RE: From Cannister Filter to Chiller and UV's

["Charles Kuehnl" <ckuehnl at cox_net>]

Tom Barr and Scott Heiber wrote:

> Date: Wed, 02 Jul 2003 09:41:33 -0400
> From: Thomas Barr <tcbiii at earthlink_net>
> Subject: Re: cansiter filter
 

> I don't like adding too much gadgets though.
> 
> Intake=>CO2=>Filter=>UV=>Chiller=>Spraybar

Are all UV's the same or are some better than others?  Do you run it all
the time?  


> This would not be bad for the techy person.

I'm guilty of that.


> I also would like to say if I get MH lights again, it'll be with
electronic
> ballast, it'll be those small HQI double ended lamps with small
> fixtures(6"x3"x4").

Where does one find these?


> > I was eyeballing those solid state chillers that have
> > those barbed ends that I could hook up in line with the
> > filter.
> 
> The Azoo looks like a good application of the technology
> (from Foster and Smith, for example -- the small one runs
> 240 watts and there's a double version. . . "
> 
> Running the same watts as the single Azoo electronic is a
> conventional chiller by Via Aqua that seems to work very
> well.  They are undoubtedly louder than an electronic
> chiller, from which you only get fan noise, but the BTUs
> are higher, watt for watt, if that is a concern.  But then,
> it doesn't do double duty as a heater the way the Azoo
> does.

Mine does the double duty thing but you have to switch it over manually.
Push one button to put it in heating mode.  Another button puts it into
chilling mode.  Nothing automatic there.  Is the Azoo different?


> > Looking back at many of of my tanks, many seem to do
> > well at lower temps(70-78F).
> > I have a lot of light plus live where it's hot so the
> > tanks get pretty warm.
> 
> I'm glad I finally got a chiller.  It felt a little bit
> like admitting failure -- it just seemed there had to be
> better way, but I tried many of them and ended up going for
> a small chiller.  Now I don't worry about the temps.

I wish I had purchased one of those electronic chillers long before I
finally did.  A lot of light and a few pumps really add up.  About 2
months ago I went to one pump and ran everything off it like Tom
suggested above.  Mostly I was just trying to get everything out of the
tank and out of sight.  At the same time I got an AquaMedic chiller.
When I got it I discovered it's a German product made in China.  I
haven't looked into the other brands but it's not quite as small as the
Fritz Teclima model though the power supply is internal.  The fan is not
too loud but it is not all that quiet either.  When I have some time I
plan to look into replacing the fan with a really silent one, something
like the IceCap fans.  The only other thing I am not real thrilled about
are the fittings.  They are a hard plastic and did not seal as well as
the Eheim stuff on the filter.  I had a little leak that was difficult
to stop at first (it dripped but not enough that evaporation wouldn't
take care of it) but after some effort it is now water tight and I have
had no other problems.  It works like a charm.

Regarding the noise level, it really is not that loud but I guess I have
just been spoiled by my Eheim 2026 filter.  It's so quiet I occasionally
look at it to be sure it is still running.  Even with my ear down by it
I cannot hear it.  No kidding, I have to check the flow indicator to be
sure it hasn't stopped.  You'd think after a while I would learn but not
yet.


> Add substrate cables and it's the whole nine yards -- of
> course, then you'd need an even bigger chiller ;-)

Actually my chiller more than handles the load but you are right, you
should check for the tank capacity and desired temperature drop when
sizing one for a tank.  The two I looked at (AquaMedic and Teclima) were
more than capable of handling my tank as I only needed about a 2-3 ºC
drop.  Just be aware of dueling temperature controllers.  The heater is
set for 24.8 ºC and the chiller at 25 ºC.  This keeps the tank between
24.3 and 25.1 ºC - the heater's hysteresis is .1 ºC but the chiller is
closer to 1 ºC.

Charles