Are you "chilling" your reef? Why or why not?

[Chas J]

Still have one, but I changed from halide/t5 to LED last year so it doesn't run anymore.

 

[Da Ghost]

No Chiller. I live in NOVA so during the summer AC regulates things pretty well.

 

[Vic Desotelle]

Good chillers my new 50+ gallon tank costs an arm and a leg. There must be a way to chill for less. Could i use the chillsolutions.com smaller chiller (its for emergency heat rises only) even though cooling is slower?

 

[Fishmania]

In a city surrounded by 3 major desert, a chiller is a must. I lost the beauty of few of my SPA during transition from winter to summer ,,, I use TECO chiller 500
P.S. ( no spring or autum over here )

 

[jschottenfeld]

Because I'm old school and running 3 x 250 MH I need to run a 1/3hp JBJ chiller. Up here in NY the summers get a bit steamy, even though I'm running central A/C in the house. I have a series of fans that are controlled as the heat starts to rise. First fan kicks on over my remote sump in the basement, then if temp continues to rise I have fans in my canopy that turn on...last resort is the big gun by having the chiller kick in if the temp goes over 82 degrees. Been working that way for about 10 years.
If I switched over to LED I probably wouldn't need to ever run a chiller.

 

[vlangel]

I have a seahorse and used to have a chiller (Coralife 1/6 hp with built in temperature controller) to keep the temperature 74°F or below. Seahorses that are fed frozen mysis should have these lower temps to slow the growth of pathogenic bacteria, (which is a big killer of seahorses in the hobby). A chiller is not a low energy consumption piece of equipment so I moved my sump to the basement and bought a low heat generating DC return pump to save electricity, (just about the same time we got A/C for the house). Here in south western PA this has worked quite well. During the hottest summer days I run a fan over the sump during the hours the lights are on. The temperature stays right around 74.

 

[Greg Witherell]

I live in SoCal so it gets warm, no chiller I use fans. I found the ones made for aquariums are useless so I use three 6 inch clamp on fans one on the sump and 2 on the tank all controlled by Apex with separate temp probes for tank and sump. My tank stays within 1degree year round. I have ac but I run it rarely and at 80 when I do.

 

[ca1ore]

I do run a chiller or my tank during the hot months - haven't gotten there quite yet in CT. I did contract with a vendor in the industry to build me a heat exchanger to handle both heating and cooling, but I never got what I paid for, grew disenchanted with them and lost trust so never have used it.

My tank is large, and I needed a chiller that didn't put enormous friction onto the main retun pump so I am using a 3/4HP TradeWinds unit with native 1 1/2" plumbing.

 

[wolfthefallen]

I just started to use a JBJ Arctica chiller.. Had to pick one up for the summer months as the place I just moved into does not have central air.. It uses a swamp cooler that barely cuts down on the heat in the house.. So far it has worked great!

 

[SkiCatTX]

Yes, my home office runs hot already with all the computers, add the tank and that's too much. I've had two JBJ chillers over the years, they seem to be reasonably reliable.

I just got a Teco TK-1000 Wifi for my new build. Looking forward to that upgrade, with the exhaust air piped outside!

 

[Minor4reef]

I have an Aqua Logic that has been running since 2006 And it is plumbed under the house. Back then I was using metal halides.

Now i run it twice a day to keep the water from stagnating.

Since it is under the house it is much quieter than running fans.

 

[Richyreefer]

I do have chillers on both of my coral tanks. One still runs halide and is a must have, the lps tank has one just for insurance.

 

[robert teseo]

yes, teco chiller with the built in heater. one of the best reefing investments I,ve made.

 

[n2585722]

I use fans on the sump. I have house AC set at 75, but the tank will get over 80 without the fans. I have the upper temp set at 78 for the fans. I live in Texas and keeping the tank cool is more of a problem than heating.

 

[Royweiser]

Use a AquaEuro Chiller to keep my 460 tank cool here in CA. My sump is in the garage and want to make sure the temp stays constant for both tank and sump.

 

[KrisReef]

Is chiller in or outside garage? Sorry for loss....bummer

Tank and chiller are in the garage.

 

[HB AL]

Not an option for me as my tank is in my bedroom and have no where remote to put it. But with my leds versus the halides I had in the past I dont really need one. I use a couple fans mounted to the tank and on warmer days my central AC takes care of the rest of any cooling needs. Tank varies between 79 and 80 using these methods.

 

[Tuan Black]

Really have no choice living in Arizona. The summers are way to hot to run my AC at 77 all day long. My electric bill would be insane. Chiller keeps DT at 75

 

[MartinWaite]

In the north of England we have no use for a chiller I keep my tank at 78-80 and it sits there all year round with no trouble at all.

 

[DeniseAndy]

I am in Cincinnati and it gets blistering hot in the summers. Yuck. Being from Minnesota (which also gets hot in summer in southern part) it does me no good. Anyway. I run a chiller in spring through fall. I run MH and T5s with totally open hood, but I hate seeing my tank over 79degrees. I usually keep it an even 77 or so in winter.
I even have a backup chiller (traded for some frags) and of course the generator. Just in case.
I let me tank get down in the 76 range for winter time.