ok, sorry but you guys are confusing me! (lighting)
- Thread starter cindyski
- Start date
reefnut
Active Member
I understand what you are saying and I've said twice already in this thread that a chiller may be needed but I'm not the only one that does it with out one. There have been several threads in the reef section on this very issue. Some have them... some do not. And it doesn't matter where your located. The temp of your house is what's important.
lobstergrabber
Member
Ok my turn. If you keep your house extremely cold to counteract temp discharge from lights and pumps then your power bill will go up more than what the chiller would cost(including running it). Now someone who lives Wyoming maybe can get away with using the AC but down here in Sunny Florida(and she lives a bit south of me) Using your ac to control tank temp all year is going to be pricey. I see some people say they keep their houses at 70 to keep tank temp down. I run my ac at 78 and it runs too much. If I turned it down to 70 it would never shut off.
One other bonus of a chiller is if your power goes out you can power a chiller with a generator. Any reasonably sized AC you are not going to do this. Being in Fl we have lots of power glitches and even worse Hurricanes which like to knock power out for a week at a time. Now if I had all that money invested in a reef that size I would think a chiller(which as I explained should save you money in long run over lower ac temp) and a generator would be cheap insurance against the inevitable.
Ok enough ranting. These are just my opinions.
Rich
One other bonus of a chiller is if your power goes out you can power a chiller with a generator. Any reasonably sized AC you are not going to do this. Being in Fl we have lots of power glitches and even worse Hurricanes which like to knock power out for a week at a time. Now if I had all that money invested in a reef that size I would think a chiller(which as I explained should save you money in long run over lower ac temp) and a generator would be cheap insurance against the inevitable.
Ok enough ranting. These are just my opinions.
Rich
reefnut
Active Member
So do you use one? Yes it is cooler in Wyoming. In fact I don't have a AC...lol. But most people want a cool house for them not for there fish tank. Does everyone in FL keep there AC on 78deg... I doubt it. My house stays around 75deg in the summer which if we took a poll I would bet most houses stay around that. You do have a point on the power outage but after spending 500 on a chiller you will need to go spend another 500 on a generator.
lobstergrabber
Member
1000$ is Cheap insurance on a reef tank of over 100 gallons. You think how much money you have in sand rock and fish( don't even add corals) and tell me that a generator and chiller really seems like that much. And to your question, no I do not have a chiller. I also do not have 3 metal hallides and I have fans all over and evaporate a gallon a day. I am thinking of building and sps tank and when I do it will have a chiller and it will only have one hallide. And by the way yesterday my ac went out. No the power, only ac and the tank went up to 88 degrees. I have one rock that was completely covered in corraline that is now white and an open brain that is not opening up all the way.
And I do believe alot of people keep their houses around 78 down here. 78 is cold when you come in out of 100 degree heat with 80+% humidity.
Rich
And I do believe alot of people keep their houses around 78 down here. 78 is cold when you come in out of 100 degree heat with 80+% humidity.
Rich
reefnut
Active Member
I really don't know what you want to argue about. I have not said that a chiller is a bad investment... I have not said that a chiller is not good insurance. All I have said is I don't need one and there are others that do not as well. And my evidence is in my family room 
. Also I would recommend that anyone with a reef tank should have a generator.
So allow me to quote myself...
I have two 4" fans in the canopy and a desk top fan sitting on the tank for extra circulation and it does fine. I do have a 30g sump and a 40g fuge which I'm sure helps with cooling but several people run MH w/o needing a chiller
No one can 100% tell you that you will or will not need a chiller.
I agree sometimes a chiller is needed but there are also ways to avoid it.
So, what exactly are you trying to argue about?
BTW, a temp of 78 will not kill your coraline.
. Also I would recommend that anyone with a reef tank should have a generator.So allow me to quote myself...
I have two 4" fans in the canopy and a desk top fan sitting on the tank for extra circulation and it does fine. I do have a 30g sump and a 40g fuge which I'm sure helps with cooling but several people run MH w/o needing a chiller
No one can 100% tell you that you will or will not need a chiller.
I agree sometimes a chiller is needed but there are also ways to avoid it.
So, what exactly are you trying to argue about?
BTW, a temp of 78 will not kill your coraline.
lobstergrabber
Member
I will edit previous post. I meant tank shot up to 88 not 78. 78 is where it normally stays.
I am not trying to argue with you. I also believe alot of poeple can and do get away without chillers but realistically for Cindy's setup and where she lives I believe a chiller would be a sound investment. JMO not trying to pick a fight.
Rich
I am not trying to argue with you. I also believe alot of poeple can and do get away without chillers but realistically for Cindy's setup and where she lives I believe a chiller would be a sound investment. JMO not trying to pick a fight.
Rich
cindyski
Active Member
all i REALLY need to know is what lights to get for my 125 i want some clams and hard corals (not many... hahaha) i live near daytona beach. do i need to purchase a chiller or can i wait on it till my tank is cycled and see how the temp goes during that time. this is going to take a couple months so i would have time to see right???
dont fight guys!! your very helpful
dont fight guys!! your very helpful
lobstergrabber
Member
Cindy I would not run out and get it. The only nice thing about getting it right now is you can plumb it into the tank when plumbing everything else. I think if you want the hard corals and clams(any of them) then the 3 250 watt halides are your best bet. Unfortunately everything is a trade off. All lights generate heat though.
