Chiller question

Newflavor · 07/07/2013, 08:00 AM

I have a 1/2 hp oceanic chiller and I was told by my lfs that I should not directly have the output of the chiller directly to the main tank as it blows cold water and it is not good for my fish or corals. Is this true? I have 120 gallon. They recommended the output to be in the sump but it will cause a lot of recycled water as the input is in the sump too.

d2mini · 07/07/2013, 08:42 AM

The main concern is that your chiller is rated for X number of gph. I know that my return pump puts out wayyyyy more gph than my chiller is rated for. So i tee off the return to feed the chiller and then the output of the chiller come back to my refugium, which empties into my sump. So yeah, there is going to be some redundancy but it keeps the tank at the correct temp.

Newflavor · 07/07/2013, 09:14 AM

Ok. But is it ok to have the input of the chiller go directly to my main tank?

Green Chromis · 07/07/2013, 12:49 PM

I would run the chiller on a separate pressure rated pump rated for the GPH need to run through the chiller and return it to the sump. The temp probe if mounted to the chiller or in the sump will regulate the temp of the tank. Running the chiller return through the tank may cause some problems for the tank if you have a wide range for your temp programed into the chiller. I prefer mine to run through my sump and refugium before returning to my main tank but that is my personal choice.

sirreal63 · 07/07/2013, 01:06 PM

Your LFS is clueless. Temp variations on a reef change rapidly and for short durations. Your chiller pumping to the display will not cause any issues

CHSUB · 07/07/2013, 01:15 PM

i've do it both ways...chilled water back to DT and chilled water back to sump. i have noticed no difference, but imo back to sump seems better.

slief · 07/07/2013, 01:20 PM

I have my chiller (which is no longer needed) return to my sump and I've always run them that way. The chillers in my 2 office tanks are also plumbed to return to my sump. While I don't think it will hurt anything having it return to the display, the recycling of the water that you are concerned about would be negligible. Matter of fact, my chiller returns to a bulkhead that is within an inch of my returns inlet. I've been running my chillers this way for about 25 years now. My current chiller on my big tank is fed by a "T" off of my return line. I have a gate valve on the chiller leg as well as on the return line just after the T so I can regulate (slow down) flow to the chiller which is nice because it eliminates the need for a dedicated chiller pump.

LobsterOfJustice · 07/07/2013, 02:15 PM

I had a problem running the chiller back to sump... it kept cycling on and off. It would cool the water in the sump, suck in the water it just cooled and then turn off, and then as soon as it turned off the sump temp would raise back up when more display water came down so it would come back on, only to turn itself back off again...

So I just routed my return pump through it. No more cycling on/off and one less pump used.

mfinn · 07/07/2013, 03:55 PM

I had my chiller plumbed so the return went back in to the display tank.
Seems to have worked fine for 6 years.

Ron Reefman · 07/07/2013, 04:48 PM

I have a big 1hp chiller and it feeds into the display tank. It's been that way for 4 years. Corals are even growing on the line-loc nozzles in the DT and directly in front of the discharge. Your LFS is clueless.

d2mini · 07/07/2013, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LobsterOfJustice

I had a problem running the chiller back to sump... it kept cycling on and off. It would cool the water in the sump, suck in the water it just cooled and then turn off, and then as soon as it turned off the sump temp would raise back up when more display water came down so it would come back on, only to turn itself back off again...

So I just routed my return pump through it. No more cycling on/off and one less pump used.

My 150g sump is in the garage and I don't have that problem. It does turn on and off but for long periods. But maybe because the heat is coming from all that water in a hot garage, not the display tank.

LobsterOfJustice · 07/07/2013, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by d2mini

My 150g sump is in the garage and I don't have that problem. It does turn on and off but for long periods. But maybe because the heat is coming from all that water in a hot garage, not the display tank.

It probably has to do with the size of the sump, the amount of flow through the sump, the amount of flow through the chiller, and the cooling power of the chiller. Somehow in my situation those variables set up a situation where that setup didnt work for me.

The more I think about this, the more silly it seems. The only way you're going to cool the display down is pumping cool water into it. It doesnt matter if you put it back in the sump first or not, cooler water is going to the display one way or another.

Newflavor · 08/14/2013, 06:08 AM

Thanks for the replies guys. I have decided to just use one pump and have the water go through the chiller first then to the main thanks return. I will have a T connector just before in input of the chiller and another T at the output so I can bypass the chiller if I do not use it. What do you think of this idea? Of course I will have valves installed as well.

LobsterOfJustice · 08/14/2013, 06:31 AM

The option to bypass the chiller is a good idea, I just had to take mine offline for service, the way I designed it, it was easy to move some tubing around without replumbing anything.

07/07/2013, 08:00 AM	#1
Newflavor Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Toronto Posts: 240	Chiller question I have a 1/2 hp oceanic chiller and I was told by my lfs that I should not directly have the output of the chiller directly to the main tank as it blows cold water and it is not good for my fish or corals. Is this true? I have 120 gallon. They recommended the output to be in the sump but it will cause a lot of recycled water as the input is in the sump too.

