DIY Chiller

[Mike McD]

So i've been researching a diy axie chiller that would be cheaper than the 400 dollar ones on the market and also not use nearly as much electricity to run, and this is what i came up with. I have made sure that everything is safe for the tank... So you na sayers out there, keep it in check.. :kiss:

First off the filter i am using is a Penn Plax Cascade Canister Filter.
Penn Plax Cascade Canister Filters - Aquarium Filter and Fish Tank Filter from petco.com

This filter meets all my needs and Pink & Floyds needs. It is a duel stage filter with regulating valves to control the amount of flow. It also comes with a spray bar which is essential... I went above and beyond and put a big sponge filter over the inlet, and bought 5 small fluval edge pre filter sponge's that fit perfectly over the spray bar to make the water flow even less.... (water is flowing but distributed so much its like theres no flow at all.) :bowl:

So with that being said i dont need an extra pump for the chiller...

For the radiator i came up with this.
Syscooling AS360 Triple 120mm Black Radiator (Pure Aluminum) - modDIY
Its pure aluminum so it is completly safe for water. Even salt water but expecially fresh water...

To cool the radiator you will need 3 of these these...
Newegg.com - COOLER MASTER R4-L2R-20AC-GP 120mm Blue LED Case Fan


For the proper flow from the 1/2 tubing of the canister filter i came up with these
Primochill G 1/4" Threaded Elbow Barb - 1/2" ID - UV Bright Green - FrozenCPU.com
They are made from polypropylene (which is the same material that the bags of fish come in when you buy them from a pet store.)

For the control i came up with this...
Micro Center - Logisys 5.25" Full Color Thermal / Clock Control Panel FP708BK
It's you typical pc fan controler with temperature sensors.
My thought with this is you could take the regular temp sensors and tape then on the inlet of the canister filter and the fans would kick on when needed. But like i already said i like going the extra mile just incase.... So i came up with this

Temperature Sensor G1/4 Thread at Xoxide!
The only hesitation i had with this piece is it's made of brass that is nickle plated but if you looked at the g 1/4 to 1/2" fittings they should screw completly past this piece so it would never contact the water...

Finally your thinking what is going to power this cause your not going to hook up a 400w to 700w pc power supply... duh...
Micro Center - Evercool AC/DC Power Adapter (2AMP ,12V/5V) w/ 4-pin Molex Connector PA-AD-UL

So your looking at about 200ish and then for the kicker its a 12v set up so think of your electric bill....

This setup is in the early stages considering its still winter here in Chicago, i dont need it right away.


But i would love any comments or concerns... Lets all put our brains together and figure this cooling issue out. Who know once i get this together and i can get an accurate time/temp change over figured out this could be a good option for all of us...

Look foward to all your comments..

Mikey Mac and Pink and Floyd