Rich
Rich
cindyski
Active Member
lobster
stupid question, but we got pretty cold up her this last winter, did you need to use you heater at all?
also, i know what ya mean about not getting it yet and plumbing and that would be better to do it now, but i thought i read a post that said they kept their chiller in another room???? is this true?
stupid question, but we got pretty cold up her this last winter, did you need to use you heater at all?
also, i know what ya mean about not getting it yet and plumbing and that would be better to do it now, but i thought i read a post that said they kept their chiller in another room???? is this true?
lobstergrabber
Member
Cindy I set my tank up in april. As far as heaters go I have yet to use it but this winter it will be going into my sump. It gets quite a bit colder here than where you live though I think.
Alot of people do keep there chillers in other rooms or even outdoors. Just design it into your plumbing design so if you decide to get one you can hook it up in ten minutes.
Rich
Alot of people do keep there chillers in other rooms or even outdoors. Just design it into your plumbing design so if you decide to get one you can hook it up in ten minutes.
Rich
cindyski
Active Member
where in fla are you lobster?
as far a a chiller, in my house it sounds like it would be architectually impossible to put in another room the with the open floor plan and the tank i the middle of the room. and there are NO basements in florida, thats what i miss most about living up north lol storage space.
i guess i am going to have to research chillers, i dont understand the concept of of how they are hooked up. i thought they were a cooling device you put in the sump or something . i didnt know we were talking about a major contraption here. i guess i will have to search around to see a pick of the set up
as far a a chiller, in my house it sounds like it would be architectually impossible to put in another room the with the open floor plan and the tank i the middle of the room. and there are NO basements in florida, thats what i miss most about living up north lol storage space.
i guess i am going to have to research chillers, i dont understand the concept of of how they are hooked up. i thought they were a cooling device you put in the sump or something
. i didnt know we were talking about a major contraption here. i guess i will have to search around to see a pick of the set up
reefnut
Active Member
Well I do not have any experience with chillers... all I know is what I have read on this board. The first one would sit beside your sump and the probe would go in the sump.
The second one could sit under the stand next to the sump and could be feed by your existing pump... it says "Ultra-quiet operation makes it user friendly and reliable." but I don't know. As Kip mentioned if it was to be setup remotely away from your tank an additional pump would be needed.
I stand behind everything I've said in this tread. A chiller IMO can be avoided but I don't disagree that they could also be a good investment.
That is one thing about this hobby, there is more than one way to do just about everything. In your situation you need to get all the info you can (which you are doing ) and from there make educated decisions on what will work best for you.
The second one could sit under the stand next to the sump and could be feed by your existing pump... it says "Ultra-quiet operation makes it user friendly and reliable." but I don't know. As Kip mentioned if it was to be setup remotely away from your tank an additional pump would be needed.
I stand behind everything I've said in this tread. A chiller IMO can be avoided but I don't disagree that they could also be a good investment.
That is one thing about this hobby, there is more than one way to do just about everything. In your situation you need to get all the info you can (which you are doing
) and from there make educated decisions on what will work best for you.
cindyski
Active Member
i just got done speaking with someone here in florida who raises corals of all kinds. he has a 180 (one of his tanks) and only uses VHO lighting, he has been doing this for over 10 years. he recommended with my 125-- 6 160w VHO (3 actinic) said i should put both fans on one end of the tank and vent the other end. even with VHO there is still no 100% guarantee that i will not need a chiller. he does guarantee that i will be able to grow any coral i want under this lighting as he does successfully.
just another opinion. i will suprise all of you with my final decisions after taking in so much info!!
right now i think i need a break to take it all in.
by the way, thanks reefnut for lookng up the chillers
and i respect all the opinions you and this group of people following this thread have given me.
just another opinion. i will suprise all of you with my final decisions after taking in so much info!!
right now i think i need a break to take it all in.
by the way, thanks reefnut for lookng up the chillers
and i respect all the opinions you and this group of people following this thread have given me.
cindyski
Active Member
in fact i asked him what he had and all that you have listed he has. and he just added 3 clams this week to the 4 he has had for several months (maxima's)
lots of opinions, i am just taking it all in, kind glad it will be a few weeks before the tank even gets here so i can make a decision.
btw, that guy is not the only one that has success (that i have talked to) without mh's
maybe some things just work for some and not for others, i dont know, if i ever figure it out i'll let ya know, and if i do end up with the VHO's and the sps & clams dont work, then i will have to do the softies till i can afford to upgrade.
still deciding i will keep ya posted
lots of opinions, i am just taking it all in, kind glad it will be a few weeks before the tank even gets here so i can make a decision.
btw, that guy is not the only one that has success (that i have talked to) without mh's
maybe some things just work for some and not for others, i dont know, if i ever figure it out i'll let ya know
, and if i do end up with the VHO's and the sps & clams dont work, then i will have to do the softies till i can afford to upgrade. still deciding i will keep ya posted