Chiller Questions

[Happyfeet]

Hi guys, some of you may be aware I

[Guest]

A Chiller would easily do that. I have a 1/10 HP Prime Current Chiller. It works great, but I think the best brand is JBJ. I was thinking about selling my Prime Current Chiller and buying a JBJ. Your other option would be to sell your lights and go LED. MH create lots of heat.

[hypertech]

First, try a simple fan blowing over the tank. Evaporative cooling can go a long way and its cheap. If that's not enough you could look at chillers.

[Jon Lazar]

First, try a simple fan blowing over the tank. Evaporative cooling can go a long way and its cheap. If that's not enough you could look at chillers.

 

Evaporative cooling really can help a great deal. I have 2 400W MH and 6 24" T5s over my tank, and I don't need a chiller, but my room temperature is probably no more than 80 degrees.

 

There's a useful chiller sizing calculator here: JBJ chiller calculator

[Happyfeet]

A Chiller would easily do that. I have a 1/10 HP Prime Current Chiller. It works great, but I think the best brand is JBJ. I was thinking about selling my Prime Current Chiller and buying a JBJ. Your other option would be to sell your lights and go LED. MH create lots of heat.

 

I intend to upgrade to LEDS in the future. I'm not sure if I want to do that right now. Plus the temperature readings have been with the MH off.

 

First, try a simple fan blowing over the tank. Evaporative cooling can go a long way and its cheap. If that's not enough you could look at chillers.

 

I'll try the fan technique, but I didn't think it would work because the actual room itself is 85 degrees.

[Chad]

I think a chiller would do what you need. However consider a few things:

 

1) Where are you going to put it? Chillers remove a lot of heat by adding it to the air around them... so if you can put your chiller in a different room or better yet, outside, that would be ideal. Under the cabinet, or in any enclosed area is NOT the place to put a chiller.

 

2) You mention this will be in your office. It will make noise that, depending on the chiller, will vary between that of a small refridgerator to that of a small engine. Buying a quality, slightly oversized chiller will minimize this (quality because they are usually quieter, and oversized because it won't run as long).

 

3) Definitely tie the chiller and lights together. If the chiller quits, you don't want the lights continuing to bake your tank (ask me how my first tank crash occured).

 

4) Chillers usually provide "pull down" temperatures, but this number will vary a great deal depending upon how much heat input you have to your tank in the first place. Just make sure you buy a size up from what it looks like you'll need.

 

I like TECO chillers. The TR-10 will probaly do what you want.

 

Finally, I see that 4 people responded while I typed this... what do you want to bet that one of them says "convert to LEDs" hahaha!

[Chad]

Your other option would be to sell your lights and go LED.

 

 

Finally, I see that 4 people responded while I typed this... what do you want to bet that one of them says "convert to LEDs" hahaha!

 

 

Haha, I win!!!

[Happyfeet]

Haha, I win!!!

 

That really made me laugh.

 

Thanks for the great input. I wasn't aware some chillers make a lot of noise.

[trockafella]

Chillers definitely can put off a lot of heat. If its already 85-89 in that room, its going to be in the 90's easily with lights and chiller running. IMO its a disaster waiting to happen..

[Happyfeet]

Chillers definitely can put off a lot of heat. If its already 85-89 in that room, its going to be in the 90's easily with lights and chiller running. IMO its a disaster waiting to happen..

 

 

I'm beginning to think my best bet would be to simply move this tank into my basement.

 

Thanks for all the helpful comments guys.

[Origami]

I am having an issue with heat due to the tank being on my 3rd floor. Since summer has kicked in my 3rd floor has been very warm. I replaced my AC unit and got a bigger one thinking it would keep the floor cool. Unfortunately that hasn

[Happyfeet]

What kind of place is this, Mike? Are there zone dampers somewhere in the HVAC ductwork that will allow you to re-balance your airflow? In my old place, I had to make seasonal adjustments a couple of times a year for his very reason.

 

It's a town home. I have summer/winter switches at two places in the home to shut off air flow to the basement. I've shut all the vents on the first and second floor.

The problem I'm getting is the air on the 3rd floor warms up MUCH faster than the second and first floor. The second being where the thermostat is located.

 

I currently have the thermostat set at 60 degrees and it's 84 degrees on the 3rd floor. 85 degrees in the tank.

 

Thank god I didn't set this tank up during the winter.. that would of been a bad time all around. I've lucked out I don't have any livestock in there before I discovered the heat problem.

[hypertech]

Are there a lot of windows up there? You might be able to reduce some of that by getting film put on the windows.

[smallreef]

Black out curtains and an attic exhaust fan...if you own this home and if you HOA approve it there are solar powered attic fans and you get a govt tax benefit too still I think (?)

[zygote2k]

I'm beginning to think my best bet would be to simply move this tank into my basement.

 

Thanks for all the helpful comments guys.

This seems to be the easiest plan of attack. If the room is already 85-89 and you are running a chiller to pull down the temp in a relatively small volume of water, then the chiller will be constantly fighting the ambient room temperature and adding its' heat back into the air. It's a no win situation.

Edited June 13, 2012 by zygote2k