Cooling multiple tanks

[shrimpy1547]

I currently have 3 cube tank side by side set up for different breed of shrimps.

Is there any way of linking the tanks, so I can prepare for the upcoming summer with a chiller.

Obviously, i can't buy 3 chillers for cubes, it's just not cost effective.

I also don't know how to cool the room, as it's my study room. and there's no aircon in there. 

any suggestions?

[amkr]

portable AC?

[shrimpy1547]

I think it needs a hose to external.

[amkr]

Needs to go to a window to vent the hot air.

 

My plan for summer is a peltier based cooler - loads of DIY and in no way efficient, but its cheap and will keep the temperature.

Edited July 3, 2015 by amkr

[Matuva]

I was also thinking about a peltier cooler for each of my tanks. You can find Peltier component, temperature probe and power supplies for cheap, but I'm not sure in my case it will work: average volume is 60 liters/tank.

At least I cover 3 sides of tank with styrofoam?

[larrymull]

freezing in melbourne, dreaming of summer!

 

[Matuva]

18°C in Noumea, fine, ...

but fearing of summer

[shrimpy1547]

I know summer is not here.

But I'd like to prepare before it hits summer, as I have lost my entire colony last summer.

How effective is Peltier Cooling?

My tanks are 30cm cubes....quite small

[amkr]

I was also thinking about a peltier cooler for each of my tanks. You can find Peltier component, temperature probe and power supplies for cheap, but I'm not sure in my case it will work: average volume is 60 liters/tank.

At least I cover 3 sides of tank with styrofoam?

You're not looking to get it down to 10°C just down to a few below ambient.

They used to use peltiers to cool 130W Intel CPU's back in the day. They had them running at a few degrees above ambient.

it may take a while to drop the temp in the tank, but once its down it wont take a lot to keep it at a reasonable temperature.

I know summer is not here.

But I'd like to prepare before it hits summer, as I have lost my entire colony last summer.

How effective is Peltier Cooling?

My tanks are 30cm cubes....quite small

Effective, yes. Efficient, no.

[shrimpy1547]

I might have a look at that.

I'm assuming peltier cooling is like the Nova Tec's IceProbe.

That one is recommended to drill a hole in the tanks.

But would I be able to just make a bracket and dip the probe into the water, making it upside down?

 

[Disciple]

Shrimp Keepers in Singapore use Stainless Steel pipes like in the picture below. I spoke to a few keepers there about it and they have said the tanks being cooled have a temperature difference of less than one degrees.

Not sure if anyone sells these in Australia but I am sure it could be a good DIY project.

[amkr]

http://www.masa.asn.au/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=211431

 

That is one of the better designed ones out there. 

With TEC's you need to make sure the hot side of the element is cooled as much as humanly possible. The cooler you can get the hot-side, the cooler the cold side will be.

So you need the peltier element, a big ass heatsink and a decent fan. Then you need a way for the water to interface with the peltier. The design in in the link works well as you don't want your aquarium water to come in contact with anything in the system - particularly copper, unknown metals etc etc (otherwise you could just use a PC waterblock and be done with it). 

So a small container and coil a load of small diameter tubing around in it and you've got yourself a small cooler for the aquarium.

 

 

[shrimpy1547]

So I had it a look.

Basically it's Nova Tec's IceProbe, with the probe within the heatsink dipped in external container rather than the tank.

I think the PC Waterblock system would work much better.

As I don't really understand how it's the water is coming into the container and back to the tank bit.

 

Would Peltier cooling be expensive to run?

 

 

So this cooling system, basically look like a GPU water cooling system?

[amkr]

I wouldn't run any aquarium water through a PC waterblock.

Most if not all are made of copper or some kind of aluminium.
You don't know what chemicals are used in assembly or manufacture - lubricants, sealants etc.

He basically just runs a small pump to cycle the water through the external chilled reservoir. 

is it expensive to run? Yes.

You're looking at 65W + for the peltier element alone.

[shrimpy1547]

Is this what the waterblock you're referring to?

 

Most DIY peltier setup i found on the net, seem to share a similar design.

[amkr]

Yes like that, I wouldn't use that style.
You don't know whats used in the manufacture of the water-block so your aquarium water is coming in direct contact with who knows what chemicals.

That set up is grossly undersized too, there's no way that peltier will last with those tiny heatsinks and fans!

[shrimpy1547]

If I went with the design in the link you provided.

Can I use aluminium and dip that right into the tank (obviously the cool side), rather than using the pump water back into the container?

 

 

[amkr]

aluminium probably not the best metal to add to an aquarium.

The aim is to keep your aquarium 'closed loop' that is, not to put anything from any outside system in contact with the water.

Pumping the water through an external chilled reservoir ensures that 1) the water can shed temperature efficiently (due to the small dia. hose and large surface area) and 2) the water never touches the outside system. 

[shrimpy1547]

I was trying to avoid running another 3 powerpoints for the internal pump, which pumps the water to the waterblock.

But I guess that'll be a safer approach.

[amkr]

Only need 2 really. Theoretically can do it with 1.

Peltier is 12V high amp so you'd need to get a pretty beefy power supply (hint - PC power supplies fit the bill). If you get a 12V pump and a 12V fan then you can run the whole lot off a PC power supply.

[shrimpy1547]

Thanks for the info. Definitely will look into it.

 

[Matuva]

I have found this :  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5s8Cu59-NM

May be not worth it for a single tank, but this will  be the solution for my 4 tanks. I will need power for a small fridge and 4 waterpumps. I believe cheaper in power bill than 4 peltier coolers, and probably more efficient!

Time to hunt for Tbees and Crystals now ;)