Chiller advice please

merlberg · Jul 28, 2020

Hey guys!
So I have 125 gal tank and my sump is 75 gal. This is the first year of having my tank where I think I may need a chiller and have to get it asap! My tank is over 90 and I just found out about this thing called a chiller. Someone told me to try JBJ 1/10 chiller I think.

Please give me some other ideas on what chillers I can use for my size tank. Thanks in advance

merlberg · Jul 28, 2020

Everything is all shriveled up! I’ve never seen my tank like this before. The toadstool leather and finger leather look so out of it :/

Mikeltee · Jul 29, 2020

If your tank is 90 you are gonna need a lot more than 1/10. Probably closer to 1hp! If my tank hits 81 everything dies a slow death. I keep mine at 79. 80.5 and the Apex kicks everything off and blows the alarm. If you are at 90 you may as well start over. Everything is going to die...

Badilac · Jul 29, 2020

JBJ's are great chillers but 1/10hp is going to do nothing on 200 gallons. you will probably need 1/3hp-1/2hp. you should be turning your lights off NOW to cut back on heat also make sure you don't have a faulty heater heating the tank up.

radsdad · Jul 29, 2020

A window shaker type air conditioner or a heat pump might be a better solution. How warm is the room temp?

OrionN · Jul 29, 2020

Keep the area around the tank well ventilate and use a fan to blow across the surface of the tank or sump to evaporate the water to cool the tank. Cut back on light and turn on the Fan’s with the light.
is your heater mal function and inappropriately turn on and cook the tank?

Mikeltee · Jul 29, 2020

You need 70 degree ambient temp if you run LEDs. If you run HIDs and with a canopy you will need 68 ambient temp. I was wrong about the 1hp. The max you can do is 90 degrees with a 1/10. You are at the max so id go 1/5.

Dr. Dendrostein · Jul 29, 2020

merlberg said:
Hey guys!
So I have 125 gal tank and my sump is 75 gal. This is the first year of having my tank where I think I may need a chiller and have to get it asap! My tank is over 90 and I just found out about this thing called a chiller. Someone told me to try JBJ 1/10 chiller I think.

Please give me some other ideas on what chillers I can use for my size tank. Thanks in advance

I repair chillers for local Reef stores also do hvacr and Build them for personal use. Where is your tank located in a room, or a garage, if it's in the room the older the house the hotter that room maybe. If it's in a garage is it insulated with drywall or no insulation and drywall.all this needs to be taken into consideration for a proper chiller

Also I forgot, a chiller should be outside.

musicreef · Jul 29, 2020

I have a 1/5 hp Aqua logic Cyclone drop in chiller with the aqua logic temperature controller. I too live in New York (Queens) and had my tank located in my basement. It doesn't usually get that hot downstairs however I was running Metal Halides/VHO lights, 2 large Mag drive pumps and multiple power heads inside the tank all of which produced large amounts of heat, (unlike the DC and external wave pumps and LED lights I use today). I had about 100 gals (maybe a little more) of water and the chiller did not turn on that often and my temperature was a constant 78 degrees.

I'm currently using four 6" clip on fans I bought on amazon (about $50) and my temperature has maintained at 78-81degrees even through this second heat wave we are having.

I still have the chiller in very good condition. I was not planning to sell it, I'm old school and the jury is still out for me on the LED lights. I've kept my old Metal halide fixture, also in very good condition and may use it again someday.
Anyway if that is something you may be interested in and live near (11426)

musicreef · Jul 29, 2020

contact me. The chiller was used for 2&1/2 summers. I'd drop it in the sump during June, July and August and put it away the rest of the year, no plumbing required. Marine Depot carries them and have info on line.

Fish4udog · Jul 29, 2020

Where you located have 1/3 hp current usa chillier took off my tank a year ago when I went all LED from T5. If your close you can have it

jd371 · Jul 29, 2020

In the meantime get some fans over the tank and sump to cool it down some. I have a 20g tank in my workshop that has only one window and no air circulation at all and the temp can get pretty hot in there on really hot days.
We have been going through some heat waves recently in the NE and the fans ( one over the tank and two over the sump) have kept the tank from going over 84 degrees when the temp was 95 with the humidity making it feel like 105. For the past week the nightime temp would be 78 and by the afternoon the temp would get up as high as 83.8, no ill effects to the fish or coral.
The tank has been running since last January. During the summer last year the tank got as high as 85.5 ( before fans). I've read that temps on the reef can get into the upper 80's especially in tide pools.

Workshop tank

merlberg · Jul 29, 2020

Badilac said:
JBJ's are great chillers but 1/10hp is going to do nothing on 200 gallons. you will probably need 1/3hp-1/2hp. you should be turning your lights off NOW to cut back on heat also make sure you don't have a faulty heater heating the tank up.

I unplugged my heater a long time ago! This is the 1st time my tank got so hot. :/ I order the 1/5 chiller since it was available to come this week and i’m hoping it works !

1ByLand2BySea · Jul 29, 2020

Here is a link for JBJ Chiller Calculator. It will tell you exactly what size you need.

Chiller Calculator

jbjaquarium.com

merlberg · Jul 29, 2020

1ByLand2BySea said:
Here is a link for JBJ Chiller Calculator. It will tell you exactly what size you need.

Chiller Calculator

jbjaquarium.com

Do you have to keep chillers in a specific area or can it be placed anywhere? And this question goes to anyone who has a chiller please

Badilac · Jul 30, 2020

merlberg said:
Do you have to keep chillers in a specific area or can it be placed anywhere? And this question goes to anyone who has a chiller please

They have to have space to breathe, they should have 1ft clearance in the front and back of the unit.
Here is the manual.

https://www.aquacave.com/Manuals/JBJ_Arctica_Chillers_Manual.pdf

merlberg · Jul 30, 2020

Thank you

ca1ore · Jul 30, 2020

merlberg said:
Do you have to keep chillers in a specific area or can it be placed anywhere? And this question goes to anyone who has a chiller please

Chiller will give off substantial heat (and are generally quite noisy) so it is always best if you can locate it outside. I run a 3/4 HP on my 600 gallon system (could have gotten away with a 1/2 HP) and it sits outside the basement fish room. If you cannot locate it outside, make sure the unit has adequate breathing room.

ca1ore · Jul 30, 2020

merlberg said:
I order the 1/5 chiller since it was available to come this week and i’m hoping it works !

1/5 HP should be fine for a system of your size.

merlberg · Jul 30, 2020

musicreef said:
I have a 1/5 hp Aqua logic Cyclone drop in chiller with the aqua logic temperature controller. I too live in New York (Queens) and had my tank located in my basement. It doesn't usually get that hot downstairs however I was running Metal Halides/VHO lights, 2 large Mag drive pumps and multiple power heads inside the tank all of which produced large amounts of heat, (unlike the DC and external wave pumps and LED lights I use today). I had about 100 gals (maybe a little more) of water and the chiller did not turn on that often and my temperature was a constant 78 degrees.

I'm currently using four 6" clip on fans I bought on amazon (about $50) and my temperature has maintained at 78-81degrees even through this second heat wave we are having.

I still have the chiller in very good condition. I was not planning to sell it, I'm old school and the jury is still out for me on the LED lights. I've kept my old Metal halide fixture, also in very good condition and may use it again someday.
Anyway if that is something you may be interested in and live near (11426)

Is a drop in chiller placed in your sump?