GoToSleep's 700g Build Thread (& complete remodel)

wow sorry about the chiller. Its ok, you GTS. Youll work through it and it will all be ok in the end. I know a good luck wont pay for the chiller but for what its worth, good luck

 

Thanks for the kind words.


WooHoo, I just realized that I should be getting a package from John Maloney tomorrow. Watch out hermit crabs, you're about to have company.

 

I'm actually off to hunt this weekend, but next weekend I'm free!

 

If you bag a Moose, let me know. I'd like to get a trophy for the wall.

 

If I bag a moose, I'd be a rich man. We don't have many in FL.

 

Did you drop Roger a line regarding your upcoming chiller purchase? He'll probably have some insight as to how to get you set up.

 

Soooo... were was the death that made you "darn near" instead of 100%? Work or reef?

 

Tangster,


I hope all is well with you. My tank is making good progress and I’ve got some great fish and a good start to my corals in there. It’s an interesting challenge since I never had anything tougher than leather corals and mushrooms in my old tank so I’ve got a lot to learn about coral husbandry. Annick has given me some of the best pointers in my build thread when it comes to husbandry issues and she suggested that I drop you a line before I take the plunge on getting a chiller. Here’s a bit of what I’m facing…

Display tank 550gal 72x36x49.5”
Total water volume around 700gal with 30breeder, 40breeder and 135gal sump in-line with the DT
I’ve got 2 400W heaters in the sump with one set to 79deg and the other set to 78 deg

Until recently, I was only running two of my four 400W MH lights. The tank was OK with that but I recently turned on the other two bulbs. All four lights were on for about 12 hours on a day when the room temp was about 77 F. The tank temp got up to 84.3 F. Since that time I’ve gone back to just running the two MH’s but this is not a long term solution. I also have four 72” VHO bulbs that I plan on running over this tank and an additional 175 MH bulb over the 30 breeder that have not been turned on yet.

Since I live in Richmond, VA and I’m seeing these temperature swings even before Summer, I’m pretty much resigned to the fact that I’m going to need a chiller if I want any hope of keeping a stable temperature in this tank. I plan on having the ambient temperature around the tank being similar to what we do for the rest of the house which means room thermostat set to 68 in winter and 78 in summer.

When it comes to the chiller: I’d like it quiet since it’s in a living space, I’d like it energy efficient, I’d like to minimize the heat added to the room since the chiller will be situated in the ‘fish closet’ which is only about 400 cubic feet and has the 30 and the 40gal tanks in there.

I have plentiful ‘free’ water from my well and the water supply and return lines from one of my geothermal heat pumps are close to the fish closet. I think that a water cooled chiller would offer advantages over a conventional air exchange unit in regards to noise level, energy efficiency, and less heat added to the room. My search has led me to AquaLogic. I don’t know if anyone else makes water cooled units in the size range that I’m considering. My initial thought is that a 1 hp unit is probably the right size for me but there are some significant advantages if I can use their ¾ hp unit. The 1 hp only comes in 220V so I would have to pull a new 220V circuit from my panel to the other side of the room. This is possible but probably involves professional help and tearing up some drywall by the panel box. I’d also need to get some help to fabricate some sort of relay so that I could use my Profilux controller to regulate a 220V device.

On the other hand, if a ¾ hp chiller will get the job done for me, I can use my existing wiring and be able to plug the chiller into my controller without having to add any relays in between. The smaller chiller might also consume less power but obviously I like to avoid investing in a chiller that is too small and then having to upgrade down the line.

I would appreciate it if you have any wisdom that you’re willing to share on the subject.

 

LOL just what I'd want my surgeon saying as I'm counting back from ten...

 

You also need to take in account that with a chiller you are going to be blowing heat out of the condenser coil so the chiller unit needs to be away from the water. Water will pick up the heat molecules fast and you will be taking the heat out with the chiller and adding right back to the water with warm ambient air. You will either need to vent it all outside or just buy a outside unit.

I have some ductwork enclosing my coil and running it out of the fish room with a 131cfm fan that comes on when the chiller does. That is what I was meaning buy my question with ventilation in the first part of the thread. Heat is only one issue, CO2 build up in the winter is going to be another one plus all the humidity.