Ever tried a combined cooling/filtration system?

[Mint]

I have been looking around at different filtration and cooling/heating systems for aquariums and noticed that just about everything is separate (and cooling can be very expensive).

I am the type that enjoys a good diy project and the idea has me intrigued. I'm looking at doing a freshwater cold aquarium with temps around 55-60*.

Has anyone made or attempted to make a combined cooling + filtration system? If so, would you mind sharing your success/discoveries? If not, I wouldn't mind your ideas/input either.

 

[Strawman]

My idea would be a trickle filter with some form of fan on it. Like a swamp cooler idea, except reverse. The problem would be controlling the temp. that would be real finicky.

 

[Henry405]

I don't know much about cooling, but in swimming pools, everything is connected. A concept of combined cooling and filtering would prob work best like this also. Have the water run through some type of machine to cool it before returning to the tank.

 

[Mint]

I don't know much about cooling, but in swimming pools, everything is connected. A concept of combined cooling and filtering would prob work best like this also. Have the water run through some type of machine to cool it before returning to the tank.

That is the idea . I am looking to do a system which would intake the water, cool it and then filter it before returning it to the tank. Right now I'm looking into making that would intake on one side and have a temperature gauge. When the temperature rises above a specific a valve would open, forcing the water through the cooling system. Once the temperature is reached the valve closes, the cooling system is turned off or stopped and the water goes only through the filtration system. This would prevent over-cooling. I would probably also keep a heater in the tank that could keep it above a certain temperature if necessary. That part is the tricky part for me.

My idea would be a trickle filter with some form of fan on it. Like a swamp cooler idea, except reverse. The problem would be controlling the temp. that would be real finicky.

I like the trickle filter idea. I have no experience using one though. The only problem with using the fan is it may not bring me down to the 50-60* mark. The ideas I have looked at so far only bring it down to maybe 70-75* in a warmer room. My house tends to stay around 68-72* even with air conditioning. That's a perfect temp for my tropical fish but not so much for coldwater.

 

[Henry405]

if you pm greenmaster, he might know of a way to make something turn on due to high temp. I believe his LED has a turn that turns on to prevent overheating

 

[Mint]

I will consider greenmaster as an option, ty I know that the set up is possible, I think I am more curious who has attempted it and how. There has been limited information on the internet outside of purchasing a refrigeration unit or very pricey aquarium cooler.

 

[huma-huma]

Mint, how much time and effort are you looking at putting into this project?how much room do you have for said project? The only reason Kim asking is because you could possibly look into taking the compressor/pump and hardliner from an apartment or dorm refrigerator and simply use it to cool off the water. If used in combination with a water heater, would ensure temp doesn't fall too far. Only tricky part would be regulating the cooling effect, seeing as to how the refrig unit, even from a tiny fridge, will cool below 50... have a rough idea of how to do a combined cooler/filter if you are interested.

 

[Deep Seven]

if you pm greenmaster, he might know of a way to make something turn on due to high temp. I believe his LED has a turn that turns on to prevent overheating

He has a 500$-800$ apex controller that controls his cooling pumps.

 

[Henry405]

I have a new idea:

If you have a sump, you can build an a "chiller" chamber next to the return chamber, but instead of using glass to separate the chambers, a material that would allow temperature changes to dissolve through (ex. coldness from ice moving from inside a ziplock bag onto your skin). A chilling mechanism (freezing metal coils) would be left in the "chiller" chamber to decrease the temperature of the water in this chamber. This will allow the transfer of cold temperature from the metal coils into your SW, but will not run the risk of contaminating your water. Rough drawing below.

Blue = SW

greenish water = chilling water

black box = chilling machine

brown = metal coils


dang, I didnt think the controller box was that much!

 

[huma-huma]

A slightly different take to henry's idea, (albeit ultimately the same idea) imagine if you lined the inside of a small bucket with the coils from a refrig unit then simply sat the canister filter inside of it, im not 100% familiar with canister filters but I would imagine you could fill the outer bucket with water to allow the xfer of cooler temp to the water inside the canister filter.

 

[Bige]

Make a radiator. On the pump to the tank, split line into 5 0r 6 lines. cover the lines in copper. Then blow fans on them. Then bring them back together to go into tank. It would take some trial and error but I think it would be possible.

 

[Henry405]

would fans cool the water enough to get down between 50s-60s? that's his goal, not just normal water temp

 

[krap101]

Fans can only cool to ambient. Beyond that, you need some sort of refrigeration.

 

[sudz]

Fans can very inefficiently cool below ambient - The process of evaporation. When I lived with my folks, my room would be a nice 88 to 90 degrees in the summer. I hooked up 3 12 volt Computer fans to a piece of plywood and aimed them down at the water - the tank cooled down to 4 degrees below room temperature. (84ish) to save my fish when I wasn't around to do cool water changes. The water level would drop quite a bit... almost half an inch a day on a 44 gallon corner tank.

*edit* just saw 50-60*f... Yeah, no way with this method. *foot in mouth*

Ever heard of these:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Can-cooler-mod/step3/Piezoelectric-Spot-Cooler/

Piezoelectric coolers - Relatively efficient, but you'd need a big one!!! Nice thing is that they are silent.

There are some portable fridges that use this - You might be able to cannibalize one for 60 bucks? I have one at my desk at work made by mobicool.

 

[krap101]

The easiest way would be a mini fridge with copper tubing coiled in a tub of water, where you then pump water through the tubing. A similar way would be to use a TEC (thermoelectric cooler), but these are fairly inefficient, and the hot side gets very hot, where you'd need a pretty big radiator (relative to the size of the TEC)

 

[Deep Seven]

The problem with a mini fridge is they are meant to keep foods cold, not to cool warm foods. Without going into a bunch of science mumbo jumbo, a mini fridge is a weak cooling system. If all you need are a couple degrees then it might work for you.

I've heard a de-humidifier or air conditioner can be used to cool tanks fairly well. The cooling system on those units are quite powerful. Set it up as a cold water bath, and run a coil into the bath, and another coil in your sump. A temperature controlled water pump circulates the water between the two coils.

One thing to keep in mind on a DIY cooling system. When the cooling system turns off because the water is cool enough, will there still be a large volume of cold water cooling the tank?

I'm planning a temperate/cold water fish tank sometime in the future and this is how I'm currently planning on cooling it.

 

[MrPeon99]

You could look into water cooling and extreme cooling for computers to get ideas. I use to do water cooling years ago, I'm sure there are things that could be taken from there and applied to aquariums, and for a reasonable price. I saw a guy cool his cpu down to -29 F, spending $ 150 for parts at a junk yard. I don't think it should be to hard to keep an aquarium at the temps you want. You'll just have to do research out side the realm of this hobby to get some more ideas.