DIY Chillers

Pro_builder · 12-15-2003, 07:55 AM

We would like to see the Chillers/ cooling system, with Pics and material lists and instructions, for others to get ideas from for there project.
TIA

wooddood · 12-15-2003, 08:13 AM

sorry on this one troy,i guess im one of the lucky ones i dont need a chiller yet.y temp stays at 78 to 80 degrees.but i dont have halides yet either.

mwrager · 12-15-2003, 09:36 AM

I have one that I am going to install. I will try and get something together and post it.

Pro_builder · 01-09-2004, 09:27 AM

mwrager,
I would be curious to how effective the DIY unit is. I am looking at having to drop my tank temp about 5 degrees during lights on times. otherwise my tank stays at about 80 degrees.
Thanks for your help.

mwrager · 01-09-2004, 09:52 AM

I dont have it hooked up right now, I had to move it to a new place and I have added MH, also the pump that was running it went out. So I need to get a new pump and then plumb it into a new place to find out if it still works.

SZHTTM · 01-09-2004, 10:29 AM

Here are some links that might get your thoughts rolling...
1) http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/~cap/raid/chillers/diy/
2) http://www.wetwebmedia.com/chillersmar.htm
3) http://www.kingvinnie.com/aquaria/di...age.asp?cat=10
4) http://www.becnel.net/james/reef/cool.html
5) http://ozreef.org/diy/images/chiller_diagram.html
6) http://www.guarriello.net/chiller.htm

I myself have the 1/4hp Aqua Logic Cyclone with the drop-in portion to cool my 92-gallon.

Good Luck;

blueoceandiver · 01-13-2004, 10:11 PM

i used a dehumidifier and it worked great.put the cooling coils in a tub or bucket of water with lines running from your tank into it also.dropped my tank 10 deg. over night.

dgasmd · 01-13-2004, 10:58 PM

The most complete DIY chiller I have ever seen was in RC almost a year ago. This guy made a unit out of awindow AC and a heat exchanger. Extremely efficient and neat. It does require some specialized equipment that any AC guide can do and it does have tons of pictures in the thread.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...ight=chille r

Pro_builder · 01-13-2004, 11:02 PM

thanks for all the links

tommyp · 01-15-2004, 03:49 PM

For a cheap Diy a dehumidifier chiller looks like the way to go. I always thought it was more money to diy a chiller than to buy one. or cheaper to get an air conditioner for the room?

Blue ocean do you have more info on your set up? Is it really as easy as puting the cooling tubes into a tank of water and then piping to your tank? did you wire the dehumidifier with a thermostat etc.

Tom

BoomerD · 01-15-2004, 04:33 PM

Several years ago, we made one from one of those small "cube" refridgerators you can buy cheaply. Drilled a couple of holes in the side, used rubber grommets to seal them fairly tightly, and used 1/2" tubing. Powerhead from the sump, thru a 50' coil in the fridge, and back to the sump. Probably not the most efficient, but it worked fairly well, and cost less than $100.00.
As a side benefit, there was enough room left over to keep a couple of cold....sodas.

blueoceandiver · 01-15-2004, 07:14 PM

its realy easy,i used a controller hooked to the water level shut off.this will turn the chiller on and off.you can rig a temp switch to it instead of the humidity switch,but my way was easier.the link i used is no longer up ill try to find another.i got my humidifier for 25 bucks used so its much cheaper than a regular chiller.but i did trade for one last week...lol....800 watts gets hot on a 55

tommyp · 01-15-2004, 09:31 PM

Cool

Yeah cheap is the way to go on these projects. sometimes they cost as much as a new better product.

I am trying to figure a solution for my tank. I live in vermont and for most of the year the tank runs fine with just a fan. But july and august the tank can get a touch hot. I usually run it 82 anyway. I am still thinking a window air unit might serve me better than a chiller because my lights aren't overheating the tank.

I imagine acrylic tanks need a chiller all the time?

