Chiller requirements in Colorado

[tane]

Hi there,
Was wondering if most of the reefers in CO required a chiller? And if you run a chiller, which one do you use? And if you don't run a chiller how do you maintain the temperature of your tank?

Thx and have a nice day - Ewe Chye

[pan_tsu?]

Hey, I had a Fish Only tank last summer and I never really had problems...granted, I'm a big fan of air conditioning (especially last summer)...but I never saw it get above 82.
I think the nice thing about here is that because it is a dry heat, it tends to stay a little cooler inside. I'm also a big proponent of keeping blinds/windows shut for as much of the day as possible during the summer. It always keeps my house cool....until I get home and open the damn windows! But, leaving them closed up, you trap the cool night temp in your house.

[psauer]

I've only used the 'Ice in a zip lock bag' trick. But I'm doing research now on getting a heater/chiller controller to stabilize the temperature. I'm at 9000 feet and we only get a week or two of extreme heat. There is a good reef club out of Longmont "Rocky Mountain Reef Club". They have a forum here on RC. I post your question their. I went to Skyline High, Now on the Western Slope, How is Longmont? Best of Luck!

[psauer]

[i]. I post your question their. [/B]

I'd!....... I'd post your question their. Sorry!

[psauer]

Sorry also you are in the forum suggested! It’s been a long Monday!

[freakyreef]

Out where I am cnetral air is a must. I try to keep the house at 72-74 year round.
No chiller here.
Mmmmmm recirculated air.

[griff]

I've never had a chiller on any of my tanks - however I'm also a big fan of central AC! I keep my house around 73 year round, and my tank runs a pretty constant 80.

If you don't have central AC, try fans blowing across the top of the tank or the sump - with as dry as the air is here, you get lots of evaporation and cooling.

[denverreef]

yeah i would say it really depends on if you have central AC or not. I don't and last summer my ground floor got up to 85-89 on the warm midsummer days.

[Questin]

Ahhh, the ol "should I get a chiller" question I so offten ask myself.

The answer is always "HOW MUCH?!" hehe


But seriously, I do have a little problem with one tank getting too hot, and thats because its in my bedroom on the upper floor and on the east side of the house. So the sun just looks down at it and goes, Mmmm I love fish.

It's a 65 salt reef and instead of central air, I have a big fat swamp cooler! Ahhh I could just die a happy man if I was to die in front of that thing in july. But its on a lower level, and Cold air doesnt exactly rise hehe.

So you know what I do when the hot days come? I turn up the heat in the tank and get it to about 82ish. That way the water does not have a major temp change when it gets really hot in the room. I look at it like this, ok so maybe the tank gets to 86, thats not so bad when it was already 82. But what if it was 75? 11 degrees is a big jump and can cause some problems, but 4 degrees is nothing =P

Oh and about that chiller, for the cost, I could add the central air unit to my house! hah

oh yeah, almost forgot. If you do this, start now, and go up about one degree a day. Too much too fast is trouble.