Hey I am thinking about getting a chiller for my 65 gallon tank ,I have an a/c in the room that the tank is in I set the a/c to about 74 degrees but the tank can get up 84 to 85 .I was thinking about getting a Pacific coast 1/10 hp inline or the Current 1/10 inline with dual stage .Does anyone have advise on these units or others ones ??? also my lighting is 192 watt pc strip and a strip of 60 watts fluorescents . these units claim that they can cool down a 80 gallon tank 10 degrees ????
Chillers ???
- Thread starter jtbone68
- Start date
- Location
- Marine Park
Huh? Where is all that heat coming from? With those lights you shouldn't have so much heat in that tank. Perhaps your pumps are adding all the heat, it might be better for you to invest in better pumps than a chiller.
I once replaced a mag and several maxijets with a Tunze and lost 5 degrees.
I once replaced a mag and several maxijets with a Tunze and lost 5 degrees.
I'm a big supporter of chillers, but I agree with Fred on this one. You've got an outside source of heat which may make the purchase of a chiller unnecessary. Mag drives and Rio pumps are really bad with heat. Also, since you've got an A/C in the room, you will have to vent the chiller outside otherwise the A/C will fight with the chiller to keep the room cool. Look into changing your pumps. After that, the A/C and some fans should do the trick for you.
I have mag 9.5 in my wet dry with no bio balls with a remora skimmer driven by a maxi 1200, also I have a hang on refug with a rio pump . I am going to redo sump I am going with a 20 gallon long tank I'm putting the refug in the sump and getting rid of the hang on one and change the skimmer with a AquaC ev120 with a mag 7 to drive it , what about heat issues with this setup and what pumps would seggest???
Thanks
Thanks
- Location
- Marine Park
It's hard to say I've never seen a set formula for how much heat each pump produces. As a general rule Mag pumps and Rio pumps, as Chris mentioned (What's up Chris!) add heat. Try pointing your pumps more towards the surface of the water so that you get good surface agitation. That will help with heat as well. You're also going to have lots of evaporation so you may want to use a 20 High as your sump so that you can fit a 5 gallon tank next to it to use as an auto-top-off.
- Location
- Marine Park
I use an eheim 1262 as my return but you could probably use a 1260 ( I keep mine throttled back.) I'm sure that it produces less heat than a mag pump would but I really can't say by how much. My ambient temp is usually around 75-78 in my livingroom. My tank temp stays between 80-82. I run Metal Halides, 2 Maxi-jet 900s, an Eheim 1262, a Sedra 3500 for my skimmer and a Maxi-jet 400 to feed my reactors.
I forgot to ask if you're using a cover. If so try leaving some space in the front or back of the tank. Keep an eye out for evaporation, you don't want your salinity going all over the place. Get an Auto topoff if you don't have one.
I forgot to ask if you're using a cover. If so try leaving some space in the front or back of the tank. Keep an eye out for evaporation, you don't want your salinity going all over the place. Get an Auto topoff if you don't have one.
go with ehiem.
This in not a hard data test, but I did do a temperature check while mixing salt water for a water change. Temperature in my basement was 77 degrees. I mixed 3 5 gallon buckets of salt. 1 had a MJ1200, 2 had a Mag 5, 3 had a RIO 2100. I checked the temperatures in the morning. Room temp was still 77 degrees. 1 with MJ was at 79. 2 with Mag 5 was 86 degrees. 3 with the Rio was 93 degrees.
Again, this is not a hard data test. These are 5 gallon buckets, not large tanks. I do think it helps see just how much heat these pumps can put out.
This in not a hard data test, but I did do a temperature check while mixing salt water for a water change. Temperature in my basement was 77 degrees. I mixed 3 5 gallon buckets of salt. 1 had a MJ1200, 2 had a Mag 5, 3 had a RIO 2100. I checked the temperatures in the morning. Room temp was still 77 degrees. 1 with MJ was at 79. 2 with Mag 5 was 86 degrees. 3 with the Rio was 93 degrees.
Again, this is not a hard data test. These are 5 gallon buckets, not large tanks. I do think it helps see just how much heat these pumps can put out.
- Location
- Marine Park
DAMN!
That is some serious heat. Nice test by the way, I think that's scientific enough.
That is some serious heat. Nice test by the way, I think that's scientific enough.
I was thinking about the chiller for a number of reasons I am redoing my house and going to move my tank in to my living room from a small room I am also going to put cent air in but my wive loves it hot like 90 I am not kidding so I was think on keeping the temp in the house about 80 or so,so I don't know where my tank's temp will run at ? Man thanks for all the great advise and data from your test (my tank is covered)
Uncover the tank. That builds a lot of heat. Go with the chiller (Trade Wind) and drop the Mags in favor of Ehiem.
Trade Wind chillers cost a little more, but if you get hit with a power surge, sometimes your compresor will fry, even with the best surge protection. Trade Wind compressors can be replaced at a refridgerator repair shop on the spot. Pacific Coast chillers need to be sent overseas for repair.
Vent the chiller outside, otherwise the room the chiller is in will be hot and humid.
