Have a feeling I'm going to need a chiller...

Hi all,

Well, I've got my light fixture set on the tank, and I have a feeling I'm going to need a chiller. Being new, I'd love to get everyone's opinions on this. My light fixture is the Current USA Outer Orbit 250 watt HQI metal halide with four T5 actinics and 18 lunar lights. I have it set on the tank with the supplied mounting legs, and it sits about 3" off the top. My tank is 30" deep, but even so I'm afraid it's going to heat up the water. I'm nowhere near ready to start filling the tank yet--still getting all my stuff together--but I'd like to be prepared. What do you guys think--should I just bite the bullet and invest in a chiller? If so, what would be a good brand you could recommend?

 

Depends on a few things, ambient temp being a huge one, alot will say just try out blowing a fan across the water surface in the sump and across the display tank as well, that will help somewhat, but if you have it in your budget and are just starting the tank now would be the easiest time to put a chiller in.

 

chillers are pretty expensive. try mounting some fans on either side of your lights. not only will it cool the lights, it'll cool your tank water.

i'd do this first, as it is the cheaper route.

 

im running a fan blowing across the top of my tank .... i have 8x54 watt t5 bulbs.... w/o the fan my tank can run anywhere from 80-85 degrees, w/ the fan ON running blowing across the water, it maintains the temp @ between 77-82 degrees. I've yet to add one to my sump but i am going to do that as well. Hope this helps....

 

If you can get by with fans then that is great. Chiller are not that expensive unless you are getting in the 1/2 to 3/4 hp range. They are great insurance to have if the AC quits in the house or anything else weird happens. If my chiller only runs once a month it was worth having. Really depends on how much you have invested that you are trying to save. :-/

 

also you can try to hang the light fixture so that it is above the tank more, w/ that much light you should be able to do that w/ no problem i would think. especially since you are just setting up a new tank.... that and the fans, and i think you will be good to go. you could also get a reefkeeper that will turn the fans on/off when the halides turn on/off or when the temperature is exceeded to what you have programmed into the reefkeeper. all are cheaper alternatives to a chiller. good luck sea girl!
-matt

 

;DThanks, everyone, for the advice! I do have the Profilux controller and I know it has its own fans that you can control, so I might try that first. I originally had thought of suspending the fixture from the ceiling, but as the tank is in a corner by some crown molding in the living room, the electrician said it would be too hard to run the wiring through the wall, and he would have to go through the crown molding or something and it would be a real problem.

I think I'll try the fan route first and watch the temperature before I put fish in and then see how it goes. Thanks again, you guys are such a great help!

 

Chillers on sale now at DFS.