Chiller for 1 ft tank

[Panut]

will be waiting for your pictures!

what is the flow rate of your filter bro?

[alexlbw]

Hi, bro.. i have done a DIY mini chiller by using thermoelectril module.. it can chill my 45cm x 20cm x 18cm tank down to 23 degree c at night and around 24.5 degree c at day time with pl light on! (without temp controller)...

[Panut]

Would you like to help me set up one too

[richardks11]

Hi All Bros,

So sorry this few week to busy, unable to get picture of this setup. Will do so when I am free.

By the way, bro magic4lifez if yoru setup work, then can I have the picture of your setup too. Or do you have teh design of your TEM. Cause last time I try to build one but not successful for it la.MAy be you can share your idea here too.

Thank
Richard

[astro]

Hi, bro.. i have done a DIY mini chiller by using thermoelectril module.. it can chill my 45cm x 20cm x 18cm tank down to 23 degree c at night and around 24.5 degree c at day time with pl light on! (without temp controller)...

woah this is a great DIY
care to share?

[Aquaria One]

On the other hand you can use fans for 1 feet ....or mini chillers like the dolphine mini chillers. Diy can be complicated/ unless you get a bro to build it for you. There is another chiller used for chilling computer systems called the iceprobe and it can be adpated to chill tanks. Avaliable at Sim Lim Square.

[route]

using a Resun CL280 for my 1ft cube, able to cool it down to 24 degrees easily. powered by a Ehiem 2232.

[richardks11]

Hi All Bro,

Long time did not update on my 1ft chiller using the dopline tem chiller.

Here are some of the CRS that I have after using this TEM for the 1ft chiller in the 1ft tank.

[richardks11]

Some more picture coming up...

[richardks11]

Hi All Bro,

I think nowaday electricity bill will be the major part killing we bros a bomb on the $$ we spent using chiller to get the CRS tank to lower temp.

But I think the TEM is a good start for bros here to consider using to cut those electricity bill lower and getting the CRS in good quality and good shape.

I hope bros here like the way i commend on. It is just my point of view.

Richard

[Cookiemunster]

Hi All Bro,

I think nowaday electricity bill will be the major part killing we bros a bomb on the $$ we spent using chiller to get the CRS tank to lower temp.

But I think the TEM is a good start for bros here to consider using to cut those electricity bill lower and getting the CRS in good quality and good shape.

I hope bros here like the way i commend on. It is just my point of view.

Richard

Hi Richard,

you'd be very surprised but the 1/10hp chillers like resun 280 or similar are actually much much more lower power consumption than the dolphin TEM type of peltier technology chillers. If you check your transformer or Dolphin wattage consumption, its 250W for the 790 series. And 790 series can barely cool down a 1.5ft tank to 24degrees unless constantly running. Whereas a 1/10 chiller is less than 150W and cools much faster and cuts out automatically typically within 5mins for a 1.5ft tank.

I have both a resun 280 and a dolphin 790 (with modified temperature controller). The only reason I got the dolphin was curiosity and to save space. But honestly if I only had 1 chiller, it would be a 1/10hp chiller like resun. The running cost would be alot less and would pay for itself compared to a dolphin.

Cheers

[BFG]

My 2 cents on TEM chiller-

This type of chiller is not practical in our country climate. It's efficiency is based mostly from the air surrounding this type of chiller. If we are living in a cooler climate, maybe it is useful but where we are located with temperature hitting above 31 degree celsius, this chiller will have a hard time trying to bring down the temp to 25 degree celsius. Depending on user, some will claim it can bring down the temperature to 25 degree celsius but how long it takes is another matter. With cost of electricity forever increasing, a refrigerant based chiller is the way to go.

[smeagol]

I was very very close to getting the Dolphin 788 chiller from C328 today. Luckily decided to do more work before spending the money.

Now I decided I will add another fan to my tank, or wait for cheaper second-hand CL-280s.

Reasons why I decide not to get the dolphin 788:

1) its just like letting the water run through a big fan before it goes back into the tank, for the $80 you'll only save money for not needing to top up the water. (which is one excuse for someone lazy like me to get it in the first place)

2) my room's ambient temp is about 30 deg. I am not very convinced it will get the temperature down to 25-26 constantly. If I spend the money only to get the temperatures I get with my fan now, I'd rather save the money and be more hardworking to do top-ups daily.

3) Noise and heat generated! I think this will be one turn-off. Not to forget the heat generated, heard there will be quite abit of heat from the chiller that will dissipate this back into the room. If the ambient temperature is already not low to start with, having heat generated from the tem chiller and going back to the tank will mean you are worst off even with the chiller.

Although I haven't own a TEM (not likely to own it after the research done), I think a TEM will only be good for folks who keep the fish tank in an air-con room, and are looking at a chiller to cool their tanks when the air-con is off. Of course if you are switching on your air-con for 24/7 then its a different story.

Hmmm, looks like its time to search for a CL-280, or something along that line! $$$$

[DKNY]

I was very very close to getting the Dolphin 788 chiller from C328 today. Luckily decided to do more work before spending the money.

