Summers coming...time to chill out.

[Brad]

The history on this comment is that I upgraded my 30gal with a MH light. Immediately, I began to have temperature problems. There was so much light that it began to raise my temperature too much by the end of the day.

So I ordered the "Ice Probe". It was small, and relatively cheap compared to other chillers.

Then I added a 10gal sump. Since then the water temperature has been very stable...but it was winter.

It has been getting pretty warm here lately and my temperature has started to climb again. So I finally dropped the Ice Probe into the system.

Here's my point. I'm impressed. This thing works extremely well. I was concerned that it wasn't big enough to influence 40gal, but it handles it without problem.

I took the easy way on installation. It is designed to bulkhead directly through the wall of a tank, but I just hung it in the overflow of my skimmer. Here's a picture of the chiller in action.

Maybe this should go in the product review forum...?

 

[reefrunner69]

Maybe this should go in the product review forum...?

Feel free to upload it and then give it a review

Sounds cool!!!!

 

[EBR]

Do you think this unit would do well for a 55 gal FOWLR setup? My tank is fairly new, so I don't have an overflow skimmer yet (have a Seaclone HOT) -- can the Ice Probe be hung from the edge of the tank, or must it have a resevoir to sit in?
Thanks.
Matt

 

[Brad]

Ice Probe

The probe has to sit directly in the water somehow. You can drill a hole in your tank and bulkhead it directly into the tank if you want.

I do NOT think that the Ice probe can make a significant temperature difference in any tank larger than 30gal. Anything less than that size, I think it is reasonably effective and inexpensive.

 

[fishfreek]

How do you have yours mounted?

And YES. Please upload it to the review area. That area does not get enough use. Expecially after we upgraded the script.

 

[Brad]

Ice probe mounted

I have my ice probe mounted in the outflow of my Prism Pro skimmer. I think I have a photo here somewhere...

I cut the probe hole in a piece of plexiglas...bulkheaded the probe through the piece of plexiglas...then just sat it, nose down, in the outflow of the skimmer.

 

[fishfreek]

Ok thanks. From the photo in your first post it looked like it was sitting on something and I figured some more info might help others figure out alternate ways to mount it in an existing sump setup with out having to drill the tank itself.

 

[yaksplat]

I happened to find a laser welded titanium heat exchanger at work. I guess it was initially for a helicopter machinegun cooler. Anyway, i'm planning on trying a couple things with it.

I'm going to attach a peltier chip to the side of it and see how much that cools the water down. If that's not enough, I have the innards of a drinking fountain that i'm going to modify to cool the heat exchanger.

When i finally do it, i'll post the results....It could be interesting

Jim