1/3 Chiller Help before I buy.

Buganddoug · 05/08/2008, 08:36 PM

Has any on heard of Current - USA chillers I am looking at getting a Chiller for my 180 Here is the info on the one i was looking at.
http://current-usa.com/primechillertower.html
All so looking at trade wind.
Are they quite or noise? it will be in my family room
Daniel

Holyreefer · 05/08/2008, 09:18 PM

i have never heard of it but i have just bought a jbj 1/3 chiller and its great

Buganddoug · 05/09/2008, 05:08 AM

Is it quite I will have mine out side of my stand in my family room.
All so if you do not mine me asking what did you pay for it?

meschaefer · 05/09/2008, 06:36 AM

I have been trying to research chillers for the last few days, and there seems to be very little out there. I have also been looking at the tradewinds and the prime chillers. I came across some die hard tradewind fans, but not much on the prime chillers.

The Teco Sea Chill was one of the few I found reviews on, run it through Google, there is a very good review on their 1/3hp on that "other site" . Unfortunately for me, 1/3hp is their largest and I am looking for 1/2hp.

jschottenfeld · 05/09/2008, 07:21 AM

I just purchased a 1/3 JBJ Chiller 2 weeks ago from Tony at Reefexotics for my 125g display, (total water in my system is around 180g) I have been very happy with the chiller, especially since in the last few days we had hi 70's up here in NY. I have been charting the temperature with my controller and the chiller does a great job of keeping my max temp right where I want it.

My filter is in a closet in my basement and I have the chiller placed outside of the closet. My display is in my upstairs living room. When the chiller runs for 20 mins or so it does do a good job of heating up the room. That just shows you how much heat it is pulling ouf of the water. IMHO it is quiet for a chiller. You do hear it running of course, but it is not a distraction let's say, if you were watching TV.

Buganddoug · 05/09/2008, 08:46 AM

I wonder how much heat it will put in my family room.

jschottenfeld · 05/09/2008, 08:51 AM

It will put heat in your family room. There are clear instructions not to put the chiller under a tank in a stand. After hooking it up I clearly see why. I also just ordered a small clip on Vornado fan to blow on my sump in an effort to reduce temperature.

I have 4 fans blowing under my lights in my canopy. That helps to reduce some of the heat but not all. I would like to reduce more heat with the sump fan. My main reason for the chiller is not so much everyday cooling, but more as insurance when the temperature does shoot up during the day when I am at work or away for the weekend. Much cheaper to run a 1/3hp chiller compared to the central A/C unit for my downstairs.

Buganddoug · 05/09/2008, 01:29 PM

I was hoping that if I put a chiller on my tank that it will help make my room feel better in the summer. My family room get very warm in the warmer months from the heat off my tank. The Temp in my tank was 91* yesterday. My house dose have cental air. The rest of my house is cool but my family room is not. I think if I can bring down the temp of tank it should help with the room temp.

jschottenfeld · 05/09/2008, 01:38 PM

Can you put the chiller in another area of the house nearby and run the flex vinyl tubing through a wall? I don't think cooling the tank 3-4 degrees will make that much differnce in the ambient temp of the room. Maybe? Who knows?

jt_redmist · 05/09/2008, 03:01 PM

I have the JBJ 1/3 and I would definately not run it in my living room. It's a great chiller and does what it's supposed to do. I had mine in the garage, so noise wasn't an issue for me. But if I had to put this chiller in the living room, that's a no no.

John

MrRoo · 05/09/2008, 03:42 PM

If you are interested I have a JBJ Artica 1/3 for sale. I purchased it from a fellow RC member a few days ago and it was little too large for my space. I paid $400 and will sell for what I paid for it. he said it was used for 1 year.

Buganddoug · 05/09/2008, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jschottenfeld
Can you put the chiller in another area of the house nearby and run the flex vinyl tubing through a wall? I don't think cooling the tank 3-4 degrees will make that much differnce in the ambient temp of the room. Maybe? Who knows?

I look at it this way if my tank is 90* like today and I would like it to be 78* that is a pull down of 12* and once the tank temp is down the chiller should not have to work as hard and run as long. So hop fully the room temp should come down?
I do not have any other means to place it or vent it out of the room.
Any more info would be great. befor I buy.

jschottenfeld · 05/09/2008, 05:06 PM

All that I know is that I pulled the temp down in my tank from 80 to 78 and it did a good job of heating up an area of 15' x 20' The fact is you might not have an option becuase if your tank is going to get that hot you will have to get a chiller...or prepare to do a lot of flushing.

Buganddoug · 05/09/2008, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jschottenfeld
All that I know is that I pulled the temp down in my tank from 80 to 78 and it did a good job of heating up an area of 15' x 20' The fact is you might not have an option becuase if your tank is going to get that hot you will have to get a chiller...or prepare to do a lot of flushing.