Now I decided I will add another fan to my tank, or wait for cheaper second-hand CL-280s.

Reasons why I decide not to get the dolphin 788:

1) its just like letting the water run through a big fan before it goes back into the tank, for the $80 you'll only save money for not needing to top up the water. (which is one excuse for someone lazy like me to get it in the first place)

2) my room's ambient temp is about 30 deg. I am not very convinced it will get the temperature down to 25-26 constantly. If I spend the money only to get the temperatures I get with my fan now, I'd rather save the money and be more hardworking to do top-ups daily.

3) Noise and heat generated! I think this will be one turn-off. Not to forget the heat generated, heard there will be quite abit of heat from the chiller that will dissipate this back into the room. If the ambient temperature is already not low to start with, having heat generated from the tem chiller and going back to the tank will mean you are worst off even with the chiller.

Although I haven't own a TEM (not likely to own it after the research done), I think a TEM will only be good for folks who keep the fish tank in an air-con room, and are looking at a chiller to cool their tanks when the air-con is off. Of course if you are switching on your air-con for 24/7 then its a different story.

Hmmm, looks like its time to search for a CL-280, or something along that line! $$$$

Bro You are right man.. Chiller will be a better choice than fans. As for what chiller to select will have to depand on budget.. Sizing of Chiller will be better to get a oversize than under size chiller for better efficiency right ?

[DKNY]

Hi All Bros,

Thank for all your advise.

I now monitoring the 1 ft tank without TEM and Fan the temp is about 30degree C. With Dolphine TEM788 running temp will drop to 28dgree C. Have not added in Fan and CRS, just want to monitor the temp can achieved before tHe CRS goes into tank la.

I did check with LFS at Y618, they recommend Artica 1/15Hp chiller or 1/10Hp to be used. But price is veri X. But the LFS tell me worth is cause Artica chiller have very low power consumption. Any bro using Artica chiller to commend, is it truth about this.

Tonight I will monitored the temp of the 1 ft tank with TEM to see can get to 27 Degree C or not. Then will added in 2 pcs of cooling fan to see tank tempm will be able to egt to 25/26 degree C. Update all bro next week, if can achieved.


Thank
Richard

Hi Richard, Never use TEM before so cannot comments much on this small chiller. I am using Resun CL450 for my 2'x1.5'x1.5' tank for a while and seems good but only with higher sound level when chiller kick in. Thinking of upgrading to Arctica 1/10 or 1/5 chiller. Heard alot beeter in term of noise level as well as effeciency - Momey saver. Any bro using arctica chiller will like to contribute some experience here ? Thanks

[BFG]

Arctica is better compared to Resun. Silent performance is the major advantage. With Resun, you might get woken up in the night when it 'switch off'. My Resun CL650 broke during the night, refrigerant escaping from the chiller.

DKNY, if you're planning to upgrade tank in the future, get a bigger model. The unwritten rule in getting a chiller in our climate is to get a model higher than what's rated for your tank. For such an expensive purchase, you wouldn't want to strain the chiller during the hot months of the year. And no matter what, chiller raise the ambience temperature of the house so place it where the flow of the wind will carry off the hot air out of the house. Do not place the chiller in an enclose area, it might cycle back the hot air it gives off and that's where their performance will drop as well as their lifespan.


Hope this helps!

[DKNY]

Arctica is better compared to Resun. Silent performance is the major advantage. With Resun, you might get woken up in the night when it 'switch off'. My Resun CL650 broke during the night, refrigerant escaping from the chiller.

DKNY, if you're planning to upgrade tank in the future, get a bigger model. The unwritten rule in getting a chiller in our climate is to get a model higher than what's rated for your tank. For such an expensive purchase, you wouldn't want to strain the chiller during the hot months of the year. And no matter what, chiller raise the ambience temperature of the house so place it where the flow of the wind will carry off the hot air out of the house. Do not place the chiller in an enclose area, it might cycle back the hot air it gives off and that's where their performance will drop as well as their lifespan.



Hope this helps!

Bro, Thanks for your advise. Think likewise and hoping to get arctica 1/10 HP chiller and think should be good enought for my 2'x1.5'x1.5' tank right ? Or should I go even 1 step higher for 1/5 HP chiller ? Thanks

[BFG]

That would depend if you want to upgrade your tank in the future. But a 1/10hp is ok for a 2ft as I have previously use a 1/10 Daeil for my 2ft cube. But your mileage may vary. No 2 setup will be the same.

[DKNY]

That would depend if you want to upgrade your tank in the future. But a 1/10hp is ok for a 2ft as I have previously use a 1/10 Daeil for my 2ft cube. But your mileage may vary. No 2 setup will be the same.

In term of electrical consumption, will it cost more for higher HP chiller cos of higher wattage on higher HP chiller ?

[BFG]

In term of electrical consumption, will it cost more for higher HP chiller cos of higher wattage on higher HP chiller ?

Not too sure on this. With a higher wattage comes higher electrical consumption. But with higher spec performance, it might cool the water faster so lesser amount of time it's operational?