fans vs chiller

[Jacksparrow]

Aloha all, I am using the Ice cap speed varible 4" fans and they are very loud, according to my wife. If I use a chiller do I sill need the fans? I am using a MH 400w thats about 13" from the water and in a inclosed (except fan and 2 other holes) canopy. The tank is a 100g pentagone with a very small sump, restricted on space for now. The tank is a mix of sps,lps,and sofities with 6 fish. I do have 2 atinics but they give off almost no heat. What do ya say? Mahalo for the help. Jack

 

[jackthestrat]

icecap fans should not be very loud, mine is completely silent. check your mounting and make sure nothing is rattling around in there

 

[worcestereefer]

I had some old icecap fans that eventually got very loud. Cleaning the fan out really good seemed to help a little but they were never silent again like they were when I got them. I'd say it would be cheaper to just replace the two fans with new ones rather then go the chiller route. But then again if money is no object then new gadgets are always fun.

 

[JayM]

Replace the fans with some quieter ones, before you get a chiller, it's WAY cheaper.

 

[Aquaman_68]

IC fans are generally pretty quiet!!

IC fans are three speed with a sensor. (the speed they spin depends on the temp the sensor picks up) If the fans are on high they tend to get a little loud!! Mine are over 6 years old & they are louder on high when the heat builds up in the canopy & the sensor puts them on high. (when all 6 MH & the vho's are on all at the same time) Not sure if they have gotten louder over time but I'm going to test one out with a new spare I have. (wife doesn't like the noise the fans make when they are on high!!)

Just for a goof buy an extra 4 inch IC fan & try it where the old one is. If it is the same volume it might be that your canopy is closing the heat in too much.

The other thing also to consider. You said you have two fans? Do you have one blowing out of the canopy & one sucking in? This will help to circulate the air thruout the canopy & help to get the temp inside the canopy down which will prevent the fans from spinning on high speed!!

Another note... If your using the original grille that the fans come with they do restrict air ....If they are dirty or the fan blades are caked with dust they will not spin on a balanced plain. That can work the sealed bearing on the moter & cause them to get loud as well!!!
just a couple cents...
BTW...did you spend time in Hawaii? Man I love Maui!!! Aloha!!

HTH
Brian

 

[JohnK]

FWIW, you can replace the icecaps with silenx or other brand fans that are a whole lot quieter, but move almost as much air as the ice caps on high, and cost half as much.

Ice cap 4" - 48db, 102Cfm $49.95
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewI...g_Accessories_Cooling_Fans~vendor~~tab~1.html

Silenx 4" - 18db, 90cfm, $21.99 (you do need a power supply for these if you don't have one laying around, figure $10)
http://www.acousticpc.com/silenx_120_38mm_18dba_pro_fan.html

 

[Jacksparrow]

Wow, Mahalo all. The fans I have are less than 2yrs old so I figure they should be still good and they sound the same as they did right out of the box. I do clean them about every three months so there is no build up, I am like a Felix Unger when it comes to anything.

JimmyJ7090: Thank you very much for the info and I will be trying out those fans.

Brian: I am sorry that I forgot to mention there is 3 fans in the canopy. 2 blow out while one is the intake. Do you think reversing this would help? I am in the process of moving my sump to the basement but I am still a few months off. Mahalo very much for your input and I was actually born in Maui. My parents had to go to Japan for business and while on the return flight they spent 3 weeks there, bought 6 condo's a house and had me. They where actually stuck there because a hurrican was heading in the islands. I travel back there many times a year now and love the place. Our places are in Wailea near Kolekole Beach Park, Wailea bay area off RT 19 (Hawaiian Belt way). Love to dive at Mala Wharf, I have a friend is a very experienced diver there and have been several times with her. Anyway, a little going off there, Mahalo for the input and am looking forward to your next set of frags for sale, you have some of the best corals I've seen. Eric

 

[Aquaman_68]

Wow, Mahalo all. The fans I have are less than 2yrs old so I figure they should be still good and they sound the same as they did right out of the box. I do clean them about every three months so there is no build up, I am like a Felix Unger when it comes to anything.

JimmyJ7090: Thank you very much for the info and I will be trying out those fans.

