Chiller or Air Conditioner

[Prez]

I know it's winter time but I wanna prepare for summer =)



I will need to cool off my 72g tank for the summer but I was thinking of just getting an A/C for the room and having the benefit of a cool room and cooled down tank. Is this fine or would using a chiller be a better idea and will it SAVE $$$?

As it is now, I keep my fish warmer than me in the winter!!! I can't justify spending $400. to $600. on a chiller just for a fish tank when I can get a less expensive 12,000BTU A/C and keep myself comfy too, I'm just lookin for a cost ratio value.


Thankies =)

btw -- the room will get into the mid-high 80's to low 90's during the summer months (I reside in MA)

 

[Hannys_Papa]

IMHO (and it doesnt count much lol) it would probably be best to get the AC. Chillers are really expensive and i've read a lot of bad things about them (breaking down etc) - research i did because i live in upstate NY - and with unairconditioned parts of the house getting up to 85-90 in the summer.

The next problem with the chiller is that while it cools the tank it heats up the room around it (unless there is some way to have the chiller vent outside - which could be very complicated).

You can get a quality, Energy star 12000BTU for maybe 250$ (we use a 14000 for our ~600 sq.ft open kitchen/ living room area) - and as you said that way you can keep the room at a comfy 78 (thats what we do) and your tank will be at the perfect temperature aswell - and if the tank = room temperature your tank heaters dont have to work at all.

 

[Prez]

Kewl... that's what I thought =)

TY

 

[slipknottin]

Unless the chiller is getting put in a different room, it will just remove the heat from the tank, put the heat into the air, resulting in the tank warming up, the chiller working harder, and the cycle repeats. AC removes the heat from the room.

 

[chefkeith]

I got a Window A/C from Best Buy for about $200 for my fish room. The A/C was 8,000 btu and the fish room is about 120 sq ft.

A ceiling fan also helps alot.