New to Chillers - What's the Best?

[Stand_Alone]

I'm new when it comes to understanding chiller brands / reputations. I am in the process of purchasing one and don't really know where to begin.

Looking for a chiller for a 90 gal DT with 25 gal sump.

Would like something very reliable and super quiet. Easy to use/install would be a big plus. Budget is very open.

[sirreal63]

The best chiller is the one you do not need. With proper heat management a chiller is rarely needed. What are the daily temp fluctuations and what equipment is in the tank, is there a canopy? You may not need one, most of us don't and they have their own little issues, like the heat they give off that makes the home a/c run more and the electricity they consume.

[Buzz1329]

FWIW, I have a 75 mixed reef and got a JBJ 1/10 HP chiller. It's been on a total of 10 minutes so far, but when it is on, it is amazingly quiet. Agree with the prior poster about taking steps to reduce need for chiller. But if you need a chiller, the JBJ seems to fit the bill. BTW, if you decide to go JBJ, buy directly from them. I bought from BRS and paid WAY more than I should have (and got astoundingly bad service when I had an installation issue).

[moondoggy4]

If you are in California Tradewinds or Aqua Logic.

[reefnut2012]

Originally Posted by sirreal63

The best chiller is the one you do not need. With proper heat management a chiller is rarely needed. What are the daily temp fluctuations and what equipment is in the tank, is there a canopy? You may not need one, most of us don't and they have their own little issues, like the heat they give off that makes the home a/c run more and the electricity they consume.

+1
If you need a chiller you are doing something wrong. Provided ambient air temp is moderate.
More ventilation. Evaporative cooling is the way to go.

[greengeco82]

Originally Posted by reefnut2012

+1
If you need a chiller you are doing something wrong. Provided ambient air temp is moderate.
More ventilation. Evaporative cooling is the way to go.

A lot of people dont live in Washington. My summer is a lot hotter. I take every precaution to keep my tempt down and evaporate about 3 gallons a day, while running a reverse light cycle. I also run my home ac to keep the house below 85 degrees. All this and my tank stays below 82. The convenience of a chiller would be great. If you have the money, buy it. I wish I had the money. Good luck. I have also heard good about jbj.

[Stand_Alone]

Thanks for the responses guys. I wish I didn't need a chiller but I think I have no choice.

I plan on keeping cooler water species and SPS. Target temp is around 75. I have an Elos 120 rimless with 2x Radions. Normal equipment in sump so no extra heat expellers). The temp has crept past 76 when outside temps get warm (perhaps because I live in an apartment and my wife hates A/C). I'm guessing when summer comes around, I'll be over 80 which will stress out these deep water fish.

If there are sure fire techniques to avoid heat increases please let me know. I am against cooling fans because of their aesthetics.

I'll look at the JBJ. Any other recommendations? I've heard the name Teco floating around.

[raylinds]

I had a 110g tank in south Florida with MH lighting and never needed a chiller.

[sirreal63]

Sadly, cold water species will pretty much require a chiller if you can't run the a/c to keep the room's ambient temp low enough. I would go with an oversized JBJ and would suggest you call them and tell them what your tanks needs are and want one that will do the job and not be running constantly.

[autodave]

I have used a JBJ Artica,which was a great chiller. I now use a Teco which I like better. It is a little quieter,you can add a heater and UV. The Teco also requires less flow so you can run a smaller pump to feed the chiller.

[Donkeykong]

I also had a JBJ Artica, 1/5 for my 75 reef with good success. I second the comment about calling JBJ or any other brand your looking at and let them know what you are planning to do and see what there recommendations are. A lot of us just use them to curb the access heat on extreme summer days, you sound like you are going to have to run this thing alot more than that and they may have specific recommendations for that.

[Rploaded]

People who say if you need a chiller your doing something wrong??? That's absolutely not true...

If you buy a car with ABS your doing something wrong; no, your having systems in place to correct situations.

Having a chiller will provide you piece of mind that if your home ac goes out you can keep the tank cool.

I view all equipment as systems that prevent failure. Having a chiller come on a few times a day during peak heat season is not a sign of poor husbandry. Obviously you should do whatever you can to keep temps down but sometimes it's just needed.

I am one who likes to keep his tank on a seasonal calendar so in midsummer I let my tank run hotter then in December. I require precise temp setting +- 1 degree, this wouldn't be possible without a chiller and heater.

As for brands, Tradewinds and Teco make great chillers. Tradewinds is made in USA and they are awesome when it comes to support and helping with custom installations.

[sirreal63]

Rp...what livestock are you keeping that requires that degree of accuracy?

