I have a 1/10hp chiller just sitting around, along with an aquapod 24. Do you guys think I can convert it into a coldwater system (60 ~ 70F) ?

The reason I ask is because I read somewhere that a coldwater tank needs thick glass, but wasn't sure if Aquapod could handle it. Any help would be appreciated.

I think it would be fine as far as condensation on all but the hottest days. I live in the desert, but I can keep an AGA 10g at sixty degrees with no condensation until the humidity gets above 70%.

As for the chiller, I'm not sure a 1/10hp would be adequate to chill 24g down to about 60 degrees unless the tank were extremely well insulated, but that sets up another dilemma because of the shape of the tank.

1/10 hp capacity seems to be about ~70gallons, wouldn't it be relatively easy to keep a 24g at 60f?

No. Like I said.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...fm?pcatid=13113

it says temperature range 60 ~ 80f. care to elaborate?

1/10 1,485 1/2" & 5/8" 300/720 70 gallons 60-80°F

it may simply not have the power to do it. It's exponentially more work to cool a tank 15* below ambient than the normal couple of degrees down (yet still above ambient temps) that the chiller is actually rated for.

The temp range likely only refers to the range that the temp controller can register.

I had my 1/10hp on a 10g tank and it cycled every 15 minutes - I'd say that was the most I would ask that chiller to perform for me. Smaller chillers just aren't made for a large temperature pulldown the way larger (read: commercial) chillers are.

Since most people are only looking for a few degrees of pull-down, the size they list is the size recommended for a tropical tank.

Thank you for the help guys, I understand now.

Besides the high electrical cost, is frequent cycling physically bad for the chiller?

More work means more chance for the chiller to break and leave you without cold water. Also, more cycling means more heat pumped into the room and more noise (which can be significant with some chillers).

What temp were you keeping your 10g at w/ your 1/10hp chiller?

60 degrees (20 degree pulldown).

Which model?

I have a 1/10 hp Pacific Coast imports chiller fo my 15 gal, and it can keep it down to 55, but it cycles at least every ten minutes at that temp. I keep my tank at sixty, and it cycles around every 20 minutes.

CurrentUSA from three years ago (they've changed since then).

I likes my 1/5 hp chiller

cycles every 45 minutes on my 10g

Sounds like you should have a 40g.

just wait til i move

So what's the "accepted" interval between a cycle period?

This is the guide for a 1/10hp chiller:

Degree Pull-Down 10°F 20°F 30°F 40°F
Aquarium Size 80gal 60gal 30gal 15gal

from here http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~idP...ct~CU02635.html

Hey guys, can you still use the chiller, but add a fan to the tank for more cooling? The salt doesn't evaporate, so just get an ATO for the tank. Wouldn't that subtract a few degrees too? And a small 6" fan would be good too, both on temp control and energy bill too.

Just a suggestion...

I hate to say it, but Jeremai is 100% correct Kigs. That size chiller would be maxed out on a 24!!!!! I know it's tempting to try and use it, but once you throw in some lighting and a power head or two....you're going to raise the tank a few degrees and make it work even harder.
I am running a JBJ titanium 1/10 http://www.jbjlighting.com/prod_chiller.html
My tank maintains a comfortable 58degrees +/- 1
It comes on approximately twice an hour for about 10-15min. This depends on the time of day and time of year. I live in sunny So Cal and the temps are usually above 60-70 and get up around 90 in the summer. So my tank works harder then those in a cooler enviornment.
My suggestion is........ sell the mini chiller you have and put the money towards a more efficient unit. Do it right. The worst thing you can ever have happen in a coldwater tank, is to have your chiller fail!!!!. I hope all of you have lot's of frozen water bottles in your freezer for that dreadful day.

ooooh, we have 8 frozen 3 liter bottles of salt water. had to get them REALLY COLD to freeze the salt too! that way we can have cooler temps, longer when it gets too hot.

How much would it help to super insulate your tank on the sides, back and bottom? Would it help or would you be sealing the heat from the light in? Sounds like a really interesting and challenging design problem to solve.

Thank you for the help guys - I'm going to try it out on Thursday and see the results for myself. My house temp. stays around 71F.

I was wondering - how do you cycle a coldwater tank? same as regular reef? add LR / LS?

My first coldwater tank was insulated and it made a huge difference over an uninsulated tank, ime. Adin and dshnarw have insulated tanks as well. Insulating an AP24 could prove interesting (ie, ugly) given the shape of the tank.

if you build it, they will come

thinking of going coldwater too, cause i have a spare current 1/10th lying around. if i got a 1/2" acrylic tank, think i can handle 20g here in so cal?

I had a 1/10th on an uninsulated glass 10g, kept it at 65 no problem. I think you would be fine with that tank, especially with the acrylic.

how insulated does it have to be? i kind of want a rimless, so that means open top, but would that defeat the purpose of having an insulated tank?

I think the 1/2" acrylic would be enough. The chiller would probably run 50/50 in the summer, though. you'll lose heat through the top of course, but I don't think it will be too big a problem. you'd be safer insulating the sides - or decreasing the volume, to 15 gallons or so. Is the tank going to be custom? If you like the look of tall tanks, go that route. Colder water holds more oxygen so you don't have to worry about that, but less surface area means less heat loss.

still thinking about it; gotta contact local acrylic guy. i'm liking wide, shallow tanks. sort of like zero edges but not overflowing. and i really like waratah anemones, but i heard the water doesn't have to be that cold to keep them.

A shallow 20g tank is going to be iffy, imo. I would hate for you to get one built and then find your poor chiller running nonstop to keep it cool. Waratahs should still be kept around 65 degrees.

24"x12"x12" with 1/2"-3/4" acrylic sound good?

I would go 3/4" just to be safe, but that should be a killer tank for sure.

so that's 15g... do i need a sump and skimmer? i have an extreme skimmer too rated up to 160g but it'd probably be over kill huh

lol probably. I guess it depends on your work ethic - you will be feeding a LOT, so either lots of big water changes, or a good skimmer and fewer water changes.

At the very least pop on a hang-on filter for some mechanical and chemical filtration.