Help needed.... chiller sizing (1 Viewer)

[Wildfire]

Well, dang.

I fixed myself real good. I've got the new tank in, and all the lighting set up, but I cannot turn the MH lights on without blowing my temp (rose 8 degress in under 6 hours before I panicked and shut those things down).

I need someone (who really understands what they are doing, 'cause I sure don't) to help me size a chiller for my tank. Here are the stats:

300 G total water volume
lighting
3 x 400 W MH
4 x 110 W VHO Lighting
3 x IceCap 120 mm exhaust fans on the lighting canopy blowing "up"
4 x 6" Clip on fans under the stand
2 for exhaust of pump heat ( Dolphin 3000 )
2 blowing into the sump itself.
Pumps
Sump Return Dolphin AM 3000
Closed Loop Dolphin AM 3000

Now, to answer the obvious question:

The tank sits at about 82.0 even with the VHO (all 4) running, and all 7 fans going, and both pumps running. What I am trying to do is get the allowance to run the MHs during the day ( staggered if need be ), so I'm guessing I need about a 15 - 20 degree pulldown on a 300 g water volume.....

PLUS (this is the real kicker) I have a horrible ventilation problem in the room itself, so I need a chiller that can either A) live outside (I can build a chiller house, but my wife won't like it...) or B) would run so infrequently that I could put an exhaust fan for the room (I'm already having to work on this angle) and that would take care of the heat....

Help?

 

[Guest]

do you have any fans blowing on the water in the canopy? like 6 inch fans?

 

[incysor]

Many things I've read suggest having a 1:2 ratio on canopy fans. 2 exhaust for every intake. From your description it doesn't sound like you have an intake fan bringing fresh (cooler) air into the canopy, just the exhaust fans trying to suck the hot air out. While I'm not sure I believe the ratio, from friends that overclock their computers I definitely DO believe that you've got to have fresh air coming in for it to be efficient.

 

[AggieBrandon]

From my experience you have better cooling with fans blowing into the canopy instead of exhausting. You could have all your fans blowing in and just have a few holes for hot air to escape and it would still cool efficiently, of course the larger the area for the hot air to escape the better. I run a 75 gallon with 2x250 watt halides and 4x110 watt VHO and only use 4 4" fans to cool the tank down and it works well. I have had the tank set up for a few months now and the highest ithe temp has ever gotten was 84 degrees.

Brandon

 

[Wildfire]

Okay, my canopy is "open". The light board is propped up on legs, but the front and back are "open". This (to me) means that "fresh air" is coming in through the open front and back (84" long, 16" high opening). The fans that I set up, therefore, and for exhaust.

My room gets HOT though, and I think that the heat retained is a large part of the problem.... Do you have "cooled" air as your input, or just room air?

 

[AggieBrandon]

I just have room air....my room does get warm too. I have my computer in the same room as well as a fridge, 32 inch tv with surround sound, and my 20 gallon frag tank...lots of heat input.

Brandon

 

[Niko5]

Iv got a few ideas I will go over with you when I come over with your Window fan unit. One of the ideas is a Duct fan if you have the urge to go up in the attic and install this inline fan I think it will give you more cool air when the AC is running and also will give you more air flow even when the AC isent running Go to www.homedepot.com and search for "duct fan"

Also you should check out the vent deflectors also

 

[Andy]

I use 1/3 hp on 200 gal tank
3 400 watt MH
7 VHOs

You would probably need 1/2 hp Check Champion Lighting

Chart says
1/3 hp 160 - 300 gal you would be pushing it & it would be maxed out here.
1/2 hp 300-500 gal.

I can show you a GREAT CHEAP & EASY Outside chiller box I made that your wife will barely notice, but I do not know how to post pics.

Andy

 

[Andy]

Didn't work
How do you post a pic??

 

[incysor]

Image station evidently doesn't allow remote linking. You'll have to upload the pic to a site that does.

However you can click on the link.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid143/p2098b051aa9a764c7297d73054fffadc/f6987391.jpg

 

[Andy]

Sorry its so large! Chiller was in there 3 yrs & then had to replace container because I cracked it. It will probably need replacing every 3-4 yrs but its cheap & easy. Took me about 1 hour & Weatherroof.

Picture is showing up for me, can you see it without clicking??

 

[Andy]

img]http://www.imgpost.com/images/90H25274.jpg[/img]

One more try

http://www.imgpost.com/images/tn_90H25274.jpg

 

[incysor]

[quote="Andy"
]img]http://www.imgpost.com/images/90H25274.jpg[/img]

One more try

http://www.imgpost.com/images/tn_90H25274.jpg[/quote]

This line had the bracket wrong...I cut and pasted the url into a test message and put the img tags on correctly and it worked fine.

Hope this helps,

Brian

 

[Wildfire]

Iv got a few ideas I will go over with you when I come over with your Window fan unit. One of the ideas is a Duct fan if you have the urge to go up in the attic and install this inline fan I think it will give you more cool air when the AC is running and also will give you more air flow even when the AC isent running Go to www.homedepot.com and search for "duct fan"

Also you should check out the vent deflectors also

So I would put this on the line into the register in the office / fishroom and that would "boost" the airflow from the AC into that one register... correct?

 

[Andy]

incysor, Thanks

 

[Wildfire]

incysor, Thanks

Andy,

Am I correct in thinking that this is a rubber maid container that you put the chiller in? If so, how does the chiller exhaust from the tub?

Thanks

 

[AggieBrandon]

I was wondering the same thing. Does the plumbing run throug the bricks and then into the tub on the side we can't see?

 

[Wildfire]

I'm trying the fan approach. I moved one of my 6" clip on fans from under the stand up to the light board, and am blowing straight at the center MH (and getting one of the edge ones also)... I'll keep track of temp this evening we'll see....

 

[Wildfire]

Well, initial results look good.... I've been burning 1 of my MH lights for about 2.5 hours so far, and I haven't had a raise in temperature at all......

Now, for a longer test tomorrow. If that holds well, then I'll move another fan and try with all three.....

Oh goody!

 

[BrianPlankis]

Sounds like you are getting there Matt. I've also read that if you point a fan at the water surface, or at least blowing onto the surface you will get more evaporative cooling and keep the temp down. Of course your evaporation rate goes way up, so good to have a topoff device.