# Another DIY chiller idea?



## breckel (May 30, 2006)

There's alot of talk about diy cooling methods, but all use large amounts of energy and money. Would just running water from a canister filter through a computer-radiator with a variable speed fan blowing over it be worthwile? Or would it be a waste of effort for .ooo4 degree drop? Would the flow restriction be too much? Thanks for the help!!!! Great website and friendly forum!


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## yoink (Aug 31, 2005)

I asked about this awhile back. I'm not using a chiller or anything, I just wondered why it hadn't been done. I was told that most people wouldn't want to risk it because the radiator is made of metal. I have an eheim 1250 and a black ice extreme radiator in my computer that keeps the juiced up CPU cool, I don't see why it wouldn't work for an aquarium.


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## turbomkt (Mar 31, 2004)

I'd just make sure that it doesn't have any copper in it.

BTW...I've been thinking the same process the last few days


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

Here is a very small and cheap refrigerator that could be adapted to be an aquarium water cooler, just by putting a coil of tubing in it and running the tank water through it with a pump. No thermostat though. http://cgi.ebay.com/Ezetil-12VDC-Mi...ryZ20690QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


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## titan97 (Feb 14, 2005)

The problem with using a radiator/pump setup is that the difference between your tank temp and ambient is not all that much. If you are trying to chill a 85F tank down to 75F in a room that is already 70F-80F will not net you any noticable temperature change, unless you have a VERY large radiator and a large fan to go with it. The closer the amibient temperature is to the desired tank temp, the worse your efficiency is. In a computer, particularly an overclocked one, the CPU temps regularly get above 120F. This is a big enough temperature delta for ambient-air-style water cooling to work. Also, you'd have to move enough water from the tank, through the radiator, and back to the tank for this to work. This might end up being too much water movement.
A better solution would be to use a refrigerated chiller, or a phase change-type chiller. 

-Dustin


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## BryceM (Nov 6, 2005)

Yep, what Titan said.

The laws of thermodynamics just don't make it that usefull, unless you have a very small tank or a very large radiator.

An evaporative cooler would work ok in dry climates. But then, it's basically just a fancy fan that blows over the aquarium.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

The unit I suggested is, I am pretty sure, a refrigerator and not just an ambient air source cooler. If I wanted a cooler for my tank I would sure try it.


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## turbomkt (Mar 31, 2004)

That's another peltier setup, IIRC.

And...I've already bought a very inexpensive fridge from beverage factory's outlet through E-bay. I've also got a couple of decent pumps that should work. But I'm still trying to find a cleaner option.


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## breckel (May 30, 2006)

Thanks all for the replies. Makes sense now.... My logic is occasionally faulty.

Thanks!!!


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## smr (Mar 17, 2006)

Breckel, I don't know where you live and what the tempreture is like, but I am sure that your house is airconditioned. 

I started with plants about five years ago and was always looking around for ways to cool my aquarium water down because I live in Karachi where the tempreture is over 32 degrees celsius (90 degrees Fahrenhiet) around nine months of the year. I do not have airconditioning at all in the areas where my aquariums are housed. My experience with plants has been that they will survive this heat because like all living things they adapt. My plants which include, amazon swords, java ferns, differend varieties of crypts, riccia, java moss, hair grass and different varieties of hygrophilia are all doing fine.

Also most of the plants in Karachi are imported from Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore, all hot and humid climates. 

I am now quite skeptical about the concept of the chiller. I think since most houses in the US (if you live there) are airconditioned and the room tempreture is constantly in the 70's degree Fahrenhiets range, that would also be the range of the water (probably even 2 - 3 degrees less due to evaporation). If you live anywhere in Europe the tempretures are nowhere near the tempretures in South East Asia, so I would not worry about chillers.

Regards and good luck.


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## turbomkt (Mar 31, 2004)

smr said:


> I am now quite skeptical about the concept of the chiller. I think since most houses in the US (if you live there) are airconditioned and the room tempreture is constantly in the 70's degree Fahrenhiets range, that would also be the range of the water (probably even 2 - 3 degrees less due to evaporation). If you live anywhere in Europe the tempretures are nowhere near the tempretures in South East Asia, so I would not worry about chillers.


smr,
Sometimes it's not the plants that the chillers are for, but rather the inhabitants like shrimp. Some like Crystal Red Shrimp really don't do well in warmer temperatures. Also, your tank won't generally be cooler than the room because there is added heat from filter and lights.

The only way for evaporation to really keep the temp lower is when a fan is added to accelerate evaporation. This is what a lot of folks in Singapore will do. The advantage of the chiller is cooling the tank without having to top off water.


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## kenneth_kpe (Oct 1, 2005)

I also come from a very hot country (philippines) and my stem plants cannot and will not take the heat  during the summer they start to melt away when I dont do anything to help lower the tank temp.

Here is what i have been doing for the past 6 months


















This is a custom made evaporator, it is made of aluminum, initially i placed the evaporator inside a styro box full of ice, but recently i am just using a small desk fan pointed at the evaporator, helps keep my water temp down to 27-28.5.. it might not be that cold but compared to 33-34 it is !!


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## ppyeoh (May 15, 2006)

I read about a small DIY chiller. I think it is good for small tank/nano tank only. One thing to remind is the power consumptions may be quite high.

http://www.shrimpnow.com/modules.php?name=Content&file=viewarticle&id=40

Regards
PPYeoh


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## smr (Mar 17, 2006)

Turbomkt, you are right about the heat from the lights and the filter. My solution to the filter was getting rid of the internal filters (they produce heat and are unsightly and detract from the beauty of the aquarium) and just having small HOB filters since I am changing the water at least once a week. As for the light I am seriously thinking of shifting to the coverless aquarium (I have started a thread on that in these forums, but I am still scared of losing fish due to jumping). I can understand the reason for having the chiller for shrimps and some fish. But again, if my information is correct most shrimps are from Asia and the tempretures in Asia are quite high. But I think I can understand the concern of the aquarists in the US, Canada and Europe, because their flora and fauna would have adapted to the lower tempretures and would maybe find it difficult to adapt to heat waves. However I have fish and plants that have been with me for more than three years and they are still happy (at least I hope they are happy) and well (I can vouch for their well being)in my hot aquariums.

Regards and good luck


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## smr (Mar 17, 2006)

Kenneth Kpe, nice idea. 

So I am guessing that the evaporator has a pump connected to one side (either the intake side or the out-take side) with the water from the aquarium going through the evaporator and going back to the aquarium after cooling down. I have one concern, do the aluminium salts that are formed due to the constant contact with water harm any flora or fauna?

Thanks and regards


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## turbomkt (Mar 31, 2004)

smr,
Even the HOB filters will add heat to the tank, but definitely a lot less.

Also, while the areas the shrimp our found in may be tropical, through water movement and evaporation (plus the question of the temperature of the water source) could answer why the shrimp most aquarists keep prefer lower temperatures. On the flip side, it's possible that while they prefer lower temperatures for reproduction they live in higher temperatures in the wild which limits population. Probably a discussion better held in a different thread, I think.


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## Glouglou (Feb 21, 2006)

*Just some infos on The peltiers Modules.*

Performance: 0,4 to 226W
Temperature range: -13°C to+230°C
Lifecycle: 200.000 hours
Max. temperature difference: 76°C for one-stage
modules and 140°C for four-stage modules
RoHS compliance

Some can go to 380 watt


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