12-15-2003, 07:55 AM	#1 (permalink)
Pro_builder DIY Moderator Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Oxford, Iowa Posts: 1,746 View Gallery Karma Komment	DIY Chillers We would like to see the Chillers/ cooling system, with Pics and material lists and instructions, for others to get ideas from for there project. TIA __________________ -Troy 180 gallon Reef, 3- 250 XM 15K MH Electronic ballast, 380 watts VHO Actinics, 2- 5 watt LED Moon lights, 100 gal rubbermaid sump, 75 gallon Fuge, ETSS 600 Skimmer, 4700-5400 gph pump for return, Octopus 3000 controller, Iwaki 40 RL skimmer pump, 2- 65w PC 10K fuge lights, 2 55 gallon barrels, Custom light oak stand and hood, misc pumps, extra 600 gallon rated tank size protein skimmer. Purple tang, yellow tang, pacific blue tang, 2 green chromis, 1 Sand sifting star, snails, hermit crabs, 2 mated perculas, pulsing Xenia, Anenome, mushrooms, ricordia, zoanthids, kenya tree 1 1/2" tall, misc other hitchhiker stuff. DIY is my dream... ...well OK the only way I can afford this Addiction!! Just as the light goes on in my head... ... I break the bulb!!

12-15-2003, 08:13 AM	#2 (permalink)
wooddood the wood dude Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: CARMEL. INDIANA Posts: 3,450 View Gallery Karma Komment	sorry on this one troy,i guess im one of the lucky ones i dont need a chiller yet.y temp stays at 78 to 80 degrees.but i dont have halides yet either. __________________ 120 gal/in wall tank/starboard substraight/2 250 watt 10k xm metal halides/ 4 55watt 03 actinics/150lbs lr/scwd on return/scwd on a closed loop/aquaclear aquatics 200 pro wetdry w/skimmer. ask all the questions you have if we cant answer it we'll make up some thing. remember patience is the key to a kick ass reef. dave.

12-15-2003, 09:36 AM	#3 (permalink)
mwrager Elegance coral Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Gilbert AZ Posts: 1,068 View Gallery Karma Komment	I have one that I am going to install. I will try and get something together and post it. __________________ Mark Some days I realy feel old! http://www.reefsanctuary.com/Banners/RS_banner3.gif

01-09-2004, 09:27 AM	#4 (permalink)
Pro_builder DIY Moderator Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Oxford, Iowa Posts: 1,746 View Gallery Karma Komment	mwrager, I would be curious to how effective the DIY unit is. I am looking at having to drop my tank temp about 5 degrees during lights on times. otherwise my tank stays at about 80 degrees. Thanks for your help. __________________ -Troy 180 gallon Reef, 3- 250 XM 15K MH Electronic ballast, 380 watts VHO Actinics, 2- 5 watt LED Moon lights, 100 gal rubbermaid sump, 75 gallon Fuge, ETSS 600 Skimmer, 4700-5400 gph pump for return, Octopus 3000 controller, Iwaki 40 RL skimmer pump, 2- 65w PC 10K fuge lights, 2 55 gallon barrels, Custom light oak stand and hood, misc pumps, extra 600 gallon rated tank size protein skimmer. Purple tang, yellow tang, pacific blue tang, 2 green chromis, 1 Sand sifting star, snails, hermit crabs, 2 mated perculas, pulsing Xenia, Anenome, mushrooms, ricordia, zoanthids, kenya tree 1 1/2" tall, misc other hitchhiker stuff. DIY is my dream... ...well OK the only way I can afford this Addiction!! Just as the light goes on in my head... ... I break the bulb!!

01-09-2004, 09:52 AM	#5 (permalink)
mwrager Elegance coral Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Gilbert AZ Posts: 1,068 View Gallery Karma Komment	I dont have it hooked up right now, I had to move it to a new place and I have added MH, also the pump that was running it went out. So I need to get a new pump and then plumb it into a new place to find out if it still works. __________________ Mark Some days I realy feel old! http://www.reefsanctuary.com/Banners/RS_banner3.gif

01-09-2004, 10:29 AM	#6 (permalink)
SZHTTM Serpent Star Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Davie, FL. (South Florida) Posts: 203 View Gallery Karma Komment	Here are some links that might get your thoughts rolling... 1) http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/~cap/raid/chillers/diy/ 2) http://www.wetwebmedia.com/chillersmar.htm 3) http://www.kingvinnie.com/aquaria/di...age.asp?cat=10 4) http://www.becnel.net/james/reef/cool.html 5) http://ozreef.org/diy/images/chiller_diagram.html 6) http://www.guarriello.net/chiller.htm I myself have the 1/4hp Aqua Logic Cyclone with the drop-in portion to cool my 92-gallon. Good Luck;

01-13-2004, 10:11 PM	#7 (permalink)
blueoceandiver Midas Blenny Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: rockledge fla. Posts: 92 View Gallery Karma Komment	i used a dehumidifier and it worked great.put the cooling coils in a tub or bucket of water with lines running from your tank into it also.dropped my tank 10 deg. over night.