Brian: I am sorry that I forgot to mention there is 3 fans in the canopy. 2 blow out while one is the intake. Do you think reversing this would help? I am in the process of moving my sump to the basement but I am still a few months off. Mahalo very much for your input and I was actually born in Maui. My parents had to go to Japan for business and while on the return flight they spent 3 weeks there, bought 6 condo's a house and had me. They where actually stuck there because a hurrican was heading in the islands. I travel back there many times a year now and love the place. Our places are in Wailea near Kolekole Beach Park, Wailea bay area off RT 19 (Hawaiian Belt way). Love to dive at Mala Wharf, I have a friend is a very experienced diver there and have been several times with her. Anyway, a little going off there, Mahalo for the input and am looking forward to your next set of frags for sale, you have some of the best corals I've seen. Eric

I think that may be part of your problem. The fans are spinning on high cause their not getting enough flow in!!! You may want to consider popping another intake fan in. (can't hurt & if it doesn't work at making them spin quieter you could always try the other fans mentioned above.) The IC fans are 3 speed so when you don't need them spinning on high they will drop a speed & get much quieter!! Not sure but by the looks of the fans that were mentioned above they appear to be quiet but only one speed. (plus they are sold for PC applications) Not sure how that will hold out long term in SW moisture applications!!

On the Hawaii subject!!!
I dove @ two locations in Maui. Both were shore dives & it was quite nice!! I want to go back!! (got a free flight for the wife & I but the kids are too small to leave alone just yet!!!...."maybe when they turn 20"

FYI
My avitar pic was a wreck dive in St Thomas USVI @ about 85ft
That was also a nice drink to dive in!! I did St John & St Thomas when I was there!!
HTH & BTW..thanx for the compliment!!
Brian

 

[JohnK]

"Not sure but by the looks of the fans that were mentioned above they appear to be quiet but only one speed. (plus they are sold for PC applications) Not sure how that will hold out long term in SW moisture applications!!"


Yes, I can't comment on their longevity around SW beyond 6 months (because that's about how long I've had them), but I know several other local reefers use them so maybe someone else could pipe in about that? And Yes, they are only one speed, but that 18db is virtually silent so it's not sucha a bad thing IMO. IME 3 silnex's are quieter than 1 ice cap on LOW. It's really hard to beleive how quiet they really are - Brian or Jacksparrow your both welcome to visit sometime and see what I'm talking about.

Also, I totally agree with what Brian said about there not being enough flow in. IME, with vent fans if you have the same flow in and out they seem to move like 3x as much as if they aren't balanced. If you have 2 out and 1 in, the 2 out are sort of trying to fight a vaccum, whereas 2 in and 2 out work together and flow like no tommorow.

 

[Dave McReeferson]

I use a high quality ceiling mounted bathroom fan (actually 2 of them) to control temps in our system. They are virtually silent and push a considerable amount more air (110cfm) than those fans, they of course come at a premium though and are not usable in all situations, but I thought these were worth mentioning.

 

[JohnK]

Dave,
do you have any links for those fans? How expensive? I tried to find quiet bathroom fans long ago but came up with nothing better than the super loud cheapo's at HD.


jk

 

[reefkeeper2]

I think using fans is almost always prefered over using a chiller. This is because you will have the initial expense when you buy the chiller, and you will have to pay the considerable amount of electricity that it will use as well. All in all expensive. I have never owned one, but I would assume they are a lot louder than any fan, which would defeat your purpose.
Also remember that if your goal is to cool the water in your tank, the fans need to blow across the surface of the water, not just through the hood.

 

[Dave McReeferson]

Dave,
do you have any links for those fans? How expensive? I tried to find quiet bathroom fans long ago but came up with nothing better than the super loud cheapo's at HD.


jk

Search Broan products, "NuTone Premier" I believe was the product line mine came from...

Yep, QTRN110 is the model I am running, puts out 110CFM at 1.5 "sones". I am not sure how that converts to DBs, in fact if I remember correctly it does not directly relate to DBs at all, but a foot or two over your head and it is VERY quite indeed. They have much quieter fans now too at the same CFM (half as loud, which I would say would be damn near dead silent), and I see you can move 150CFM now at the same sound levels I have now. A bit costly up front but these things should last years, they are designed for venting steamy showers after all...

 

[Jacksparrow]

MAhalo all on your advice. I am going to add a 4th fan (2 in 2 out) to see if that helps the fans slow down a bit ( thx's Brian) and if it doesn't work I will be heading to the new fan route.

Mahalo Jack

 

[Aquaman_68]

MAhalo all on your advice. I am going to add a 4th fan (2 in 2 out) to see if that helps the fans slow down a bit ( thx's Brian) and if it doesn't work I will be heading to the new fan route.

Mahalo Jack

Anytime!!