Anybody use this *** probe

[tcoco]

I was just woundering if anyone has heard anything about this product. Just woundering if it is worth the money If I was to get it it would be for a 55 reef. Thanks for any info. This is what they say about it:
The IceProbe is the ideal cooling solution for small aquariums. This quiet, reliable, and efficient chiller uses advanced thermoelectric technology to directly covert electricity into cooling power.
http://www.***********.com/IMD/ch_iceprobe_1.jpg

 

[simm]

Iv seen them but havent read up on it any. IMO reef tanks thrive off of warm temps. This lowers it depleating the purpose of a reef. The only thing I can think of its use is there are some aquariums that require extremly cold temps to live. Like what you would find on an ocean flood kind of stock. Iv only seen one tank that had a chiller on it and it had stock id never seen before.

 

[gregzbobo]

I've built a couple computers and this thing actually looks like a large heatsink/fan unit for the CPU in the computer with a probe stuck on the bottom where the CPU would normally be. This probably won't be any good for an tank bigger than maybe 30 gallons, and even then it may only bring the temperature down to within a few degrees of surrounding air temps. Would work decently for a very small aquarium or isolation tank I would think, in the 10 gallon range give or take a few gallons.

 

[surfnturf]

Actually there is a peltier device sandwiched between the probe and the heatsink (overclockers have been playing with these for a while now). A peltier is simply a reverse on the idea of a thermocouple, electricity is used to move thermal energy from one side of the peltier to the other. In other words, one side gets hot, the other cold. This particular model is not very high performance and won't do much to cool your tank, there are larger inline thermoelectric units that would be adequate for your tank and come with a digital controller, for about half what a freon unit costs. HTH

 

[gregzbobo]

Yes, that would definitely make it work more efficiently. Just missed the wires. I still would not use this for a sizable tank though. Peltiers work well, but only as well as the heatsink/fan you put on top of them. I can't tell how big this unit is, but I would guess not much more than 4 inches square.

 

[tcoco]

thanks for all your opinions After reading your guys post I agree that it probibly wouldn't work for anything larger that 20-30gal.

 

[frankl15207]

I had two on a 55 and it did bring the temperature down 3 - 4 degrees. Whether or not you would have the same effect would depend on lighting, etc. If you are going to use them and use two, one of them should have the proportional temperature controller attached.
Just a note that once I changed to a 75, they were useless.

 

[tcoco]

thanks frank I have 4 65w power compacts and my temp is around right now 83 but if i put a 4" desk fan by my sump it drops to around 77 78 but my evaporation is nuts I'll keep thinking of other cooling methods. thanks