01-13-2004, 10:58 PM	#8 (permalink)
dgasmd Scopas Tang Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Royal Palm Beach, FL Posts: 466 View Gallery Karma Komment	The most complete DIY chiller I have ever seen was in RC almost a year ago. This guy made a unit out of awindow AC and a heat exchanger. Extremely efficient and neat. It does require some specialized equipment that any AC guide can do and it does have tons of pictures in the thread. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...ight=chille r __________________ Water is what keeps a ship floating, but it is also what sinks it.

01-13-2004, 11:02 PM	#9 (permalink)
Pro_builder DIY Moderator Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Oxford, Iowa Posts: 1,746 View Gallery Karma Komment	thanks for all the links __________________ -Troy 180 gallon Reef, 3- 250 XM 15K MH Electronic ballast, 380 watts VHO Actinics, 2- 5 watt LED Moon lights, 100 gal rubbermaid sump, 75 gallon Fuge, ETSS 600 Skimmer, 4700-5400 gph pump for return, Octopus 3000 controller, Iwaki 40 RL skimmer pump, 2- 65w PC 10K fuge lights, 2 55 gallon barrels, Custom light oak stand and hood, misc pumps, extra 600 gallon rated tank size protein skimmer. Purple tang, yellow tang, pacific blue tang, 2 green chromis, 1 Sand sifting star, snails, hermit crabs, 2 mated perculas, pulsing Xenia, Anenome, mushrooms, ricordia, zoanthids, kenya tree 1 1/2" tall, misc other hitchhiker stuff. DIY is my dream... ...well OK the only way I can afford this Addiction!! Just as the light goes on in my head... ... I break the bulb!!

01-15-2004, 03:49 PM	#10 (permalink)
tommyp Neon dottyback Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: VT Posts: 659 View Gallery Karma Komment	For a cheap Diy a dehumidifier chiller looks like the way to go. I always thought it was more money to diy a chiller than to buy one. or cheaper to get an air conditioner for the room? Blue ocean do you have more info on your set up? Is it really as easy as puting the cooling tubes into a tank of water and then piping to your tank? did you wire the dehumidifier with a thermostat etc. Tom __________________ "I think that you can start the bombs of oceanrunner. They are good bombs for a rollback." 190g (60x30x25) upgrade in progress, 90g basement sump Check it out here!

01-15-2004, 04:33 PM	#11 (permalink)
BoomerD Reef Shark Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Northern California Posts: 5,234 View Gallery Karma Komment	Several years ago, we made one from one of those small "cube" refridgerators you can buy cheaply. Drilled a couple of holes in the side, used rubber grommets to seal them fairly tightly, and used 1/2" tubing. Powerhead from the sump, thru a 50' coil in the fridge, and back to the sump. Probably not the most efficient, but it worked fairly well, and cost less than $100.00. As a side benefit, there was enough room left over to keep a couple of cold....sodas.

01-15-2004, 07:14 PM	#12 (permalink)
blueoceandiver Midas Blenny Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: rockledge fla. Posts: 92 View Gallery Karma Komment	its realy easy,i used a controller hooked to the water level shut off.this will turn the chiller on and off.you can rig a temp switch to it instead of the humidity switch,but my way was easier.the link i used is no longer up ill try to find another.i got my humidifier for 25 bucks used so its much cheaper than a regular chiller.but i did trade for one last week...lol....800 watts gets hot on a 55

01-15-2004, 09:31 PM	#13 (permalink)
tommyp Neon dottyback Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: VT Posts: 659 View Gallery Karma Komment	Cool Yeah cheap is the way to go on these projects. sometimes they cost as much as a new better product. I am trying to figure a solution for my tank. I live in vermont and for most of the year the tank runs fine with just a fan. But july and august the tank can get a touch hot. I usually run it 82 anyway. I am still thinking a window air unit might serve me better than a chiller because my lights aren't overheating the tank. I imagine acrylic tanks need a chiller all the time? __________________ "I think that you can start the bombs of oceanrunner. They are good bombs for a rollback." 190g (60x30x25) upgrade in progress, 90g basement sump Check it out here!

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