(Lot of flushing.) Do you mean water changes?

bbowler · 05/09/2008, 07:31 PM

no man he means flushing you dead corals amd fish

jschottenfeld · 05/09/2008, 07:38 PM

Yep. What bowler said

Buganddoug · 05/09/2008, 07:50 PM

Gotcha

Buganddoug · 05/09/2008, 07:50 PM

Gotcha

EvoX · 05/09/2008, 08:36 PM

my friend has a current prime tower chiller 1/3 and its pretty loud when its on

Buganddoug · 05/09/2008, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by EvoX
my friend has a current prime tower chiller 1/3 and its pretty loud when its on

Thanks, I think I may stay with the Trade Wind it is made in the USA and the Prime is made in China.
I have heard many good things on Trade Wind chillers. But I am keeping my options open. So all the info I get from all of you helps me greatly

NCguy · 05/09/2008, 09:37 PM

I've got a Teco Sea Chill 1/3hp on about a 350g system and it keeps my tank nice and cool.

meschaefer · 05/09/2008, 10:27 PM

how long have you had the Sea Chill?

Buganddoug · 05/10/2008, 05:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by NCguy
I've got a Teco Sea Chill 1/3hp on about a 350g system and it keeps my tank nice and cool.

Is your chiller in the same room as your tank and how is the heat out put in to the room? Your Teco Sea Chill noise?

NCguy · 05/10/2008, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by meschaefer
how long have you had the Sea Chill?

I got it from someone here on RC about 4 months ago.It's about a year and 1/2 old.

NCguy · 05/10/2008, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Buganddoug
Is your chiller in the same room as your tank and how is the heat out put in to the room? Your Teco Sea Chill noise?

Originally it was in the same room and it did add some heat to the room but I'm running 400w MHs so they do too. I added a 100g sump under my house so I moved the chiller under there.As far as the noise goes,it kind of sounds like a small refrigerator and it never really bothered us.

05/08/2008, 08:36 PM	#1
Buganddoug X NJRC Vice President Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Eastampton NJ Posts: 1,068	1/3 Chiller Help before I buy. Has any on heard of Current - USA chillers I am looking at getting a Chiller for my 180 Here is the info on the one i was looking at. http://current-usa.com/primechillertower.html All so looking at trade wind. Are they quite or noise? it will be in my family room Daniel

05/08/2008, 09:18 PM	#2
Holyreefer Octopus Extreme 300 Skimr Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 2,242	i have never heard of it but i have just bought a jbj 1/3 chiller and its great __________________ Life is what you make it, so make something out of everything you do! Current Tank Info: GYRE 150,Seaswirl 1.5, Barcuda Pump, Custom LED system, Extreme Reef Octopus 300 Protein Skimmer, 80 watt Aqua UV, Korallin BioDenitrator Nitrate, Hydor Magnum 8 Powerheads

05/09/2008, 05:08 AM	#3
Buganddoug X NJRC Vice President Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Eastampton NJ Posts: 1,068	Is it quite I will have mine out side of my stand in my family room. All so if you do not mine me asking what did you pay for it? __________________ Daniel NJRC X Vice President Nj Reefers Club Current Tank Info: 220 Gallon Heavily stock tank Reef and Fish. 100 gallon sump, ATI Power cone IS Protein skimmer, Warner Warine MR100. 4 AI Hydra 52 HD LEDS running Warner Marine EcoBAK bio pellets,Warner Marine additives

05/09/2008, 06:36 AM	#4
meschaefer Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Astoria, NYC Posts: 564	I have been trying to research chillers for the last few days, and there seems to be very little out there. I have also been looking at the tradewinds and the prime chillers. I came across some die hard tradewind fans, but not much on the prime chillers. The Teco Sea Chill was one of the few I found reviews on, run it through Google, there is a very good review on their 1/3hp on that "other site" . Unfortunately for me, 1/3hp is their largest and I am looking for 1/2hp. __________________ Matt Current Tank Info: 220 gallon w/ starphire, 120 gallon starphire sump, Skimmer DAS Ex-2, Calcium Reactor Geo 618, Trade Wind 1/2 hp compact Chiller, 2x 250 HQI Lumenarc Reflectors, Vortech mp40w, AC Jr.,

05/09/2008, 08:46 AM	#6
Buganddoug X NJRC Vice President Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Eastampton NJ Posts: 1,068	I wonder how much heat it will put in my family room. __________________ Daniel NJRC X Vice President Nj Reefers Club Current Tank Info: 220 Gallon Heavily stock tank Reef and Fish. 100 gallon sump, ATI Power cone IS Protein skimmer, Warner Warine MR100. 4 AI Hydra 52 HD LEDS running Warner Marine EcoBAK bio pellets,Warner Marine additives

05/09/2008, 07:21 AM	#5
jschottenfeld Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Woodbury, NY Posts: 235	I just purchased a 1/3 JBJ Chiller 2 weeks ago from Tony at Reefexotics for my 125g display, (total water in my system is around 180g) I have been very happy with the chiller, especially since in the last few days we had hi 70's up here in NY. I have been charting the temperature with my controller and the chiller does a great job of keeping my max temp right where I want it. My filter is in a closet in my basement and I have the chiller placed outside of the closet. My display is in my upstairs living room. When the chiller runs for 20 mins or so it does do a good job of heating up the room. That just shows you how much heat it is pulling ouf of the water. IMHO it is quiet for a chiller. You do hear it running of course, but it is not a distraction let's say, if you were watching TV.

