have that much heat that you need to remove from the tank's water that's being generated by tank equipment. Given that's the case, a quite small chiller would've been sufficient - perhaps a 1/10, 1/8 or at most, 1/5 HP. Those tend to use a lot less electricity than even a window AC unit.

Comment about the 180 gal display (I just went through this process, though I wound up with a much smaller display of 50gal): Decide first whether you wish to put the money into a custom tank, or only wish to afford a standard design. Roughly speaking, a custom tank is going to cost you about 2X to 4X the cost of a standard design by Marineland, Aqueon or Plexto.

If you want to consider a custom tank, I'd decide on design attributes before deciding on a company. For example: Starphire, Diamante, or Regular glass? Rimless or Framed? Black or Clear Silicone? Drilled through the bottom w/ "standard" type overflows, or drilled through the back for a "coast to coast" overflow?

Marineland Deep Dimension Size Chart: http://www.marineland.com/Products/...~/media/6012E0A3249E4E2787C7C80D6DE47E0E.ashx

Standard Tank Size Chart:
http://www.marineland.com/Products/...~/media/739F8551D55146DD86789B7442ECFAD4.ashx

Approximate Prices (You'll likely get a better deal than this website from your local LFS):

http://www.fishtanksdirect.com/Glass_Aquariums.aspx

For custom tanks:

http://www.elosusa.com/ (very high end, don't be shocked!)
http://www.leemarpet.com/
http://reefsavvy.com/
http://www.cadlights.com/ (The company I went with - beautiful tank)
http://customaquariumbuilders.com/
http://aquavim.com/
http://www.glasscages.com/ (Think carefully about this option; they're the cheapest, but many are not impressed with their builds)

Thank you for your comment and all that information. I appreciate that. The AC is for both, me and my pets, since nobody else in my house likes that, so I'm cool. And for the 180gl display probably I'll gonna start asking you lots tips and question in the future. I allready have the display, was my gift from Christmas, still undecided if go for 75gl or 90 gl sump. And that's all I have so far. Currently I'm working on a DIY stand, the blueprints and the list of Hardware I will need. This will keep me busy for a while. And the overflows I'll gonna drilled myself. I all ready drill like a dozen of tank on the past and I feel confident on that.
Chiller is gonna be on the top priority of my hardware list.

Funny that you give me a lots of different brands and builders but neither of them is mine. I got it from Aquarium Masters. Is there any differences in qualities, glass, build etc? Mine is 72x24x24

 

[dkeller_nc]

Well, to be honest, I wouldn't bother with a chiller since you've said the AC is for you. I'm with you on that one - I wouldn't be without air conditioning since I'm from the South.

Your avatar says you're in Northern California. I'm unfamiliar with the details of the climate there; it was my impression that it stays fairly cool most of the year, and is relatively dry except near the coast.

If that's an accurate impression, you're not going to need the chiller except for a few days of the year, and your room AC will keep your tank nice and cool on those few days. It would be way different where I'm located (North Carolina).

This is assuming that you go with LEDs instead of metal halides and an external (dry) recirculation pump for your 180.

I honestly would re-consider either a 75 or a 90 gallon standard dimension tank for your sump. If it's a standard tank, a 90 gallon will have a brace across the top of it, which is a huge PITA on a sump. And both tanks are a bit tall for a sump if it's going below your 180. If the sump is going to be off to the side, that would be a bit different.

 

[Caronte]

I'm in the central Valley, close to Modesto. All the valley from Fresno to Sacramento gets tipically over 100's on Summer time and 110 was the pick, but that is for about 3 months only.
My plan for the lights are 5 AI Vegas or 3 AI Vegas + 1 MH Ballast. The sump will be under the display. My current reef is located on my home office but the new display will be in the family room and there I will need a chiller, since my family doesn't like the AC. probably not the top of the line but something that do the job. I didn't research on that yet.

 

[dkeller_nc]

I think that you will find that both a 75 gallon and 90 gallon aquarium doesn't work well for a sump if it's directly under the display tank - they're just too tall. That's assuming that the bottom of your display tank will be about 30" from the floor.

You will find, for example, that you can't remove your skimmer for maintenance without tilting it horizontal. And getting your arm into the sump to reach something at the bottom will be extremely difficult.

 

[Caronte]

So a 55 will be best then? Or better yet, can I use my 40B and the 20L both as a sump? My40B is 18" my 20L sump is 12" wide equals 30"wide. The 180g is 24" wide In that scenario I can place my current 20gl sump at the front for the 180 display with the Protein SKIMMER, and media reactors and the 40B at the back for the Return Pump and the ATO. Do you think it can work?

 

[dkeller_nc]

I think you will find the 55 to also be unsuitable as a sump. It's the same problem as the 75 and the 90 - all of them are too tall and it will be extremely awkward to get into it for maintenance.

A 40 gallon breeder is a lot better - it's a short tank. As to whether you can use more than one tank as a sump - you can, but of course they have to be linked together (i.e., drilled). Also, with the DT emptying into one of the tanks and a skimmer/reactor in another, you may have issues with getting enough water exchange between the two sumps to make your filtration equipment effective.

 

[Caronte]

OK, I was thinking to build my new setup the same way I build my 40B, but seems that there is a lots more issues that I need to have in account. Since I don't have a basement or annex room, plumbing through walls is not an option. I gonna start working in a plan. and my wife give me couple of ideas on how to fix this.
I like the idea to keep my small reef on my home office. So we figure it out/ Thank you for your advices. I appreciate that

 

[dkeller_nc]

There are a few calculators on the 'net for correctly figuring out how many gallons a sump needs to be - you definitely want to use them. Having a sump that's too big just means that you can put more equipment in it.

Having a sump that's too small is another thing altogether, particularly the first time the power goes out.

If you don't want to use a purpose-made acrylic sump because of the cost issue, there are plenty of ways around it that work well - take a look through the "DIY" section of Reef Central, there are a lot of good ideas there.