Evan Posted May 24 Share Posted May 24 (edited) I’m considering getting a chiller to keep my 55 gallon planted tank cool over the summer. Can anyone give a recommendation? I would also appreciate any thoughts about aquarium fans. TIA Edited May 24 by Evan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sacah Posted May 24 Share Posted May 24 How hot does your water get, and what temperature are you targetting? Or what fish do you have and people can advise on what temps to aim for. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galabar Posted May 24 Share Posted May 24 (edited) Also, the type of tank (glass vs acrylic) and whether you use a lid would be useful information. The cheapest, good quality chiller, are pretty expensive... One of the cheapest, reasonable options might be: https://aquacave.com/jbj-arctica-1-10-hp-titanium-aquarium-chiller-dba-75.html Edited May 24 by Galabar 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepere Posted May 24 Share Posted May 24 I find air conditioning the room to 73 degrees a wonderful solution to me. It gives me comfort as well as reducing tank temps. Having 1 room in living space at 73 is sufficient for me, just as having one room heated to 73 in the winter is wonderful.. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evan Posted May 25 Author Share Posted May 25 (edited) @Sacah The temp has been 80F - 82F the last couple days and I would like to bring that down to my usual 75F - 78F. I have a South American community tank with Tetras, Cories, BN Plecos, Apistos and Angelfish. Edited May 25 by Evan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evan Posted May 25 Author Share Posted May 25 Glass tank with lids Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepere Posted May 25 Share Posted May 25 (edited) On 5/24/2024 at 12:47 AM, Galabar said: One of the cheapest, reasonable options might be: https://aquacave.com/jbj-arctica-1-10-hp-titanium-aquarium-chiller-dba-75.html So, $600.00 for an aquarium chiller that only cools the tank…. Vs $160.00 for a window 6,000 btu AC to cool a room assuming you could close doors to room to isolate it from rest of the living space… My son used to work in maintenance at L.L. Bean where they have an indoor trout pond and indoor native fish aquarium where they used chillers to bring water temp down to mid 50s for these fish…. Makes sense as cooling room to that level doesnt… For Tropical fish with temps to the low to mid 70s, cooling the room makes so much more sense to my mind…. I love the dual benefit of cooler tanks and a room of refuge to “chill” in…. Edited May 25 by Pepere 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galabar Posted May 25 Share Posted May 25 For us, we have a heat pump and keep the house at a minimum of 68 in the winter and a maximum of 80 in the summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tlindsey Posted May 25 Share Posted May 25 (edited) On 5/25/2024 at 10:08 AM, Evan said: @Sacah The temp has been 80F - 82F the last couple days and I would like to bring that down to my usual 75F - 78F. I have a South American community tank with Tetras, Cories, BN Plecos, Apistos and Angelfish. I personally wouldn't worry about a chiller for those fish. A chiller may be expensive to run. @Evan Edited May 25 by Tlindsey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mynameisnobody Posted May 25 Share Posted May 25 Unless it’s goldfish, koi, or saltwater, I’d never invest in a chiller. Doesn’t seem beneficial especially for the species listed above. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepere Posted May 26 Share Posted May 26 On 5/25/2024 at 7:50 PM, mynameisnobody said: Unless it’s goldfish, koi, or saltwater, I’d never invest in a chiller. Doesn’t seem beneficial especially for the species listed above Yes, but algae tends to grow more when the water gets warmer… and I feel much better with my bedroom 73 and 50 % humidity in summer and winter…. 12x13 room R 30 walls single window. Electricity cost is not terribly high as heat loss/gain in small well insulated room is quite reasonable…. And living in Maine the number of Cooling Degree days is not high… 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mynameisnobody Posted May 26 Share Posted May 26 @Pepere On second thought, cold states like Maine may make sense, but is it worth it for the limited amount of heat you guys get? Also the species will still be fine without it though. You almost can’t lose no matter what you choose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepere Posted May 26 Share Posted May 26 On 5/25/2024 at 8:24 PM, mynameisnobody said: On second thought, cold states like Maine may make sense, but is it worth it for the limited amount of heat you guys get? Wednesday when it hit 94, it was worth sticking the AC in the window. I ran it 3 days this past week. $160.00 for a 6,000 btu window unit is very worthwhile in my book. the extended forecast shows only 1 day of 80 degree weather for June currently, but that can change quickly… Last summer it was running for weeks at a time… $20-30.00 a month for electricity to keep comfy is well worth it in my book. Most people fritter that away weekly on take out coffee… It is sort of like a snowblower. The joke is, “ I bought a new snowblower this fall and it never snowed more than a few inches! Best investment I ever made! If I could guarantee that every year I would buy a new one every year!… 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony s Posted May 26 Share Posted May 26 On 5/25/2024 at 7:50 PM, mynameisnobody said: Unless it’s goldfish, koi, or saltwater, I’d never invest in a chiller. I’d add one. Axolotl. My daughter wants one desperately. She’s 9. I did the typical parent thing. I told her she can have one when she’s 13. I certainly hope she changes her mind before then. 🤣 On 5/25/2024 at 8:41 PM, Pepere said: Wednesday when it hit 94, it was worth sticking the AC in the window I second that. Any day above 90 is definitely worth it. Especially when night temperatures don’t get below 75 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mynameisnobody Posted May 26 Share Posted May 26 @Tony s i forgot axolotl, I’m in the same boat with a 3 year old. At that point, if I do take this plunge, it’ll be an expensive one cuz I’m in Florida and it’s freakin hot down here. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmark285 Posted May 26 Share Posted May 26 In the US northeast, we typically get high humidity on hot summer days. A window AC is well worth the investment. A minor issue with chillers, is the heat from the tank vented outside? If not, you are cooling your tank and heating the room. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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