Chiller Failed - Total Wipeout - Need Recommendation For New Unit

[Meaty24]

I have (had) a beautiful 175 gallon reef tank with tons of coral and fish. I got home from my business trip, and the temp was 102. A total loss. Needless to say, I am absolutely devistated. Two questions:

(1) I need a new chiller. And recommendations for brand or size? I was thinking a JBJ Arctica Titanium Chiller DBM-250 1/3HP. Is that big enough? I have crazy lights (heat!) and a few pumps. Is that the best brand?

(2) Is my live rock still alive? I don't want to throw out 175 pounds of live rock if I don't have to. Also, will I lose my cycle if I want to drain all the water and put in all new water?

[footballdude2k3]

you dont have to throw out the rock, you will prolly want to drain the water and add new but i think your tank will do a new cycle no matter what, might need to add a little bit of fresh live rock but i am not sure.

[Meaty24]

I am so bummed. Anyone suggest a chiller?

[sslak]

1. Get a controller. One that will shut down lights and extra power heads to reduce heat being added to the system. It will also shut down your chiller if it malfunctions and starts to run the tank too cold.

2. You shouldn't have to throw out your rocks, but I would drain the water, fill everything back up and let it run without adding livestock for a few weeks just to keep an eye on things. Treat it like a new setup IMO.

I have no experience with chillers.

Very sorry you had to go through this....I would be crushed.

[cr500_af]

+1 on the controller... a $99 RKL will do the job nicely, though a more powerful one is nice. Using an RKL, my temp swings are .2 degrees. I run the heaters, chiller, fans, and lights with it. If the chiller failed and the fans weren't keeping up, lights would go off at 82.5.

[footballdude2k3]

ahh yes, i completely agree about getting a controller, acts a backup and well worth the investment of such a large system.

[RVANANO]

+1000 on a controller. I have read a lot of threads lately where users chillers will reset to like 60 after a power outage :(

[Meaty24]

can anyone provide me a link to the RKL? I just looked into an Apex and they are between $350-$500. It will send you an email if the temp gets out of whack.

[rbnice1]

meaty the apex doesnt just send a email if the temp gets out of wack.

The apex has a email function that is programable. it could be programed to send a email based on: temp, pH, orp, salinity, power outage, level switches, water leak switches, ect.

Also since its web based, if you travel like I used to. You can connect and manually control any of your aquarium functions via any internet connection. blackberry, i-phone, anyother phone with internet. Laptop of any other computer with access to the internet.

[cr500_af]

can anyone provide me a link to the RKL? I just looked into an Apex and they are between $350-$500. It will send you an email if the temp gets out of whack.

http://www.digitalaquatics.com/saltwater/RKL

[RVANANO]

meaty the apex doesnt just send a email if the temp gets out of wack.

The apex has a email function that is programable. it could be programed to send a email based on: temp, pH, orp, salinity, power outage, level switches, water leak switches, ect.

Also since its web based, if you travel like I used to. You can connect and manually control any of your aquarium functions via any internet connection. blackberry, i-phone, anyother phone with internet. Laptop of any other computer with access to the internet.

This is exactly why I bought the Apex :)

[vitalik4eva]

Live rock will be fine- it goes through a lot more temp swings while being shipped, trust me. It will have to cycle and get reseeded (by buying some live rock that has been in tank for a while)


Here are 3 things that are a must in this hobby regardless of tank size:

1. Controller (I use Aquacontroller Jr and love it)
2. Fans above the tank that will be controlled by controller.
3. chiller if you can't manage temperature with just fans.

As for chiller- it's always a recommendation to go with multiple units of everything on a tank in case of failure, so a good setup would be:

- instead of one huge heater, 3 heaters with 1/3 of capacity each
- instead of one fan, 3 multiple units, (one with it's own temperature sensor like Icecap)
- instead of one powerful pump, a few return pumps of lesser capacity.

I have quickly learned redundancy in this hobby, as the matter of fact, the most top-off water that can be physically dumped into my 54 gallon corner is 4 gallons in 24 hours.

[Meaty24]

Any thought on which system is better? Apex or RKL? Before I lost my tank, I was thinking about getting a tunze system. You can control the tunzes with the Apex or RKL units also, correct? If so, just as well?

[cr500_af]

Apex by far. The RKL is a good basic controller (and mine has served me well) but the next one I buy will be either an Apex or an RK Elite. I want those extra functions.

[rbnice1]

If apex or apex lite both will out do a RK lite. Its debatable about the apex vs the RK elite but I think the apex is still way on top.(just my opinion.)

If you want tunze control get the full apex not lite. It has it built in.

[Gold Stripe]

Dont know much about other brands but I have run Current chillers for almost 10 years now and very happy. I ran a 1/3 on my 180 setup for 5 years with 3 x 250 MH and 4 x 160 VHO lighting and have a 1/4 on my 65H with 2 x 175 MH and 2 x 95 VHO lighting running multiple Velocity pumps that were previously on my 75 for over 3 years. Both perform(ed) falwlessly in 100 degree South Carolina summers with the chillers being in an un-airconditioned garage.

