Who uses an aquarium chiller?

[BassandReef]

This is my first summer with a marine tank. Last year my tank was a freshwater Discus tank. Therefore warm water wasn't an issue. Yes my tank is next to a window. My tank is maxing at 82.5 degrees right now I am concerned because the real heat hasn't come yet. My tank did not dip below 80.5 degrees last night.

I installed canopy fans and added some holes in the top off the canopy yesterday. I hear that a fan on the sump will help but will cause more evaporation.

I have an Reef Angel that controls my heater, lighting, calc reactor, wavemakers, fans, and ATO duties. (very cool unit by the way. 100% programmable and customizable)

My question is how many of you actually use chillers. I don't really have the room for one, but I dont't want my corals to suffer. Right now the only coral complaining is my Bubble corals. I am starting to think that my SPS like the extra heat.


I have a 120 tall. 48x24x24 mixed reef with a 30 gal 36 long sump.

 

[Rudolph]

What kind of lighting to do you have?

If you MH, you probably need a chiller.

I had a planted Discus tank before I moved back to Memphis. When I lived in Florida and was fortunate enough to buy directly from Jack Whatley (world famous discus breader) at his breading site in Miami. He has the most beautiful/colorful discus I have ever seen. I was fortune to have five of them that got huge and were of colors I have yet to see in any local fish stores (and that was around seven years ago). I think about setting up another one some day...

Okay, back to your question....LED's are great for low or nill heat, but there are too many that seem to be having issues so I will stay on the sidelines (on my main tank) until they work out the kinks. I do have some over my frag tank, but suppliment them with T5's. I am happy with my T5's and the heat issues are minimum. I put a small fan on it this year for the few times it does heat up. It is on a controller too.

 

[BassandReef]

I have Taotronics LEDs. They are like the Blueline LEDs. They are 120w with 3w leds running at 2w. They have three fans on each of them. They would be fine if they weren't in a canopy.

 

[neuroslicer]

I've got an EcoPlus 1/4 HP on my 125 gallon... I love it. My aquarium is in our sunroom that has lots of windows and sunlight, so it tends to be warmer than the rest of the house... that room doesn't get as much AC circulation either... and I've got two MH 400 watt bulbs. So a chiller is a must or I'd reach 90 degrees easily, especially in July and August. This chiller is one of the better deals on the market IMO (there are several hydroponics vendors that have it for ~$400. It will lower a 170 gallon tank 10 degrees with no problem.... be sure you've got a 650 - 1000 GPH pump on it to take advantage of the cooling properly... pump it from your sump to your tank and you've got more water flow for the corals too. (better yet get a second pump for a backup... a huge temperature spike can ruin everything!)

 

[nck1992]

What is your room temperature? I don't run my AC now and room temp is about 79F. My tank's temp is about same yours. I'll try to maintain my house temp around 78-80F. So I expect my tank temp will be around 82F-84F and will be ok in this summer.

 

[nck1992]

I also have some discus experience about 20 years ago. It's kind of breeding project but was failed. In that time around there was no successful breeder in korea. My undergraduate mentor wanted to breed and modify its color by genetic engineering. I managed around 100 of them. In korean web sites i had the ID "discus" for almost all famous web site.

 

[BassandReef]

Discus are cool!!!

 

[BassandReef]

The temp in my huse varies. It is 78 during the morning and evenings. It can be 84 during the weekdays when no one is home. I have three units but the main unit is set for 84 from 9 until 4.

If 82-84 is acceptable and won't harm my tank, then I don't have any worries.