07/07/2013, 08:42 AM	#2
d2mini Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 10,344	The main concern is that your chiller is rated for X number of gph. I know that my return pump puts out wayyyyy more gph than my chiller is rated for. So i tee off the return to feed the chiller and then the output of the chiller come back to my refugium, which empties into my sump. So yeah, there is going to be some redundancy but it keeps the tank at the correct temp. __________________ -dennis Elos Diamond 120xl \| Elos Stand \| Radion G4 Pros \| GHL Profilux Controller \| LifeReef Skimmer \| LifeReef Sump Photos taken with a Nikon D750 or Leica M.

07/07/2013, 12:49 PM	#4
Green Chromis Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: miami,florida Posts: 640	I would run the chiller on a separate pressure rated pump rated for the GPH need to run through the chiller and return it to the sump. The temp probe if mounted to the chiller or in the sump will regulate the temp of the tank. Running the chiller return through the tank may cause some problems for the tank if you have a wide range for your temp programed into the chiller. I prefer mine to run through my sump and refugium before returning to my main tank but that is my personal choice. __________________ Natural Reefer Current Tank Info: 600 gallon Carribean Reef System, ETSS Protein Skimmer, 1.5HP Tradewinds Chiller, Reef Breeders Photon V2+ LED Lighting For The Refugium, Mitra LX7206 LED Lights For Display Tank

07/07/2013, 01:06 PM	#5
sirreal63 Go Spurs Go!!! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Meadowlakes Texas Posts: 13,357	Your LFS is clueless. Temp variations on a reef change rapidly and for short durations. Your chiller pumping to the display will not cause any issues __________________ Jack No One has ever been seriously injured by using the search function. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms should be a convenience store, not a government agency. Current Tank Info: Reefing the Pentagon.

07/07/2013, 01:15 PM	#6
CHSUB "Certified Hobby Expert" Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Miami, Fl Posts: 2,038	i've do it both ways...chilled water back to DT and chilled water back to sump. i have noticed no difference, but imo back to sump seems better. __________________ Goniopora Police _________________ building a 60"x36"x30" peninsula reef...follow at "NEW TANK BUILD" on reef discussion forum! http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2110638

07/07/2013, 09:14 AM	#3
Newflavor Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Toronto Posts: 240	Ok. But is it ok to have the input of the chiller go directly to my main tank?

07/07/2013, 01:20 PM	#7
slief RC Sponsor Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 14,173	I have my chiller (which is no longer needed) return to my sump and I've always run them that way. The chillers in my 2 office tanks are also plumbed to return to my sump. While I don't think it will hurt anything having it return to the display, the recycling of the water that you are concerned about would be negligible. Matter of fact, my chiller returns to a bulkhead that is within an inch of my returns inlet. I've been running my chillers this way for about 25 years now. My current chiller on my big tank is fed by a "T" off of my return line. I have a gate valve on the chiller leg as well as on the return line just after the T so I can regulate (slow down) flow to the chiller which is nice because it eliminates the need for a dedicated chiller pump. __________________ Director Customer Support Royal Exclusiv USA For All Royal Exclusiv & Bubble King questions please refer to our Sponsor forum: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/fo...play.php?f=745 Current Tank Info: 480G display mixed reef, 90G sump, 90G refugium, 60G display refugium. Check out my build thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1783476

07/07/2013, 02:15 PM	#8
LobsterOfJustice Recovering Detritophobe Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Cary, NC Posts: 7,443	I had a problem running the chiller back to sump... it kept cycling on and off. It would cool the water in the sump, suck in the water it just cooled and then turn off, and then as soon as it turned off the sump temp would raise back up when more display water came down so it would come back on, only to turn itself back off again... So I just routed my return pump through it. No more cycling on/off and one less pump used. __________________ If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. I remember when zoanthids were called things like "green" and "orange" and not "reverse gorilla nipple." Current Tank Info: 180g reef with all the bells and whistles

07/07/2013, 03:55 PM	#9
mfinn Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Olympia. WA. Posts: 8,648	I had my chiller plumbed so the return went back in to the display tank. Seems to have worked fine for 6 years. __________________ 240 gallon soft coral tank 50 gallon lps tank

07/07/2013, 04:48 PM	#10
Ron Reefman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Cape Coral, FL Posts: 10,431	I have a big 1hp chiller and it feeds into the display tank. It's been that way for 4 years. Corals are even growing on the line-loc nozzles in the DT and directly in front of the discharge. Your LFS is clueless. __________________ The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. (Neil deGrasse Tyson) Visit my build thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2593017

08/14/2013, 06:08 AM	#13
Newflavor Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Toronto Posts: 240	Thanks for the replies guys. I have decided to just use one pump and have the water go through the chiller first then to the main thanks return. I will have a T connector just before in input of the chiller and another T at the output so I can bypass the chiller if I do not use it. What do you think of this idea? Of course I will have valves installed as well.

08/14/2013, 06:31 AM	#14
LobsterOfJustice Recovering Detritophobe Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Cary, NC Posts: 7,443	The option to bypass the chiller is a good idea, I just had to take mine offline for service, the way I designed it, it was easy to move some tubing around without replumbing anything. __________________ If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. I remember when zoanthids were called things like "green" and "orange" and not "reverse gorilla nipple." Current Tank Info: 180g reef with all the bells and whistles