Get the 1/4 to 1/2 HP model as well. You'll need it eventually.
Hope this helps.
Trade Wind chillers cost a little more, but if you get hit with a power surge, sometimes your compresor will fry, even with the best surge protection. Trade Wind compressors can be replaced at a refridgerator repair shop on the spot. Pacific Coast chillers need to be sent overseas for repair.
Vent the chiller outside, otherwise the room the chiller is in will be hot and humid.
Get the 1/4 to 1/2 HP model as well. You'll need it eventually.
Hope this helps.
I had the same experience with various pumps. Mags produce immense heat. When mixing salt I dont even need a heater for it cause it brings the temp so much. WHen I was taking down the tank I was mixing with a Tunze stream and the temp went up by half a degree. Seio also produced a lot of heat which really surprised me. I had one in my 92g tank and after taking out the Seio 800 the tank temp went down 3 degrees.
Using a combination of Eheim and Tunze will definitely get you great results not to mention that they are super quet, extremely reliable, have a proven trackrecord and are just overall awesome products.
If you are going to redo the sump you might even want to drill it and have the Eheim running externally which will add almost no heat.
As far as the skimmer goes I dont recommend the EV series from Aqua C. People have said that they are very tempramental. There are definitely better skimmers out there for the money. A smaller H&S will get you amazing results and you will not require a feed pump because you can feed them via the overflow.
Surely the products mentioned above cost more that other brands, but with the amount of time, effort and money you are spending on livestock it is a very good "insurance policy". If cash is an issue start with the Eheim return pump and keep the remora for the time being. Save up and get the H&S and finally get the STreams for circulation.
Now that the winter is coming the added heat from the cheaper pumps keeps the several hundred watt heater off. Just food for thought.
Using a combination of Eheim and Tunze will definitely get you great results not to mention that they are super quet, extremely reliable, have a proven trackrecord and are just overall awesome products.
If you are going to redo the sump you might even want to drill it and have the Eheim running externally which will add almost no heat.
As far as the skimmer goes I dont recommend the EV series from Aqua C. People have said that they are very tempramental. There are definitely better skimmers out there for the money. A smaller H&S will get you amazing results and you will not require a feed pump because you can feed them via the overflow.
Surely the products mentioned above cost more that other brands, but with the amount of time, effort and money you are spending on livestock it is a very good "insurance policy". If cash is an issue start with the Eheim return pump and keep the remora for the time being. Save up and get the H&S and finally get the STreams for circulation.
Now that the winter is coming the added heat from the cheaper pumps keeps the several hundred watt heater off.
Just food for thought.
Your freakin house is too hot that's why you have heat problems. I would sweat like Patrick Ewing in there
Seriously though, if you plan on keeping the room temp near 80F you will need the chiller. keep in mind the chiller throws off a lot of heat so make sure you have a place for it to vent (not under the tank)
On my 65gal I had 2x250w halides, 2 VHO actinics, 2 Seio pumps, a mag 9.5 return, + calcium reactor pumps and I did not need a chiller. I did keep my room temp between 70-72 and my canopy was well vented with fans.
PS Don't get tha Aqua C skimmer
HTH,
Rich
Seriously though, if you plan on keeping the room temp near 80F you will need the chiller. keep in mind the chiller throws off a lot of heat so make sure you have a place for it to vent (not under the tank
)On my 65gal I had 2x250w halides, 2 VHO actinics, 2 Seio pumps, a mag 9.5 return, + calcium reactor pumps and I did not need a chiller. I did keep my room temp between 70-72 and my canopy was well vented with fans.
PS Don't get tha Aqua C skimmer
HTH,
Rich
- Location
- Beechurst NY
I think a 1/6th would be a better size... Adds a little more of a saftly net...
But agreed figure were that heat is coming from...
But agreed figure were that heat is coming from...
I picked up the ev 120 skimmer second hand no good ?? huh maybe I can resell it and get what I paid .I am going to get an eheim, as winter is coming in I will not have to worry about the heat that much I am thinking about next summer right now I have my tank in a small room with an window a/c even with that the tank runs about 82-85. I am renovating my house and going to move the tank to the living room I am going to put cent air in the house and I am thinking about the cost of keeping that large area at 72-75 temp 24-7 thats why I was think about the chiller .I just don't want to make bad buys .
Since someone mentioned to get some surface motion in the waterline. I just bought the Flo rotating water deflector by Hydor, it works strictly off the water flow from the powerhead. It is great, the temp in my tank went down 4 degrees (I have a tiny nano 12G), but it is a nice simple thing, and it also gives randomized water movement. As opposed to the static powerheads.
When I first set up my new 40g with rear sump, I had a mag 7 plumbed into a SCWD as the return. Since I wasn't even running my lights yet I was astounded when I checked the tank temp and found it running at 89 degrees. Pulling the mag 7 and replacing it with a number of maxijet 900s running in tandem pulled the tank temp down 11 degrees.
As a rough guideline to the amount of heat a pump produces, take a look at it's wattage. Figure running it 24/7 will have about the same effect as running a comparable watt heater full time would.
Oh, needless to say, I have a mag 7 and SCWD for trade :lol_large
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