Reply With Quoteif you plan to get a bigger tank in future, you'll be better off with a bigger chiller. helps to reduce wear and tear as well.
Going to get a real chiller (got a CL85 TEM now)
But got a question.
Do I get a bigger one than I need or just something in the middle.
eg. Now I have a 2 feet tank (80L). But may get a 3 feet tank soon.
Should I just get a 1/4Hp chiller or a 1/2Hp chiller (price difference not too much leh) ?
Is Hailea a reasonable brand for efficiency and noise ?
Any help for me to decide would be appreciated.
Regards
if you plan to get a bigger tank in future, you'll be better off with a bigger chiller. helps to reduce wear and tear as well.
thomas liew
A HC-300 runnning 1/4hp is good enough for your 80L tank bro. 1/2 would be an overkill. Personally, I'm using HC-300 for my 3ft tank, so no worries if you're to upgrade in the near future.
If you're interested, please pm me. I can get a good price for Hailea.
Thanks for the input.
So looks like 1/4 Hp is good for up to a 3 feet tank ?
I am always hearing getting bigger is better.
Better control, faster cooling and lower bills (this I am not sure, are we paying more for the future expansion?) and last longer.
Anyway, I saw from other forum that the cheaper chiller has low efficiency and in the long run, the electrical bill takes back all the gain you have for the price of the equipment.
A bit of noise, I am ok but the bill would have me in trouble (my wife will complain - haha)
Not really the case bro. Bigger doesn't really mean better. From what I know, by far, the best chiller is Artica. You'll be amazed that a couple of friends whom can afford is using a 1/10hp to cool a 4ft tank. Then again, the price is about $1k...
I'm using a HC-300 for my 3ft tank. Didn't really measure my room temperature but can tell you that its quite warm..even at night. Noise is not noticeable and on average my electrical bill is an additional $20-$30 a month.
Is your chiller inside an enclosed cabinet or open air? I heard that chiller inside the cabinet is quite noisy ..Originally Posted by crystalreds
Not really the case bro. Bigger doesn't really mean better. From what I know, by far, the best chiller is Artica. You'll be amazed that a couple of friends whom can afford is using a 1/10hp to cool a 4ft tank. Then again, the price is about $1k...
I'm using a HC-300 for my 3ft tank. Didn't really measure my room temperature but can tell you that its quite warm..even at night. Noise is not noticeable and on average my electrical bill is an additional $20-$30 a month.
I am going to put it in open enviroment. Heard it could be quite hot if placed inside a close cabinet.
I would most probably decide on the HC-300 since most recommend this is sufficient. I doubt I would go bigger than 3 Feet due to space constrain.
The bill should be in better control as well.
I have a CL85 which I would see if I can put it to good use on a 1 feet tank.
Bigger is not always better..... there will be a point when too big means that in order for your filter or pump flow rate to maintain the minimum flowrate of the big chiller, you will create a whirlpool in your tank......not good for your fish and plants......
That said, you should not get an underpowered one as well.....leading to frequent kick-in and higher electrical consumption as well as reducing the lifespan of the chiller.
so with the above 2 points in considaration, I guess the choice is only left with which brand can you afford....
Hi Krabbie, mine is out in the open. Correct me if I've made the wrong assumption about your noise concern. Are your worries about the kick start noise or the vibrations it makes when the chiller is being running?
For the kick start, I believe a cabinet would muffer the sound. For a start, the noise is hardly noticeable. As for the noise produed by the vibration, there are rubber stopper attached to the bottom to the chiller. There isn't any noise produced on my tiled floor as the vibration is minimum. Haven't used put it in a cabinet before so am unable to commend but I theorically, if the vibrations are a minimum...don't think it would use your cabinet's wood as an amplifer. A trick my ex company use to muffer noise when its in a cabinet is to rest the equipment onto a styroform board or a piece of cloth.
If you do have a cabinet, it is more important to anticipate how to provide a good air circulation (wind chanels) for the portion you want to place the chiller. To prevent overheating and prolonging your chiller's lifespan.
At least for my setup this is not true. Like what was said, there is a rubber stopper under most chiller. Add an additional piece of foam if you like.
If I get a HC-300A, what is the pump that needs to go with it.
I guess the current ECCO 2236 (600 l/h) would be too small ?
