Do I need a Chiller ?

[coreynola]

I usually keep my A/C at 78 when I leave for work and 75 when home 70 when I sleep (which I'm sure is not true calibrated temp(thermostat)). I notice when I got home tank is at 81.5 with A/C on 78. The really hot humid weather here in New Orleans is not even here yet. The high today was 79. I hear it is important to keep a stable temp. but that is impossible with current set-up. I was trying to keep tank somewhere around 78.

Red Sea Reefer 525XL (139 System Gallons)
2 Radion XR30w Pro Gen 3
2 MP40 QD
1 Ecotech Vectra M1 (return pump)
1 Skimmer Reef Octopus Elite 150 (DC Motor)
2 Cobalt Aquatics Neo-Therm 200 Watt

So do I need chiller and if so any recommendations on brand/type?

(New Orleans Weather Averages)

[mitch91175]

I don't have a chiller on my 240 and I live in Texas. It gets pretty hot here as well. My temperature is pretty stable though. If you temps are consistently over 81 I would say you might want to look into a chiller. It also depends on what live stock you have in your tank as well. Some accept higher temps than others.

[Dkuhlmann]

I would turn down your heater in your tank. You have nothing in your tank creating 81 degree heat other than your heater. I grew up in NOLA and never had problems with my tanks and didn't need a chiller. We kept our house at 75 during the day and 68 when we were home. The tanks ran a few degrees higher than our house temp but it was due to the MH lights creating higher temps on the tank.

[kmbyrnes]

I have had my tanks since August 2013. It gets pretty hot in AZ. I keep the house AC between 78 and 82 and my tanks stay in the 79-81 range year round.
I would try evaporative cooling before going to a chiller. Place a clip on fan over your sump. You will go through more top-of water, but RODI is cheap!

[sirreal63]

Originally Posted by coreynola

I hear it is important to keep a stable temp. but that is impossible with current set-up. I was trying to keep tank somewhere around 78.

This is a fallacy, and a potentially dangerous one. It is ok if the tank temp rises and falls daily, but try to keep it from rising or falling more than a couple degrees from what it typically changes in a day. If you consistently stay between 78 and 84 that is just about perfect.