How To Combat Rising Saltwater Tank Temperatures?

[yazid]

Part 1

[yazid]

I've been wondering why my Teco TW6 have been working almost 24hrs and yet itcould not bring down the temperature to 26C when the 2x250W MH is turn on. It could maintain only 28C~30C (most of the time at 30C). And my reef doesn't seem happy after a week. Even when it is off at night, it took ages to bring the temperature down.

No doubt that the weather is hot. Ambient temperature around the chiller can reach up to 38C.

Was contemplating of dumping the Teco TW6 for a new chiller. If I bought a new one, that will be the third chiller in my collection. My first chiller is still around collecting dust.

Suddenly it came across my mind that there is no wind thus the hot air basically lingers around. And it lingers around the chiller. Looking at Weilong photos of the Arctica with a super huge fan. I decided to buy a fan and mount in front of the chiller.

Guess what! The additional fan helps the chiller to blow off the hot air to bring down the tank temperature to 26C within 1hr from 30C. It is now able to maintain even with the 2x250W MH on.

Teco TW6 rocks (of course with the modifications )

[terryansimon]

good idea yazid...

where did you buy that fan? and is it AC powered? may want to do it for my Teco as well. hehz.

[ervine]

haha good idea.. but isn't the inbuilt fan supposed to do the work already?

[Achilles Tang]

Yup... I just its called supplementary help! The same concept as not 'suffocating' the chiller by placing it in an enclosed stand.

Actually, the Artica design is kinda strange, IMO. The fan is supposed to be next to the condenser fins for maximum efficiency but its not. It does cool quite well according to the users but its still too early to tell for long term usage... the Artica chiller noise is very loud too, IMO. I can't identify if its the fan or mechanical rattling.

Maybe some of the users can give more feedback for our benefit.

Even my Titanium 1.25hp chiller is only able to maintain my tank at 28C at the peak these days... it was chilling my tank at 25C constant just a few weeks ago (verified by Cookiemunster).

Can't wait for the hot spell to be over!! Grrrrr!!

[yazid]

haha good idea.. but isn't the inbuilt fan supposed to do the work already?

If I'm not mistaken the TW6 internal fan blows against the fins. Thus air movement is restricted. AT, is right the Arctica fan is position differently, not blowing at the fins, thus more air gets push out.

Before putting the additional fan in front, the body around the back of the chiller is hot. Hot air lingers at the back and trap there.

After putting the fan, no more heat at the back.

I read from the post somewhere that someone upgraded the chiller fan to a higher wattage. Maybe that will work too.