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Chillers - Saltwater
Situations can arise where
the temperature in a saltwater tank is consistently too high. The main
causes of this are high room temperatures, lighting or incorrect settings from
heaters. Before purchasing a chiller to correct this, assess the source of
the problem and search for less expensive solutions. For a short term
solution, you can float plastic bottles filled with water at a lower
temperature. For long term solutions, it may be easier and less costly to:
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move the aquarium to another room
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change the lighting
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reduce the length of time lighting is provided
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vent the aquarium hood, either continually or via a
thermostat
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add air-conditioning to the room instead of the tank
If
none of these options work for you, it's time to consider a chiller. A
chiller is simply a refrigerator that sends the cold produced by the coils into
contact with the aquarium water under controlled conditions. Cold is
transferred through coils or through heat exchangers. Titanium is usually
used. Unfortunately chillers aren't as common as
household refrigerators, so the price can be more than buying a fridge.
They are made with units that drop into the tank or with sump pumps that draw
the water to the cooling unit. Coralife, Current USA, Artica, Aqua Medic,
Aqua Logic, Prime USA, Ice Probe (thermo-electric for small aquariums) and Via Aqua all make chillers. The Aqua
Medic Titan is probably the most popular. Chillers are also sold with
units that can simultaneously control a heater.
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