As summer approaches...Lets talk chillers!

[Dr4gula.f32]

Last year, in an effort to keep temps low, I installed a front mount intercooler. Whoops, wrong forum Last year I used a window air conditioner to keep my tank from boiling over. That solution costs me about $250 a month to keep the AC on during the day.

How well does a chiller work? Is it more efficient cost wise to run a chiller vs an AC?

My tank is a JBJ65. Yesterday the ambient temp in the room came up to 72 degrees. This made my tank temp raise to 79.1, from a pretty steady 77.5 Glass lids are still installed for now.

 

[JCM]

Chillers work very well, and will be more efficient cost wise as you're cooling the water directly and not an entire room.

They were commonplace years ago when people were running 800 watts of MH lighting inside canopies. You don't see them used as much these days because they aren't necessary for most.

 

[laezur]

year in england we hit 40 degrees celcius which is the hottest it's ever been, and boy was I not prepared. My tank was reaching 31's and 32's at some points and I had nothing in place to prevent it. Thankfully, everything survived as it was only for a week or so.

I'm thinking about getting some of those hang on fans I've seen them at my LFS this year just incase we hit temperatures like that again. Unsure if they're any good though!

 

[bushdoc]

I wouldn’t do without a chiller in Central Valley, CA or my electric bill would go through the roof even with solar installed. It can get hot in summer in East Coast too, so at least be prepared to have fans.

 

[xabo]

When I ran a chiller I only ran it during the winter as the wife sets the thermostat on H3LL and Antartica during the summer.

 

[Dr4gula.f32]

So how do I go about getting the proper size chiller? I see them labeled in 5ths of a HP. How big of one do I need?

 

[xabo]

May help: https://www.thebeginnersreef.com/what-size-chiller-do-i-need-for-my-aquarium/

 

[Pridedcloth3]

Last year, in an effort to keep temps low, I installed a front mount intercooler.

Run two intercooler and give it 50 lbs of wet boost

 

[snorklr]

ah yes you just reminded me of another reason i left Long Island...my entire electric bill is less than that per month...in an all electric house...trying to size a chiller also depends on how much you're trying to drop the temp...keeping a tank cool because of heat from lights and pumps in a 68 degree central a/c home will need a much smaller cooler than in a 90 degree house with fans and the windows open and i think most of the recommended sizes are based on the first scenario....my tank's in an attached garage and it took a 1/4 hp chiller to keep up with a 40B +sump...finally blew a foot of insulation in the attic and installed a 25k a/c through the wall and i swear there was no noticable difference in my bill