Currently looking to build a DIY cooling tower. I haven't found any threads yet on this and would like to start one. Please add your comments on techniques or how practical this project may be and any links to any DIY pages.

The cooling tower I am thinking of basically uses a showerhead to trickle water down a 'tower', thus using evaporation to lower the water temp. I do realize that these systems go through a lot of evaporation. I've also read that these towers can lower the temp a few degrees below the ambient temp. Thanks.

i havnt seen how this concept got carried out. if anyone has one set up. please show us the pix. thanx

Keep in mind that to get the water up to the top of the tower is going to require a pump. An extra pump is going to also add some heat to the water as well. So hopefully you can utilize your existing return pump and not have to add an additional pump.

There is also a type of skimmer which works on a similar design, I think called a downdraft style. Basically water is pumped up to the top of a tower it then trickles down through some sort of media usually bioballs.

its cheaper to install fans blowing over the surface of the water, but if you've into the diy gadget thing id suggest you check out the hydroponic stores. concepts like the NFT systems can serve as both a cooling network & remote sand bed for denitro

Currently looking to build a DIY cooling tower. I haven't found any threads yet on this and would like to start one. Please add your comments on techniques or how practical this project may be and any links to any DIY pages.

The cooling tower I am thinking of basically uses a showerhead to trickle water down a 'tower', thus using evaporation to lower the water temp. I do realize that these systems go through a lot of evaporation. I've also read that these towers can lower the temp a few degrees below the ambient temp. Thanks.

Take a look at the Deltec EcoCooler

dagnabbit, the picture is tiny and they give no specifics as to how it achieves this evap...is it like one of those little 'zen' waterfalls that go on a shelf? attach a fan and yer good to go? i've got one in my hall closet, can i use that instead? j/k

dagnabbit = what exactly. dont tell me in need an american-aussie dictonary too :D

V,

It's only fair that you need an American dictionary. :)

dagnabit = darn it

V,

It's only fair that you need an American dictionary. :)

dagnabit = darn it

And if you look up "darn" in the dictionary you get.

verb (used with object)
1. to mend, as torn clothing, with rows of stitches, sometimes by crossing and interweaving rows to span a gap.
–noun
2. a darned place, as in a garment: an old sock full of darns.

So in that case dagnabit now means mend it. ROTFL :tongue2:

Oh I would post up the definition of dagnabbit, but this is a family friendly site. Look it up yourself on dictionary.com.

Currently looking to build a DIY cooling tower. I haven't found any threads yet on this and would like to start one. Please add your comments on techniques or how practical this project may be and any links to any DIY pages.

The cooling tower I am thinking of basically uses a showerhead to trickle water down a 'tower', thus using evaporation to lower the water temp. I do realize that these systems go through a lot of evaporation. I've also read that these towers can lower the temp a few degrees below the ambient temp. Thanks.

Depending on the humidity up there in canada a version of what we Coloradoans call a "swamper" might work. Same principle as what you are talking about except you do not evaporate the tank water. I think i might try one myself. What i was thinking was pumping water through a vinyl hose snaked through a large bucket (like those blue ones at hardware stores). Fill the bucket with some sort of mesh; straw or plastic filter media would work. Fill the bucket about 1/4 full of water and install a small pump to push the water up and out of a sprayer at the top. This will keep the mesh constantly wet. As the water evaporates from the mesh it will cool down, and if you have high air temp and low humidity it can get quite cold. The advantage is the water sources do not ever mix, so you can just fill the bucket with regular tap water and you don't lose tank volume do to evap.

One major catch to this is how to control the temperature. I guess you could have some switch that will turn off the sprayer pump when it gets cool enough (if such a gadget exists). Oh, and these do not work well at night. The more sunlight they get, the colder they become--i heard they can actually drop to freezing inside if it is hot enough outside.

A quick cost/benetits analysis would SEEM to indicate that this project may NOT be the best to use your time and money on doing. First and foremost, in a nano tank, even a SMALL amount of evaporation has a HUGE impact on salinity! Likewise, temperature variances are equally as dramatic. The cooling effect of the falling water will likely be negated by the added heat of a pump to rise the water, or to pump it back up. A 1/10 th hp chiller is inexpensive and the temp controller is a GREAT safety feature you will NEED in a nano!

Hi there,
Nano and Heat.Kinda like Salt and Pepper.
I can tell you I brought the temp down by 2 degrees by placing a Taam Rio Nano Protein Skimmer hanger-onner on my 12g.
It's the quietest skimmer I have.Looks wise,it ain't pretty.But my Corals are!;) I'm into the montipora digitata phase of my sps adventure.Quite successful with this beautiful coral so far.

Larry.