Chillers

mikesommers · #1 01/08/2008, 10:06 PM

Has anyone tried or currently using a 1/10 HP Prime Mini Chiller.
I have a 75 gallon reef tank with 350 watts MH and 220 watts VHO on it. it is a fairly new set up and wants to run around 88 degrees. I know I am going to have to add a chiller. I live in GA and it gets hot here. I have a couple of smaller reef tanks that i battle with in the summer but the lights are half of whats on this tank. I really just want to know if anyone has used this one and if its worth the money.

seagirl · #2 01/08/2008, 11:50 PM

i just spent some time researcing that chiller. Had some reports of loud noise in operation, but pretty good reliability from what i could find. I was looking at it for a 24 gallon tank tho. I know the 1/10 says it can do up to a 70 gal, but i would never put it on something that big. It will have to run very often to keep up with that big of a tank and will shorten it's life dramatically from the reviews i have read. Don't know what your budget is, but check out thsi chiller-

http://www.fishtanksdirect.com/brows....-Chiller.html

It got great reviews from everyone i could find and lots of people were usinf it on 150 gal tansk with no issues at all. The link i gave is not the best price, you can find it cheaper. HTH

mikesommers · #3 01/09/2008, 10:09 PM

Cool Thanks man! I guess I will have to make room room for it in my budget. Its going to be a must! Do you know of anyone using this one? Oh yea and at night with no lights on the tank will run around 78. It takes all night to get there though.

seagirl · #4 01/09/2008, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mikesommers
Cool Thanks man! I guess I will have to make room room for it in my budget. Its going to be a must!

glad to help.

mikesommers · #5 01/09/2008, 10:20 PM

What all do you have in yor sump on the 75. Im just doing 20 gallon with 25 lbs of rock and a pre and post filter with a big oceanic plus 4 skimer flowing 1800 gph through the sump. I have another 100 lbs of rock in the tank. Its almost done cycling.

seagirl · #6 01/09/2008, 10:40 PM

1800 gph thru the sump! thats a lot. are you using the return pump to create your water movement? you should only run what your skimmer pump is rated for. For example: the skimmers pump is 450gph thats all that should be flowing thru the sump, or else the skimmer can't keep up and the dirty water is just going back to the display. Make sense? you should use power heads or a closed loop to create the current in the display. i have my water drain into the first section of the sump which has a filter sock and the skimmer(asm G3), then it flows into the refugium with lr rubble and chaeto macro, then into the return section.

mikesommers · #7 01/09/2008, 10:50 PM

The skimmer has its own pump 250 gph. The main pump is 1800
gph. There is a ball valve an check valve on the pressure side. There is about 600 gph from sump to tank. The skimmer is external.

mikesommers · #8 01/09/2008, 11:01 PM

Thanks agin for all your help. I am going to go for the chiller you recomended. It makes sence.

seagirl · #9 01/09/2008, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mikesommers
Thanks agin for all your help. I am going to go for the chiller you recomended. It makes sence.

good luck, i'm sure you'll be happy you went with the bigger size.