Adding a Prime Mini Chiller to your Solana Aquarium - Current-USA

Adding a Prime Mini Chiller to your Solana Aquarium
The Solana system, by design, is one of the coolest running aquarium systems on the
market today. During the warmer summer months or in warmer environments, however,
the Solana’s ambient temperature may rise to a level that may not be suitable for certain
species or can lead to nuisance algae. The Prime Mini chillers are the perfect addition to
the Solana to offset warmer seasonal temperatures or the addition of high intensity
lighting. The following chart will assist in determining the model of Prime chiller best
suited for your application. If any of the conditions are met in the first three columns the
corresponding chiller is recommended.
Ambient Temp of
room where the
Solana is located
Less than 800F
800F or Higher
Lighting Used
Supplemental
pumps/powerheads
used
150w or less
No
Greater than 150w Yes
PrimeChiller
Model
#2680 1/15th HP
#2635 1/10th HP
Location of the Chiller
The Prime chiller should be placed as close to the Solana Aquarium as possible to
minimize the length of hose between the Solana and the chiller-this will ensure an
adequate flow rate and minimal heat being picked up as the water is returned from the
chiller to the Solana. Do not place the chiller inside of the Solana stand or in any
enclosed or partially enclosed area (like a bookshelf) that will inhibit airflow in and out of
the chiller.
Plumbing the Chiller
1.
A submersible pump will be used to pump water from the Solana to the chiller.
The pump should be placed in the return pump area of the Solana (figure A). Use the
following table for suggested pumps to use for each model chiller.
Chiller
Flow Rate
Danner
Supreme
Maxi-Jet
Pentair
Aquatics
#2680
100-350gph
Models 2 & 3
Model 1200
Quiet One
1200
#2635
300-720gph
Models 3, 5 &
7
Model 1200
Quiet One
1200 & 3000
TAAM
Rio 1100 &
1400
Rio 1400,
1700, 2100 &
2500
2.
Remove the glass top from the Solana, remove the top off bottles from the top off
plate and remove the plate from the Solana. Route the hose to be connected to the pump
through the hole in the top off plate that is closest to the rear wall of the Solana. Attach
the hose to the outlet of the pump as recommended by the manufacturer (make sure both
the pump and chiller are not plugged into an electrical source until all plumbing is
complete). Place the pump into the top off section of the Solana so that it gently rests on
the return pump in the chamber. Place the top off plate and 1 top off bottle back into
position. The other top off bottle can be pre-filled for use once the existing bottle is empty.
Adding a Prime Mini Chiller to your Solana Aquarium
3.
4.
5.
Use 2x900 barbed fittings (or a U tube / canister filter style return kit) to allow
the hose the flow cleanly over the edge of the aquarium to avoid kinks in the
hose. Connect the hose from the pump to the inlet fitting on the chiller as
documented in the instructions.
For the hose returning water from the chiller to the Solana, it is again
recommended to use 2x900 barbed fittings (or a U tube / canister filter style
return kit) to allow the hose the flow cleanly over the edge of the aquarium to
avoid kinks in the hose. The return hose should be directed to the right side of
the protein skimmer or into the heater section (if not being used). Place the
glass top back into position, ensuring the hoses are routed through the cutout in
the glass top,
Ensure that the pump supplying water to the chiller is fully submerged before
plugging it in. It may be necessary to add water to the system to compensate
for water filling the hoses and chiller once operational. Plug the pump
supplying water to the chiller in before plugging in the chiller to check for any
leaks. Once the plumbing is checked proceed with plugging in the chiller and
setting it according to the instructions.
FIGURE A