Nano Tank Chillers?

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Grymatta

Large Fish
#1
May 16, 2005
439
0
0
#1
Does anyone have a chiller installed in their nano reef tank?

I'm in the process of setting up my 12 gal Nanocube deluxe and was wondering how to keep the water temps down during the upcoming summer.

Does anyone have a chiller installed? If so, what kind/brandname/etc do you recommend? I saw one awhile ago called the ICA Chiller or something like that which looked good but you had to drill a hole through the glass to install it. That sounds a little scary to me.

Any help would be appreciated!
thanks
 

lordroad

lordroad

Large Fish
#2
Sep 2, 2004
989
7
0
43
Shelby, NC
www.joshday.com
#2
I live in western NC and it gets pretty hot here in the summer, and I don't have air conditioning, so I thought about this too. An excellent DIY method that sounds great on paper is using a small mico fridge, or a dormitory fridge, which you can get for 50-60 dollars and using the cooling coils to cool your tank. However, I've heard that these coils aren't designed to handle this kind of modification and this isn't a longterm solution.

Unfortunately I don't know of any true chiller that will be practical for a nano... what I do on the hot days when the tank can run up to 86 degrees is only set the timer to turn the light on in the early afternoon or evening, around 3-5, and let it run until 11 at night or until you go to bed. I keep my nano in the bedroom so I can't really keep it on until 1 or 2 a.m., but if it's in your living room this may be an option (turning it on around 5-6 and letting it get a good 6-7 hours) and could keep things a couple degrees (at least!) cooler during the hot months.
 

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wayne

Elite Fish
#5
Oct 22, 2002
4,077
3
0
#5
For such a small device the electricity use is quite high, though obviously less than airconning the whole room.... how much do they cost, how do you plumb in?

The top temperature isn't out of line for a 'real ' reef, but lack of oxygen will be a big issue - possibly the one time a nanoskimmer has some real value?
 

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Grymatta

Large Fish
#6
May 16, 2005
439
0
0
#6
1979Camaro- Yes, that is the chiller I was thinking about. I also read about it in nano reef forums but didnt find a price for it. I think I may end up getting that if its affordable.

Lord- I also read about the dorm fridge thing but I'm not handy enough to take apart something like that. The idea of messing around with toxic freon or coolant scares me.

Plus my bedroom is small and I wanted something that would not be noticeable.
 

Orion

Orion

Ultimate Fish
Moderator
#7
Feb 10, 2003
5,803
3
38
Kentucky
www.thefishcave.net
#7
I was always under the impression that for the fridge cooler that you only drilled holes in the fridge, and just coiled up tubeing inside the fridge, and used a small pump to pump the water through the fridge. Maybe this was found to be a bad idea? It would be more difficult to control the temp.
 

lordroad

lordroad

Large Fish
#8
Sep 2, 2004
989
7
0
43
Shelby, NC
www.joshday.com
#8
Orion said:
I was always under the impression that for the fridge cooler that you only drilled holes in the fridge, and just coiled up tubeing inside the fridge, and used a small pump to pump the water through the fridge. Maybe this was found to be a bad idea? It would be more difficult to control the temp.
Click to expand...
That's what I thought too, Orion. But I've never seen it done or seen a good diagram or pictures of the process. I have heard secondhand these only last about six months as the coils aren't designed to cool that amount of water going through the fridge, but I'd be interested in hearing more from anyone who's tried it.
 

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Grymatta

Large Fish
#10
May 16, 2005
439
0
0
#10
I think they banned freon a few years back cause it was toxic? I dont think the newer, modern fridges use it anymore..

anyways, I sent an email to the makers of iceprobe last week..asking where to get it and how much. They have yet to get back to me.
 

2

24gnano

New Fish
#12
Jun 24, 2009
1
0
0
#12
24 gallon nano tank with chiller

Grymatta said:
Does anyone have a chiller installed in their nano reef tank?

I'm in the process of setting up my 12 gal Nanocube deluxe and was wondering how to keep the water temps down during the upcoming summer.

Does anyone have a chiller installed? If so, what kind/brandname/etc do you recommend? I saw one awhile ago called the ICA Chiller or something like that which looked good but you had to drill a hole through the glass to install it. That sounds a little scary to me.

Any help would be appreciated!
thanks
Click to expand...
i installed a aqua euro cl 150 in my 24 gallon nano and dropped the temp from 80 to 76 for your size tank you probably need a cl 85 check ebay out for good price or try Marine Depot.com a piece of cake to install
 

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