[frothyspoon]

I have a 90 gallon with a reef and a 25 gallon sump as well and I recently bought a 1/3 JBJ chiller off of CL. I live in Arizona so it does get hot and my tank for sure warms up so I don't know what these people are talking about not needing cooling. Last summer I used a cheap clip on fan with a timer that was pointed directly at my sump certain warm parts of the day and that worked well but the evaporation was nuts and I wanted a more automated approach. I would still be using it too if I didn't get a good deal on my chiller since they are $800 new which is rediculous. I do suggest you put in in a cabinet if possible if you do buy one since they are noisy unless noise isn't much of an issue. If you can't buy one used then just buy a fan and get an auto top off unit.

[sirreal63]

If your normal house temperature is 78 is that somehow different if you live in Arizona or Alaska? (humidity comes into play here but that is a different topic) Where you live makes no difference unless you are keeping your tank outside. I retired my chiller long ago, and it is just as hot outside in Arizona as it is in South Texas, but that is irrelevant. A properly set up and vented tank should not need a chiller, but of course there are always exceptions. The OP needs one because of what he is keeping, the majority of us are not keeping cold water species.

There are a lot of things that contribute to heat in a tank, every submerged electrical device is giving off heat. If you are running numerous high wattage pumps, like Mags, then the wattage they consume is adding heat to your tank. By changing to lower wattage, more efficient pumps you can greatly reduce your heat buildup. An open top canopy is much more efficient at removing heat than a closed top one, and fans help either way, but a fan on an open top tank just increases the cooling that much more. I took my chiller offline years ago and the only thing I changed was the pumps in my tank. I don't run a single fan on my tank, I keep the house at 78 and actually had to bump up my heater to keep the tank where I wanted it. It all boils down to the design of the system, do a better job at designing it and you probably won't need a chiller. :-)

[Stand_Alone]

Like many of you said, if I could help it I wouldn't get a chiller. Any extra piece of equipment is a headache.

So to get back on topic, I plan on keeping fish that require around 74-75 degrees. Looks like a lot of votes for the JBJ and only one for aqua logic.

What do you guys think are the advantages/disadvangages of going oversized? Will it be noisier?

[sirreal63]

The reason is you are asking it keep a large temperature differential from the room temp. The duty cycle of the unit becomes important, a smaller one will have to run more to keep up. That is why I would call whichever mfg. you go with, they will be able to help you size it accordingly. Keep in mind that any unit will add heat to the room, and the longer it runs, the more electricity it will consume and the more it will heat up the room. It becomes a vicious cycle, the heat from the chiller heats up the room, and the heat of the room raises the tank's temp which causes the chiller to run. I don't envy you with this one. No way would I try and size the chiller, let the mfg. help with that one, be sure and let them know all of the variables, cold water species and a g-f that likes it hot inside. lol

[ek9vboi]

Originally Posted by Stand_Alone

Like many of you said, if I could help it I wouldn't get a chiller. Any extra piece of equipment is a headache.

So to get back on topic, I plan on keeping fish that require around 74-75 degrees. Looks like a lot of votes for the JBJ and only one for aqua logic.

What do you guys think are the advantages/disadvangages of going oversized? Will it be noisier?

I agree, the more stuff, the bigger the headache. For me I had to get one because my tank was hanging around 81-82 degrees. Room temp was about 79 but the tank is near the front door plus big window and an open top second floor. I wish the tank would have stayed around 79 or even 80, fans didn't help either.


My personal experience and though is get one that is rated for your tank. I had a 1/10 and a 1/3 hp chiller. Ended up keeping the 1/10 hp since it was rated a little more then what my water volume is. I forgot how long it takes to cool the tank but I have an MJ1200 powering it and it brings the temps down gradually. With large chillers on a small tank, the temp swings can be dramatic on livestock.

But keep in mind, a large chiller with a smaller pump would be fine as well.

[Playa-1]

It might be cheaper to get a Cold A/C GF or some warm water livestock

[Stand_Alone]

I don't think I can get rid of her since we just got married last week .

Something to do with warm air and humidity being better for her skin. If only she thought of the tank more!

[gcarroll]

Originally Posted by ek9vboi

I wish the tank would have stayed around 79 or even 80, fans didn't help either.

This is something that many other people don't understand. Fans don't work in high humidity areas. Those in states with low humidity can get away with fans all day long but those with high humidity are not so fortunate. I have 3 - 400w MH and 1 single fan takes care of all my cooling needs. If I had to use a chiller. Teco is my favorite. Aqualogic would be my second choice.

[SoCal LowBaller]

Teco can do heating and cooling i have a few friend that run this brand chiller. what gcarroll said its true. humid climate evap cooling doesnt work good.

[dlaws]

I use a JBJ arctica, I love it. I don't think there is any way I could get by without a chiller. No canopy on my tank, open top, and the chiller is on several times a day (in April!) just to maintain temp. at 82. This is in eastern Virginia.

[solitude127]

If looks and noise are not an issue (chiller placed in different room or garage), I'd go with aqualogic or tradewinds. If you're going to place the chiller next to the tank, I'd go with Teco. I've had a JBJ and it does the job well but I like the fact that the Teco has heating capability as well.

[dzfish17]

Another vote for aqua logic.