Cheap cooling solution?

[kot]

I am looking for a cheap solution to cool my aquarium. Unfortunately, $500 for a chiller is way bigger than my budget. I don't need it to be automated or powerful since I am usually there and only need it to lower the temp from 2-4 degrees in a 30 gallon aquarium. What options do I have?

[xrayjeeper83]

I think we had a thread on this just a few weeks ago. BUt you could get a mini fridge and run some of your hoses through it to cool the water. Drill holes in the sides of it and run hoses through back up to your tank, then seal the holes back up

[SammyDee]

float a frozen pop bottle.

[LilGreenPuffer]

Blow a fan across the surface of the water. Just be sure to cover the tank with something - maybe chicken wire or something like that - to prevent carpetsurfing.

[JRC3]

I have what I call "The Bast@rd Tank" set up in the basement that only houses a 4" pleco and 8 cherry barbs. It's a 55g that has 2 internal filters and it runs around 80 degrees. My basement is fairly cool but the internal filters put off some heat.

I had a 50mm case fan sitting around but you could go bigger. You can by them off ebay for a few bucks and just use any old 12 volt power supply that you have stuffed in a junk drawer. I have this tank covered with Plexiglas and I had already cut some round holes for access using a hole saw. When I first installed the fan the tank was at 81 degrees, I went back a few hours later and it was at 78. The tank now sits at 76 degrees. I don't need it but the fan also breaks the surface of the water for good aeration.



If I had to put a fan on a display tank I would cut a small piece of plexiglass and cut a round hole in it for the fan and install it with 2 sided tape. Use the gray 3m tape...Always us the gray 3m tape, it cost more but is worth it.

Kinda like this...



Good luck

[xrayjeeper83]

that one tiny fan dropped the temp of the water 5 degrees? I would think something that small wouldnt do anything, thats good to know

[kot]

Where can I buy cheap fans like that? I don't feel like spending $6 on shipping for a $2 product.

[J-P]

go to a used computer parts place, look for the fan and a cellphone adapter

[JRC3]

I guess you could try Radio Shack for the fan but it's probably gonna cost the same in the end. If you have an old computer sitting around there might me one on the case or cpu and there is definitely one in the power supply. And any old 9 to 12 volt transformer type power supply will work...You know, one from an old answering machine, cordless phone, cordless drill, etc. An old cell phone adapter probably won't work as they are only like 3.5 to 5 volts.

Also I'm going to guess that a 3 degree drop is probably what to expect

[Brent]

Wait, so you need a computer fan, and then some sort of power supply to connect it to the plug-in? Do you just wire them together or..?

I need to cool my tank down by like, six degrees.

[J-P]

yea you splice the cables and match the black with the black and the red with the white.

There is an entire thread here somewhere where it explain it. It was written by Eager Newbie

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=20420&p=215019&hilit=+fan#p214784

That thread should be stickied in the DIY section .. lots of ppl asking for it. That and moon lights

[JRC3]

^Good thread, I loved the pic + pic + pic = pic reply.



Okay, I shut off the fan last night and the tank has risen 3 degrees, I checked with an IR and a probe thermometer. It's going to be hot here today so I'm expecting the tank temp to rise another degree or so. The lighting on this tank is small and suspended above the top only on one side so none of the heat is coming from that. And I would guess that a tank that has lighting sitting directly on top might see more of a change because the air would be moving between the light (heat source) and the water.

As far as splicing the fan wire to the power supply, if you aren't sure which is the positive or negative just briefly hold them together, it's a 50/50 chance. A case fan won't spin if the wires are backwards and it won't hurt anything to be momentarily hooked up backwards. Remember that this is only 12 volts DC so it's not gonna spark and you're not gonna get shocked or anything like that. I would make sure the fan doesn't vibrate around and fall into the water though, I doubt it would cause a fire or anything but the current might be rough on the fish. And I would also make sure the fan is blowing towards the water so it doesn't get the humid air running through it as this may shorten it's life.

[Brent]

Thanks J-P.

Very helpful. (:

Also, not a bad idea JRC.