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05-26-2005, 04:58 PM
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#1
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 99
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chiller alternative
my tank is getting to be 85 degrees and i know it will probably even jump a couple more degrees so does anyone know an alternative to a chiller or if chillers are expensive? i havent even really priced one out yet.
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05-26-2005, 05:01 PM
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#2
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Eat more PIE
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Florida Panhandle
Posts: 18,610
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What size tank? over 85 is to hot. Pc chillers are not that expensive.
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05-26-2005, 05:20 PM
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#3
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photomod
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Montana
Posts: 5,896
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Thermocouples, but you need to be pretty electronically inclined.
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05-26-2005, 05:27 PM
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#4
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Plankton
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Northern Illinois
Posts: 43
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Anyone ever tried getting an aluminum car radiator, hooking it up with a pump and a fan blowing through it? Might provide a good temp drop if you kept the house as cool as I keep mine. (70 in the summer, 65 in the winter)
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05-26-2005, 05:47 PM
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#5
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bumbling idiot
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Portland
Posts: 85
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I'm pretty sure you would hacve some corrosion problems w/ aluminum and furthermore the pipe passages in this type of a set will clog very quickly and just be an overall hassle. There aree some cheap ideas on the RC DIY forum that use a cooler, powerhead, and some vinyl tubing or a dorm fridge. Unsightly and a pain in the butt but it is next to nothing cost wise.
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05-27-2005, 01:42 AM
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#6
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 99
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do most reef keepers have chillers? i cant imagine it becasue they are so expensive!
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05-27-2005, 01:43 AM
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#7
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 99
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oh yeah...my tanks a 55 gallon
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05-27-2005, 09:28 AM
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#8
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Reefless Reefer
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Durham, NC
Posts: 20,559
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depends on where you live, but i would say a good percentage of reefers have them. fans are a great alternative, but depending on your lighting it may not be enough. not having a canopy will also be a big help.
G~
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05-27-2005, 03:22 PM
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#9
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 99
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well i was reading something that kind of sounded like a pretty good idea.....filling an ice chest with ice and then coiling tubing up inside chest and running slow flow throught tubing and ice chest and then into sump or tank to get pumped back into tank...i think i might try this
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05-27-2005, 03:46 PM
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#10
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Reefless Reefer
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Durham, NC
Posts: 20,559
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another idea which is pretty much dirt cheap is to bury the hose in the ground. ground pretty much stays around 50-60 degrees. so if you bury enough tubing it should do it for you. that is just a lot of digging. 
if you have a crawlspace you could place several hundred feet down there and do the same thing.
G~
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06-01-2005, 07:10 AM
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#11
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Plankton
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Clifton, NJ
Posts: 37
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Why not just go get an air conditioner. They are low cost and very effective at removing both heat and humidity from the air. They are simple to control, are almost foolproof in operation, and is quite possibly the cheapest solution to implement that is just about guaranteed to work.
jb
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06-02-2005, 12:40 PM
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#12
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The Ninja MOD
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Planet P.....Why Me?
Posts: 13,624
Reviews: 23
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PC makes a small chiller for under $400. I am using one on my 150 and Casey has the same unit on his 200. Both of us have MH and VHO lighting with big pumps to boot!
I believe its the 1/6 hp model, its the smallest they make. The only reason I mention it on a thread about alternatives is that as chillers go it is relatively inexpensive and is a good unit. Makes things simple.
Robert |
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06-02-2005, 01:18 PM
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#13
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The Ninja MOD
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Planet P.....Why Me?
Posts: 13,624
Reviews: 23
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Pacific Coast CL-280, 1/10hp $339 at Premium Aquatics
Robert |
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06-02-2005, 04:52 PM
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#14
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I've got the REEF rash!
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 34,137
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I don't need one but I don't have Mh and I also see a big dif.with a very acurate heater.Instead of those cheap heaters with the 5+deg swing.My tank stays at 77.5 deg saw it go up to 77.8 once.
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06-02-2005, 11:38 PM
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#15
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Little Fishy
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Simi Valley, CA
Posts: 299
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Hey, check this out. It's also located in Tigard Oregon, and I bet you can talk him down if no one bids on it. How far from your home in Portland is he? EBAY link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...386188169&rd=1 This would be perfect for your tank and have room to grow later. |
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