05/09/2008, 08:51 AM	#7
jschottenfeld Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Woodbury, NY Posts: 235	It will put heat in your family room. There are clear instructions not to put the chiller under a tank in a stand. After hooking it up I clearly see why. I also just ordered a small clip on Vornado fan to blow on my sump in an effort to reduce temperature. I have 4 fans blowing under my lights in my canopy. That helps to reduce some of the heat but not all. I would like to reduce more heat with the sump fan. My main reason for the chiller is not so much everyday cooling, but more as insurance when the temperature does shoot up during the day when I am at work or away for the weekend. Much cheaper to run a 1/3hp chiller compared to the central A/C unit for my downstairs.

05/09/2008, 01:29 PM	#8
Buganddoug X NJRC Vice President Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Eastampton NJ Posts: 1,068	I was hoping that if I put a chiller on my tank that it will help make my room feel better in the summer. My family room get very warm in the warmer months from the heat off my tank. The Temp in my tank was 91* yesterday. My house dose have cental air. The rest of my house is cool but my family room is not. I think if I can bring down the temp of tank it should help with the room temp. __________________ Daniel NJRC X Vice President Nj Reefers Club Current Tank Info: 220 Gallon Heavily stock tank Reef and Fish. 100 gallon sump, ATI Power cone IS Protein skimmer, Warner Warine MR100. 4 AI Hydra 52 HD LEDS running Warner Marine EcoBAK bio pellets,Warner Marine additives

05/09/2008, 01:38 PM	#9
jschottenfeld Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Woodbury, NY Posts: 235	Can you put the chiller in another area of the house nearby and run the flex vinyl tubing through a wall? I don't think cooling the tank 3-4 degrees will make that much differnce in the ambient temp of the room. Maybe? Who knows?

05/09/2008, 03:01 PM	#10
jt_redmist Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bay area, CA Posts: 354	I have the JBJ 1/3 and I would definately not run it in my living room. It's a great chiller and does what it's supposed to do. I had mine in the garage, so noise wasn't an issue for me. But if I had to put this chiller in the living room, that's a no no. John

05/09/2008, 03:42 PM	#11
MrRoo Moved On Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Alta Loma, CA Posts: 629	If you are interested I have a JBJ Artica 1/3 for sale. I purchased it from a fellow RC member a few days ago and it was little too large for my space. I paid $400 and will sell for what I paid for it. he said it was used for 1 year.

05/09/2008, 05:06 PM	#13
jschottenfeld Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Woodbury, NY Posts: 235	All that I know is that I pulled the temp down in my tank from 80 to 78 and it did a good job of heating up an area of 15' x 20' The fact is you might not have an option becuase if your tank is going to get that hot you will have to get a chiller...or prepare to do a lot of flushing.

05/09/2008, 07:31 PM	#15
bbowler Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: orange county Posts: 79	no man he means flushing you dead corals amd fish

05/09/2008, 07:38 PM	#16
jschottenfeld Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Woodbury, NY Posts: 235	Yep. What bowler said

05/09/2008, 07:50 PM	#17
Buganddoug X NJRC Vice President Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Eastampton NJ Posts: 1,068	Gotcha __________________ Daniel NJRC X Vice President Nj Reefers Club Current Tank Info: 220 Gallon Heavily stock tank Reef and Fish. 100 gallon sump, ATI Power cone IS Protein skimmer, Warner Warine MR100. 4 AI Hydra 52 HD LEDS running Warner Marine EcoBAK bio pellets,Warner Marine additives

05/09/2008, 08:36 PM	#19
EvoX Moved On Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Florida Posts: 112	my friend has a current prime tower chiller 1/3 and its pretty loud when its on

05/09/2008, 09:37 PM	#21
NCguy Registered Member. Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 209	I've got a Teco Sea Chill 1/3hp on about a 350g system and it keeps my tank nice and cool. __________________ Tim Current Tank Info: 210gal reef,100gal sump,50gal fuge,Reeflo 200 skimmer

05/09/2008, 10:27 PM	#22
meschaefer Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Astoria, NYC Posts: 564	how long have you had the Sea Chill? __________________ Matt Current Tank Info: 220 gallon w/ starphire, 120 gallon starphire sump, Skimmer DAS Ex-2, Calcium Reactor Geo 618, Trade Wind 1/2 hp compact Chiller, 2x 250 HQI Lumenarc Reflectors, Vortech mp40w, AC Jr.,