Would I then need a 2028 or 2217 to run it or something smaller is fine.
I would want a self priming model so that it does not get too messy when I do the setup.
A 2028 is NOT sufficient to drive a HC-300A. Specs-wise it may be (do a search on the web) but you can be sure that your chiller will be kicking in and out every other minute. It has to do with the temp sensor being in the built-in-reservoir.
If you want to know more do a search in AQ. I have posted something about it recently.
Wah... Then must get the 2080 ? That is the biggest one that Eheim has
Pro III. Is that very ex ? My goodness.
Anyother model suggestion ? How about an Atman CF 1200 ?
Get an external thermostat controller (new one about $100-150, I think) or get those chiller that has temp sensor measuring water temp at the outlet stream of the chiller. You can ask around, but I think Atman has the sensor probe in the reservoir as well.
Baton courtesy.....service with a smile!
Cheap chiller are a bit costlier to run in the long term. Branded chiller are expensive at 1st but the power usage is lesser as compared to cheap chiller. So take your pick.Not really the case bro. Bigger doesn't really mean better. From what I know, by far, the best chiller is Artica. You'll be amazed that a couple of friends whom can afford is using a 1/10hp to cool a 4ft tank. Then again, the price is about $1k...
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Any directions as to how to fit a external thermostat for a Hailea ?
Also I am getting a CF1200 from China (cheap) that has a listed 1550 l/h rating. Should be good enough right ?
I will be getting a cabinet (with similar ventilation - Nicky's design) for my 2 chillers (ie the CL85 and the HC-300A)
Price wise it is more to my budget. Ha Ha
I got my gadget with external thermostat from this guy from Pacific Cool.
If you want his contact please PM me.
Again, I dont make money out of recommending you, so please deal with him directly.
I'm sure there are more than the following method/device to solve our problem.
But here's what I use.
This is basically an external 'box' where you plug in your chiller power socket.
This "box" has a power socket that you plug onto your power source.
There is a "tail" from this box and this is the external thermostat. This goes into your tank.
This "box" will determine if current should be supplied to your chiller.
You set the cut-in (example: 26C) and cut-out temp (25C) on this "box".
When the temp (as shown on the "box") reaches/exceeds 26C, electric current is supplied to your chiller.
The chiller will run till the temp shows 25C on the "box".
When that happen, the current is cut off and your chiller is as good as not plug in.
Hope this is not confusing you too much.
Very interesting.
In this case we are controlling the tank water temperature directly.
However in this case we are doing sudden power shutdown to the tank (is that similar to the shutdown that the chiller uses when they track on their internal readings ? Is it a lot more aggressive.
If it is, then the chiller may wear and tear more frequently.
Since you are using this system of control, any feedback ?
I heard that there is a more complicated way in which the thermo reading of the chiller is taken from the external thermo instead of its internal one (in the reservior). Would this make the readings accurate and yet allow it to function within the parameters that chiller is designed for ?
I will PM you the contact anyway and see if it works out for me.
Anyone just uses the chiller themo as is and achieve good results. If I use the CF1200 canister would that flow rate gives me a good enough results ?
IMO all the regular chillers that we regular hobbists see and use are using the same concept; power cutoff to the compressor when the lower set temp is reached, power on when the higher set temp is reached.
It is not like inverter aircon where the temp remains more or less steady within a smaller band (less than 1 degree C).
Hence IMO using this external thermostat method will not cause more wear and tear to your chiller.
In fact, it should reduce the amount of wear and tear if your original setup (without external controller) does not have high enough flowrate.
I believe Artica has the temp sensor built to measure the outlet water stream.
However insignificant, there will be heat gain by the water flow from the chiller to your tank under such setup.
Thanks for the input. Will take a look at the external controller.
Will be making a cabinet to hold my 2 tanks and the equipment which is getting untidy and cluttered.
See design. Would be getting someone to make it. Will have ventilation on the front and side and have the back with holes also for ventilation and also pipping and wires.
I guess the height is sufficient for most equipment. I think the chiller is only around 50cm high. There is another 6 inches for the feet and the thickness of the wood. But the tank should still be at a good level. Was going to make the clearance 80cm but was worried that the tank becomes too high. haha
Will post a photo of the finished product.
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