Chillers seem to be expensive. We have been trying to turn the air conditioner on everyday that is even remotely warm as we set up the tank in our third floor bedroom (city rowhome) which gets quite toasty as one could imagine. I have several questions:

1) Is one chiller better than another?

2) How long do these devices tend to hold up before going kaput?

3) What is the power draw on chillers? Are they more energy efficient than an air conditioner with a thermostat or worse?

I would be so appreciative of answers to these questions and any other advice you may have. I very much enjoy watching our fish and do not want to have them boiled for dinner.

Many thanks,

Lori in Philadelphia

A chiller would be an expensive route to go. Try putting a fan to where it blows over the top of the water it should help. You can also freeze plastic bottles and float one in the tank till it thaws then replace with another when needed. They are reusable for doing this.

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The bottle idea is a good one. This won't change the temperature too rapidly? The only problem with doing this is that there is no time-release system and we are frequently away from the house for hours at a time.