DIY deltec eco cooling unit

[Whalehead9]

anyone tried to make one of these before? Any links to some or anything similar?

[DMBillies]

Lots of computer overclockers use something like what's at the link below (known as a bong chiller). It operates on similar principal to the Deltec, but relies on height to provide the surface area for cooling rather than a "filter" to spread the water out. A main concern for me with the Deltec is that "filter" seems likely to clog and become a nitrate trap over time.

http://www.overclock.net/water-cooling/282164-bong-chiller-project-56k-warning-update.html

My main concern with all of these evaporation designs is that they use filtered tank water as the means for cooling. So, it may be ecologically friendly in terms of electric use, but you'll be wasting significantly more water during a year (if you add 5 gallons extra per week for evaporative cooling, that's roughly 25 gallons of used water with RO rejection rates. Over a year, that's 1300 gallons of water run through your filter that is just wasted. Probably still better than the wasted electricity, but the point remains.

Honestly, all of these evaporation methods would require quite a build and probably not get you all that much additional cooling when compared with blowing a fan across your sump/tank (already a large surface area), actively venting your light system, and choosing the most efficient pumps/powerheads for your tank. For example, replacing a MJ1200 with a Koralia 4 dropped my tank temp by at least 2 degrees and pushed more water. Also, as a general rule big pumps tend to be more efficient than little ones, so where possible, use 1 big pump with split outputs instead of 2 little ones (for feeding things like media reactors, recirc skimmers, multiple returns, etc.).

If you build something, I'd love to see it!

[Duane867]

1 - 1.5 degree temperature drop for 450 pound sterling ?
What a crock of ISH !
http://www.paraquatics.co.uk/en-gb/dept_76.html

( unless I am reading this incorrectly that is? )

Seriously man you can achieve that easily with a couple fans through Evap blowing across the waters surface. BUT remember it will never be cooler than ambient temperature outside the tank.
If its 78 degrees out side the tank then thats the best you'll get through Evap with fans or with this Deltec monstrosity.