Does anyone around here use a chiller?

bprice · #1 01/02/2008, 12:55 AM

I know this is a strange question to ask when the temperature is about 10 degrees outside right now, but I am thinking about this summer. Most of the tanks that I have seen are in the basement or a central living area, so does everyone just keep them cool with AC? My tank is in the wall between the living room and an add-on sunroom and the temperature fluctuations are much greater than in most of the rest of the house. Any suggestions? I just connected a 120 gal to my 125 gal with about a 50 gal sump.
Thanks,
Bruce

zt444a · #2 01/02/2008, 08:00 AM

I added some very efficient, but very quiet, fans to my hood and my temp stays stable.

Many of your fellow reefers here do have chillers though.

Reeferhead · #3 01/02/2008, 11:53 AM

I run a chiller, 1/10 horse Pacific Coast. I run quiet a bit of light on a small tank. I split the feed from my main return pump to feed it. I plan on venting its exhaust outside before next summer. The chiller is a nice safety feature if the AC goes out or my wife randomly turns it off

DrBDC · #4 01/02/2008, 12:12 PM

I do but I never needed it until I ran 400 watt bulbs. It still doesn't kick on that often. It really only gets used in the spring/fall when it's not hot enough for much a/c and not cold enough for heat.

spooda420 · #5 01/02/2008, 05:14 PM

I have a DYI chiller that I have been trying to sell off and on. Its a marineland lobster chiller, meant to chill (in fact it did at one time) the lobster tanks you see in the supermarket. I'd like to get $100 for it if interested LMK.

dphins · #6 01/02/2008, 05:20 PM

I use the same one as reeferhead. Works great for me. I hasn't ran for a while do to the cold temps outside. In the summer it does run more.

DrBDC · #7 01/02/2008, 05:27 PM

Same chiller I'm using, just still in the lobster tank. That chiller is made to take 120 gallons + lower depressed sump volume down into the 40's! It would cool even Nook's tanks.

Schplitter · #8 01/02/2008, 10:06 PM

I added mine this summer. 1/3HP on a 100 gal tank. Way overkill but it was cheap... Temp is stable at 80F.

BK

geoxman · #9 01/02/2008, 10:51 PM

I use a JBJ and it does fine at 78 at all times. I like the backup in case a heater goes crazy. Spooda I will send a PM as I am interested in doing a cold water tank.

geoxman · #10 01/02/2008, 10:54 PM

PM sent

bprice · #11 01/02/2008, 11:38 PM

Thanks for all the input so far on a chiller, on the 2 coldest days of the winter. I guess I should get one before summer, especially before vacation. Hopefully I'll see some of you at Beldts/pizza tomorrow.
Bruce

sirreal63 · #12 01/03/2008, 08:48 AM

I have one that I used as a safety net. It was set to come on at 83 and I set the heaters at 78. Normal temp. variation in the tank was 78 to 82 and occasionally 83. In nature the temps vary daily and I tried to recreate this in the tank. I don't follow the stable temp policy as it takes away the corals ability to handle temp variations when they do happen. They will happen too...Ameren makes sure of that.