What should I know about chiller?

[TexasState]

Hi,

What info should I know b4 I buy a chiller? Noise? In-line? leak? How long does a chiller last b4 they start to leak or need refill?
What size horse power chiller do I need for a 120 gallons reef tank?

I'm going to put 2x250Watts HQI Sunlight Pendants w/ Icecap electronic into my tank. I live in an apartment, with my roommate b4, they allways made me put the AC on at 65 degrees Fahrenheit to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. My current roommate kept on completely shut off the AC as soon as I turn it on. I have two thermometers in my tank. With the AC off, my tank is usually at 84 to 86 degrees right now. Sometime my reef tank tip-toe toward 88F!!! I know if I get pass 92 or 94, there's going to be some corals melting. So, I'm either going to have to:
1) Get New Roommate (it's getting hot sitting in my own room.)
2) Get a Chiller
3) Sell off my reef stuff b4 I kill it. (thinking of clearing out the tank and dining table in the kitchen and put a Weider Crossbow (Bow-flex knock off) gym in there instead.)
http://www.thecrossbow.com/crossbow/index.html

[VGB]

I ran a chiller for a while. My problem was I couldn`t vent the exhaust to the outside. I have three 400 watts halides and with the room AC set at 79 and three fans...my tanks stay at 81. Good enough for me.

I would get an in-line 1-3 HP CSL chiller. They are a little noisy but its not that bad. The worst thing is the exhaust off it.
I dont know about recharging and mine was used less than a year but it never leaked.

It now sits in the garage. :roll:

[TexasState]

Hi Victor,
Thanks for the input. Why do you need to vent the exhaust outside? To prevent the humidity problem? I know this might sound silly. Wal-Mart sell the window mount AC for about $60 and up. I wonder why you couldn't knock a hole in the stand and use the AC to cool the sump. :o
If I can cough up $5K, I can buy those dragon Sea Horse and convert over to cold, deep water reef. :lol:

Joshua,
I still have that refrigerator taking space in the livingroom.

[djdubdub]

Vihn...

HD or Lowes has small refrigerator for $50...

Get copper coil, coil in fridge, drill thru side of fridge, run pump w/ hoses between tank and fridge... Instant chiller!!!

You dont want AC exhaust in apartment (think apartment hot now)...

Scan Tron option D).... Get new, cute, hot natured female, marine biologist roommate... All problems solved....

[TexasState]

I'm not sure about the copper and reef option.

The Science Building is right across the street, so I know lot of Biology students would just love to live in my apartment complex. Last I heard, SWT was thinking about getting rid of their Marine Biology program.

I live in an on-campus apartment. Each year, we have more rules to abide by, for example:
*No co-ed apartment sharing unless we're married.
*Candle Possession is against University Rule (just learn about this year, I've been displaying candle in my window forever.)
*No Charcoal Grill.
*No Pet.
*You can even display a fake model pistol.
*No Beer Keg (just learn about this rule last week.)
*You can only have one parking permit. I can't park both of my car and motorcyle in my own apartment. This rule is enforced even when I'm the only one w/ a motorcycle in my side of the building comlex. Talk about beaurocratic red tapes.
*Parking permit cost $45 per vehicle per year.
*If my roommate is caught with drug possession in the apartment, there's a chance that I myself might be in trouble as well.
*This is just some of the rules that SWT expect me to abide by.
*This apartments are not really that sound-proof, I can hear peoples talking outside, and I can hear the bouncing from upstair. :oops:

Why am I still living here? Rent is only $295 per person w/ free cable/water. My classes are five minutes walking distance from my apartment.

[utmachete]

Hey Vinh, I think you should get a new roomate. I have 4 roomates and we pay twice as much as you for rent. When I told them I was building this huge tank and that it would probably cost $40 more in electricity every month all they said was "dude thats cool can we put a shark in it" I was like ok I guess since there chipping in on the E-bill I can try a shark for a while so I did. Of course it didn't last long with all the live rock etc. but after that they said the other fish were cooler. Now that I'm trying to sell my tank they are all ****ed off about it and want me to keep it. Oh yeah another thing I like to have a cold house so we keep our thermostat at 72 degrees. Oh and another thing that was cool is that after I built the tank they were so impress with how it looked and sad that I had no money to spend on corals they all went to the aquarium store and each of them bought a coral that they liked to give to me. See roomates are suppose to be laid back and cool if they aren't then its time to boot them out, why would you want to put up with that anyways.
You just tell your roomate that if he touches that thermostat one more time, and risks the large investment that you have put into your tank which he gets to enjoy also, that your going to kick his #$% and make him pay for the dead corals.
See your in Texas you have to start thinking like a redneck or you'll just get walked on. hehe :-D