To Chill or not to Chill, that is the question

[jdnumis]

I'm getting mixed feeling about chillers. Do I necessarily need one or do I not. I am trying to ask many questions before I make the next step in buying the equipment for a 125 setup.

I was going to run a 40gal refugium with skimmer to a return pump and back into the tank.

Is that right?

Thanks everyone!

-James

 

[FrostyNYC]

It depends on lighting (are u running mh?), tank placement, ambient room temperature in the summer, etc


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[Awibrandy]

All of the above, plus do you run an A/C in the room the tank will be?
I don't care for chillers, they tend to add heat to the room. I prefer to run my A/C, and therefor keep everyone happy for the price of one.lol

 

[Wes]

Depends...some tanks need them, some don't.

I like having the added protection of a chiller, even if it doesn't kick on you know it's there if the a/c craps out.


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[jdnumis]

thanks for the advice, I have central air in my basement, that ok right?

Thanks to all again,

James

 

[KathyC]

thanks for the advice, I have central air in my basement, that ok right?

Thanks to all again,

James

It will probably be fine as basements tend to run cooler. It will also depend on what temp you keep the unit set at.

Always a good idea to have a clip on fan or two anyway - one to blow over the water in the sump and one to blow some of the heat away from the lighting.

You didn't mention what type of lighting you are using. Metal Halides will put much more heat into your tank than T5's will. Mnay folks have their lighting on a controller so that when the temp in the tank reaches 'X' degrees, it will shut off the lighting so that no additional heat will be generated

 

[Awibrandy]

Good point Wes!

James, I would think your basement would stay cool enough. But I do know of others who's basement tank get to hot, and therefor they put chillers on them.

 

[ZANYMASTER]

Closed systems such as mine need them as they run hotter.I feel fish and corals benefit form a steady temperature.My 2 cents.

 

[tomtoothdoc]

if you are able to keep the tank temp. consistently under 80 with just the a/c and fan then you probably don't need a chiller.
my tanks are in the basement (half basement with a walk out) with a/c but i still run the chiller due to my mh lighting. i find that the temp. is more stable with the water in direct contact with the cooling source than just with the a/c cooling the ambient room temp.....especially during the time the halides are on.
that being said i wish i had designed the equipment room with a better exhaust system to the outside because the chiller gives off a lot of heat in a small room.....i sweat my a** off working around the sump during the summer.

 

[ClosetFishGeek]

Depends...some tanks need them, some don't.

I like having the added protection of a chiller, even if it doesn't kick on you know it's there if the a/c craps out.


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This is so true......I just got back from vacation and sure enough murphys law struck....My a/c's motherboard blew out.....Wow...When I checked my tank it was 83....normally my tank runs a nice 77.....not happy....I will now be planning this as an aditional form of insurance as well as stability for my system.....Does it ever end.....:approve:

 

[tomtoothdoc]

This is so true......I just got back from vacation and sure enough murphys law struck....My a/c's motherboard blew out.....Wow...When I checked my tank it was 83....normally my tank runs a nice 77.....not happy....I will now be planning this as an aditional form of insurance as well as stability for my system.....Does it ever end.....:approve:

man that sux thane.....any lost or brown out?
i have been wanting to hook up an automatic start generator as well but still haven't done it.......now that i jinx myself.....lol.

 

[ClosetFishGeek]

man that sux thane.....any lost or brown out?
i have been wanting to hook up an automatic start generator as well but still haven't done it.......now that i jinx myself.....lol.

Tom,

I lost 1 coral as well as a half of dozen looking extremely bad.....some receeding of tissue as well.....:irked:. I like the generator idea as well...

 

[beerfish]

Just grabbed a chiller today, since my tank has already hit 82 and it's only April!

Now I just have to build a piece of furniture that the wife is happy with, that will fit the thing!

 

[smoknreefrs]

Just grabbed a chiller today, since my tank has already hit 82 and it's only April!

Now I just have to build a piece of furniture that the wife is happy with, that will fit the thing!

how do you plan on this since it has to be super ventilated, and shouldnt be enclosed?

 

[cthoughts1]

Just finished installing mine finally.. >=)

 

[SevTT]

As others have mentioned, it depends on several factors. Since you've got central air, if the room can be left open or has its own thermostat, you most likely won't need a chiller, as your AC will be doing the work for you. If you have metal halide lighting, you -may- need a chiller, but if you have T5s you can most likely just get by with some tank fans to bump up the evaporation rate. If you buy a controller system, you can also program it to start turning off lights if your temperature goes above a certain setpoint.