Refrigirator?

[i.]

Hi, I read on an old thread that someone had set up a refrigirator below his tank to lower the water temperature as it is being filtered. I never heard of such a device. Is it something you can buy or is it a homemade set-up? If homemade, anyone know how it's been built?

 

[chris]

My uncle did that once for cold water marine fish. He positioned a normal refrigerator under th tank and placed the external filter into the fridge so that the water entering the filter was cooled. However, the temp was not lowered as much as you might think, as the water did not spend much time in the refrigerator altohugh the temp of the fridge was set very low. You could posible place a large storage container of water in the fridge, then cut the tube OUT the filter in the middle and attach each half to opposite ends of the tub, so that water sits in the fridge for a while. You would probably need to put the tube emptying into the tub at the top of the tub, and the emptying tube at the bottom so you don't keep putting the same water round the circuit. On the other hand my idea might not work!!! never tried it!!!
Chris

 

[rob]

You can buy a really long tube for the out and leave alot of length of it in the fridge curled around on one of the shelves.

 

[yago]

I have several refrigerators. I bought them from marine aquarium enthusiasts for 100-200 euros(second hand). The old ones are very powerful and they can bring a total control of the temperature all year round. I used them for breeding setups. On the market there are so many offers, but the new refrigerators for the marine industry are less powerfull, they include warmer as well in order to get a better control of the temperature. And they are VERY expensive (around 1000 euros for a good one). As the old one are less precise (up to 4 Cº oscilation), a lot of marine enthusiast are selling them. If you get a second hand refrigerator for less than 200 euros it will be the best invest for your caudates specially in warmer regions like mine.
The are other methods like the one Chris Michaels have mention. I have never try it. But I know people that have done so, and to get a better performance it is better to put a powerful waterbomb using a very long metal tube within the fridge so the water will have time to cold down pretty well.
Best wishes

 

[i.]

thank you all for your answers, the second-hand fridges sound like a good plan, at least a more controlled plan than the regular fridge, although I can see how Froggy's plan would work as well. I will look in both avenues.
thank you