[hlsooner]

The build quality of the TECO Seachill chillers is great. I upgraded from a JBJ to a TECO and have been very impressed.

Unfortunately you experienced a nightmare for reefers. This reminds me to go home tonight and double check that my Profilux controller will shut down all lights if the chiller fails and the temp reaches 84 degrees.

[Meaty24]

Anyone know anything about a Tradewinds Chiller?

[Daniel Reef]

Sorry to hear this. This is exactly want happened to me about 10 years ago and I never restarted my tank. I am looking into restarting my tank and getting a controller (an Apex). I have also researched some chillers and the one I decided on is a Teco. There is a new review posted. The link is:http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1842913

There is also a thread discussing the pros and cons of an Apex and an RKE -

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1711947

[prickles]

+1 on add fans AND a chiller, all controlled by some brand of controller. It is amazing the things you can avoid with a controller.

heater malfunction...caco reactor malfunction...kalk malfunction....etc.

[BFG]

I have (had) a beautiful 175 gallon reef tank with tons of coral and fish. I got home from my business trip, and the temp was 102. A total loss. Needless to say, I am absolutely devistated. Two questions:

(1) I need a new chiller. And recommendations for brand or size? I was thinking a JBJ Arctica Titanium Chiller DBM-250 1/3HP. Is that big enough? I have crazy lights (heat!) and a few pumps. Is that the best brand?

(2) Is my live rock still alive? I don't want to throw out 175 pounds of live rock if I don't have to. Also, will I lose my cycle if I want to drain all the water and put in all new water?

Where is the chiller placed, in the cabinet?

[ChadTheSpike]

I have had a bunch of chillers... my favorite so far is the teco. It is quiet, works well, keeps temp where I want it, and has an on-board heater and UV if you want them.

[NexDog]

Also put an air con unit in the fish room (or whereever the tank) and keep it on full blast when you go away. Just some extra insurance. I don't use a chiller and its 100F for 4 months of the year here. Aircon unit in the closed fish room and ducting running from light hood to extractor fan keep the heat down. But if someone leaves the door open I'm in big trouble. My tank hit 86 last year but everything was fine. Usually averages around 79-80 in teh summer and 76-77 from November to May.

[SkyPapa]

Anyone know anything about a Tradewinds Chiller?

I have a 1/3 hp super tradewinds chiller on my apx. 300g system.
It is fairly new so I can't tell you about longevity yet but it has kept my tanks at 80f in my non-AC garage in florida with the temp 95f this week.
I ran a 1/4 hp pacific coast on my previous setup for about 5 years before the controller went out.

[jchase1970]

sorry to hear about your bad news. Why do you need a chiller, is it because of the lights you are using?

[skibum9884]

Agreed. My Teco TR-10 has been great, and I think they're running a special on pricing right now. Also, I second what others are saying about having a controller as backup to shut power to the Chiller if the temp gets too low (or high with the Teco as you can have a built in heater).

[Meaty24]

I am zeroing in on a JBJ. I am deciding between 1/3 power and 1/2. Unfortunately, I live in NYC and where my tanks is placed, there is absolutely no way I can put the chiller outside, or vent to the outside. I am simply stuck. I have 1200 watts of MH light which creates a lot of heat. Then the chiller pumps hot air into a 750 sq ft. room, which is mostly windows (yes. shades are down) So, it gets very hot in the room. My electric bill last August was almost 700 dollars for a 1 bedroom apartment. Sick.

So, what do you guy think. 1/3 chiller or 1/2? Which will blow more hot air?

[seattownreefer]

I am zeroing in on a JBJ. I am deciding between 1/3 power and 1/2. Unfortunately, I live in NYC and where my tanks is placed, there is absolutely no way I can put the chiller outside, or vent to the outside. I am simply stuck. I have 1200 watts of MH light which creates a lot of heat. Then the chiller pumps hot air into a 750 sq ft. room, which is mostly windows (yes. shades are down) So, it gets very hot in the room. My electric bill last August was almost 700 dollars for a 1 bedroom apartment. Sick.

So, what do you guy think. 1/3 chiller or 1/2? Which will blow more hot air?

if you cant vent the chiller outside then your defeating the purpose of cooling your tank. chiller fans cool the condenser and produces alot of hot air. is there anywhere you can vent it at least? add a chiller pump to pump the water to the chiller where it can vent the heat to the outside? maybe a portable air conditioner on wheels that come attached with a vent hose to vent out a window. do you have a canopy over your tank? do you have humidity problems?

[jchase1970]

any chance you can build a custom LED fixture for it, by time you pay for a new chiller and what you can resale the MH for you could build a really incredible fixture and save a lot of money on operations at the same time.

[vegaskid11]

I have the JBJ Arctica commercial 1Hp unit and the thing has worked like a charm for over 3 years. I have never touched it since day one. It came with a built in controller.

[Dyraxe]

Teco is awesome. I used one for over 5 years and love it. They work and are quiet!