New to this forum, but I see a lot of similar problems in cooling fishtanks.
To avoid the very high cost for equipment, I am using every possible way to build things myself from scrap-parts and pieces.
To have an idea of the tank I'm working on, have a look at below link for pictures. For cooling it, I've started out with a simple dorm-fridge. Description of works done are listed in sequence as well.
Pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/linla.m91/
Purchased an old 2nd hand dorm-fridge.
1. Drilled two holes in the side of the fridge
2. Carefully remove the temperature-'sensor-tube' from the freezer compartment
3. Get 10 meter of tube
4. Put inside the fridge and stick the ends of it through the holes
5. Connect one end with tank-water out
6. Connect other end to Filter in...
7. Fill with water, remove air-pockets and turn on the fridge and the filter again.
8. Up and running. 1 Hour of work.
My tank:
80 Gallon Outside the house...
Outside Temp all year between 32'C & 37'C (Thailand)
Fresh water setup
Before cooling: 34-35'C waaaay to hot
After building the cooling-line in: 30'C daytime, 28'C night-time
Still too hot but at least the top is off for now.
After checking with my aircon-guy today he confirmed that filling up new coolant in my fridge is no problem.
So then the next project will be to:
1. cut away the fridge
2. use the compressor and other parts of the cooling system.
3. replace the freezer-compartment where the actual chilling happened before.
4. extend that part with a long copper/aluminium coil
5. put this in an ice-cooler (around 50 liters should do) with water while having the compressor and parts next to it on a frame.
6. put a copper/alu coil around the cooling coil (for the tank water, don't like to risk my tank-water freely around yet, that would involve additional plumbing and a separate water-(return)line.)
7. Maybe try to get 2 flows (tank-water / coolant) run in opposite directions for better efficiency
8. Maybe put a small powerhead for even higher flow of cold water around the coils
9. put a temperature controller in the tank to keep temperature steady. (That would be in the tank, but switching the compressor on/off obviously)
Will post again with pictures once I'm starting on it. Hopefully this Sunday, 31st August....
Anybody with suggestions, please let me know...
Regards,
Luc
To avoid the very high cost for equipment, I am using every possible way to build things myself from scrap-parts and pieces.
To have an idea of the tank I'm working on, have a look at below link for pictures. For cooling it, I've started out with a simple dorm-fridge. Description of works done are listed in sequence as well.
Pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/linla.m91/
Purchased an old 2nd hand dorm-fridge.
1. Drilled two holes in the side of the fridge
2. Carefully remove the temperature-'sensor-tube' from the freezer compartment
3. Get 10 meter of tube
4. Put inside the fridge and stick the ends of it through the holes
5. Connect one end with tank-water out
6. Connect other end to Filter in...
7. Fill with water, remove air-pockets and turn on the fridge and the filter again.
8. Up and running. 1 Hour of work.
My tank:
80 Gallon Outside the house...
Outside Temp all year between 32'C & 37'C (Thailand)
Fresh water setup
Before cooling: 34-35'C waaaay to hot
After building the cooling-line in: 30'C daytime, 28'C night-time
Still too hot but at least the top is off for now.
After checking with my aircon-guy today he confirmed that filling up new coolant in my fridge is no problem.
So then the next project will be to:
1. cut away the fridge
2. use the compressor and other parts of the cooling system.
3. replace the freezer-compartment where the actual chilling happened before.
4. extend that part with a long copper/aluminium coil
5. put this in an ice-cooler (around 50 liters should do) with water while having the compressor and parts next to it on a frame.
6. put a copper/alu coil around the cooling coil (for the tank water, don't like to risk my tank-water freely around yet, that would involve additional plumbing and a separate water-(return)line.)
7. Maybe try to get 2 flows (tank-water / coolant) run in opposite directions for better efficiency
8. Maybe put a small powerhead for even higher flow of cold water around the coils
9. put a temperature controller in the tank to keep temperature steady. (That would be in the tank, but switching the compressor on/off obviously)
Will post again with pictures once I'm starting on it. Hopefully this Sunday, 31st August....
Anybody with suggestions, please let me know...
Regards,
Luc
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