# CoolWorks IceProbe chiller



## erijnal (Apr 5, 2006)

Anyone use this product before? It's relatively cheap compared to other chillers, and I was thinking about getting one for my 10 gallon aquarium since summer's coming.

Here's a link to the product

If anyone can give me their input on the product's effectiveness/reliability, it would be highly appreciated. Thanks in advance.


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## turbomkt (Mar 31, 2004)

James,
I've been considering it myself. If I can't keep the temps down with creative lighting and fans, that's the route I'm going. I'll probably install it into my own aquaclear filter instead of theirs...as it will save a fair bit of $$.

Anyway...the technology is sound. Peltier cooling has been around for a while.


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## dhavoc (Mar 17, 2006)

got one running on my 5g crs tank and it keeps it nice and cool. used the fan technique and while it works, coming into the office on monday and seeing 1-2" of water evaporated didnt sit well, plus you dont have temp control with fans. got it hooked up to a ranco temp controller (the type the home brewers use) and it works great. the 10g is about the limit for this chiller though. and yes, i simply drilled a hole in the cover of my red sea nano hob, and while it does not quite sit right (probe is too big for this small filter) it should work great on an aquaclear which is bigger (adding one to my 10g this week also). the temp controller coolworks sells works, but is a pot type and does not display temp so i went with the ranco, just for peace of mind (you can see the current tank temp so you'll know if its failed).


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## taekwondodo (Dec 14, 2005)

I use one on my 20G reef and find it hardly makes a difference on a tank that big - I get a degree or two of drop. But then again I've got a 175W MH and 2x55 Actinics over the tank .

I will be moving to fans and an ATO (already have the ATO) when I get the chance. However, I would expect much better results on the 10G (much less surface area...).

- Jeff


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## turbomkt (Mar 31, 2004)

Are you willing to sell a used IceProbe chiller?


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## fishfry (Apr 15, 2004)

The temperature pull-downs listed on that website seem higher than the actual temperature pull-downs I have read people are getting with this form of chiller. There are some 1/10 HP chillers that are fairly new to the market and look pretty promising, and they aren't THAT much more expensive given this is already 100+ dollars.


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## dhavoc (Mar 17, 2006)

yes the temp drops shown on the website are overly optomistic IMO. looked at that 1/10 hp chiller and actually bought a 150w peltier version (lower cooling capacity than a 1/10hp) but even that is overkill for a 10g tank, and requires a powerhead/pump which even using a small rio is too much current for a 10g (my experience only- others may want the higher flow rate). Resun has come out with a CL85 that seems to bridge the gap between a 1/10hp and coolworks, but i have not seen one avail in the US yet. 

also, the cooling ability of the coolworks is affected by how much heat can be tranferred from the heatsink to the air. the fan that comes with it is ok for my application, but if you increase airflow over the heatsink, via a better fan setup you could probably wring a few more degrees out of it.


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## turbomkt (Mar 31, 2004)

Actually, I think that Resun CL85 is in the states now. One of the lfs has it. That's the big peltier cooler, right?


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## cwlodarczyk (Sep 18, 2005)

So couldn't you rig one of these yourself with a peltier sandwiched between a couple of heatsinks? It seems that it would be pretty easy to fashon a bracket to hang this on the back of the tank. Is there something I'm missing?


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## turbomkt (Mar 31, 2004)

Possibly. I haven't really researched a DIY option of Peltier cooling... Hmm....


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## dhavoc (Mar 17, 2006)

yes that is all the coolworks is really. there is a thread on shrimpnow.com that covers DIY versions. what you are paying for really is the ceramic coated cooling end of the setup (any machine shop can make one but for how much?). i basically have mine mounted thru a hole in the top of my HOB filter. also had it mounted via a metal plate in the corner of my tank and that works as well but it keeps a more even temp with it in the waterflow of the filter.

turbomkt, which LFS? been looking for one online but there dont seem to be many resun dealers in the US. going to setup another 15L or 20L CRS tank and that would be perfect for it, my 150w is too big i think.


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## fishfry (Apr 15, 2004)

if you can wait till the end of july JBJ is releasing 1/15 hp chillers for <25g aquariums. $269 for the small one

http://nanotuners.nanocustoms.com/nanotuners/product_info.php?cPath=34&products_id=293


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## turbomkt (Mar 31, 2004)

If I remember right, it wasn't labeled "resun" but packaged under a different manufacturer name but the same CL-85 designation. And the store is truly local...no stores in Hawaii.


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## Ibn (Oct 20, 2004)

The CL-85 is by Pacific Coast Imports located north in Oregon, Mike. Cheapest that I've found the unit for is $157 and is rated up to a 20 gallon tank.


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## dhavoc (Mar 17, 2006)

thanks Ibn, Turbomkt and Fishfry, i will keep an eye out for it.


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## turbomkt (Mar 31, 2004)

Ibn said:


> The CL-85 is by Pacific Coast Imports located north in Oregon, Mike. Cheapest that I've found the unit for is $157 and is rated up to a 20 gallon tank.


That's the one! $157? Where was that?


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## Ibn (Oct 20, 2004)

Here you go. If you do pick it up, let us know how it does. 

http://www.aquatictech.com/chillers.html


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## erijnal (Apr 5, 2006)

just curious, can chillers be used for multiple aquariums?


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## turbomkt (Mar 31, 2004)

I don't think there is an official way. The ways I am thinking of are not easy. Basically you have to set up a daisy chain of tanks. Either they have to overflow into each tank successively, or you have to set up a siphon type connection. Basically as water is pumped from one tank, as the water level drops in that tank it draws water from the next tank. This would be done with tubing or piping that goes between the tanks and then is filled with water (all air would really need to be purged).

I think there is a tank overflow system that works the same way as my second version.

Just throwing out some thoughts.


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