I have no need for an aquarium chiller - I'm just here to catch a glimpse of Leon! But I have to say that this was a fascinating and educational video. And it was very enjoyable to watch. I bet you could make a video about changing a tire look enjoyable! Great job!
I also came here to see Leon and see how he has grown since molting. I also hope that the Tony lobster that I am keeping will soon molt to remove the scars on its body.
This was an interesting build! 👍 If you revisit this chiller in the future, I'd recommend taking that stainless coil down to a hydraulic shop and having the ends flared so the hose is less likely to ever come loose or leak. I'd also suggest bulkhead fittings on the pass-through locations on your fridge so you have less of a chance of abrasion ever wearing through the hoses, improved air sealing, and less foam exposure (Cabinet foam is extremely flammable. That cyclopentane (analogous to butane) sticker on the back is a warning that the foam is literally full of it). I'd also consider putting the pump on a moisture sensing outlet and routing the hoses above the height of the tank (maybe they already are?) so they could never siphon it empty. I use a 5/8" siphon hose to transfer fuel from cans into my vehicles and the flow rate is is about 1.25 gallons/minute with about a 24" fall. If heat gain through the hoses becomes an issue, pipe insulation is pretty readily available and reasonably inexpensive. It's worth seeking out the stuff with a rubber outer shell that has an adhesive sealing flap. The stuff HD usually carries is just foam with a barely glued lip. The rubber stuff also doesn't "hate" being spray painted so you could somewhat make it match your decor.
As suggested by The Broken Life, you need to grommet where the hoses pass through the metal cabinet. The vibration of the compressor, along with the sharp edge of the hole in the sheet metal will eventually saw through the tubing. While actual passthrough grommets are ideal, one possibility is to force silicone rubber caulk in and around the hole. This will cushion and trap the tubing in the hole, thereby eliminating the sawing motion of the vibration.
@@ValeriePallaoro You still need a grommet or bead of caulk to prevent the sawing motion. The stainless steel tubing would take longer to saw through, but any time you have an "edge" like a hole in sheet metal, you need to ,either bond or grommet. Look at the firewall in your car (sheet metal wall between the engine and interior) every wire or hose is grommeted or bonded.
@@bobcraig3827 I think he can get away with it this time... The hose fits snugly and its got the insulation and plastic to support it from digging into the metal... If there was no insulation I'd agree with you....
Refrigeration tech here. The condensing coil on most modern fridges run along the outside walls of the unit. I'm thinking you got really lucky in not popping one. That unit also has a flammable refrigerant, just felt you should know. Over all, I think this diy is really smart. It should work well for a long time I suspect.
The little guys just have the coils as he showed in the video. Even "active coolers" normally just have one cold wall and you can generally feel where it is.
@@TheBrokenLife He showed the freezer's evaporation coil in the video, it's the condensation coil that's around the outside, but you can feel the warmth. They're usually bonded to the outside metal shell to radiate heat efficiently. And yes, flammable refrigerant happens a lot, which is why there's a large label about it. Big refrigerators have an larger condensation coil with a fan, so their walls are mostly insulation and the occasional wire. My thought was to put it on a stand and go in/out the bottom, which tells you how paranoid I am of the walls...
@@jameswyatt1304 I'd have to watch it again, but I'm used to seeing the condenser right by the compressor with a little fan on it, even on the big guys. Deep freezers would be where I'd expect to see a "warm skin". Oh well... Nothing venture, nothing gained, and it worked out in the end.
I'm not a refrigeration tech but by looking at the copper going up from the back of the unit into the side walls 5:45 I was concerned with his thought process. If you'd like to answer my question though, would it make a difference to the cooling rate overall if he put spacers between the coils? I'm thinking it would be more effective if the metal was being cooled equally on each circumnaviation of a coil, rather than, as is, where the metal to metal touches. It might not, of course, because the metal, once filled with cold water would just cool itself. Thanks. And yes, good build, and opened my eyes, to diy processes.
@@ValeriePallaoro spacers and a fan to move air over them will make the temperature transfer more efficient for sure. However doing that would increase BTU load on the system and might overwhelm that units capacity.
I love DIY projects! This doesn't look too hard for anyone with any skill level to pull off. It's an interesting project. I had fun watching you make it! ☺️
Brady you did such a good job! i first saw this concept about 30 years ago in the aquarium room of my biology teacher. he used the same method to cool down an mediterranean aquarium im summer.
I came here for Leon, I'm staying for your interesting projects and very chill attitude, voice and editing style, which is such a refresher in this era of flashy and in your face media. Keep up the good work! :)
Great low-cost dual-purpose solution. However if you'd like it to function even better you could have the refrigerator and the aquarium in different rooms. The calories removed from the water being released into the same room from the back of the fridge will eventually at least partly end up back in the aquarium water otherwise. One could imagine the refrigerator immediately on the other side of a stud wall to mitigate this with the pipes coming through the wall. Also won't your refrigerator end up wet from the freezer dripping with the drip tray removed?
The metal coil should be immersed in water inside the fridge, remember that air is an insulator so the current setup isn't efficient whatsoever. The fridge then cools the water and it acts like a heat sink, look up home brewing and distilling and you'll understand. The temperature of the fridge can be set much higher thus it won't run constantly and waste electricity.
I was wondering just about this. Maybe a shortened 5 gallon bucket with a hole in the bottom for the lower pipe and then caulk / aquarium sealant around it. I think the water would make the heat transmission MUCH more efficient, like when you add a couple gallons of water to the iced down beer in the cooler to really get it cold fast.
Brady, this was an awesome DIY. I would like to suggest, just for a little more efficiency, some spacers in the coils to allow air to pass between them more easily. I may be wrong as your refrigerator environment may be rather static in regards to airflow, but thought I would suggest it anyway as I suspect a coil spacer would be relatively cheap and easy to find.
Nicely done! You can also increase it's effectiveness buy insulating the clear tubes externally. The more insulation, the less strain on the compressor. I had used a long freezer (a GE I believe) and dedicated most of the right side of it for my 45 gallon tank chiller. It worked well (dropped the temp on average of 15 to 18 degrees in a fairly warm basement) and I had plenty of space left over for other frozen goods to boot, so it was a nice thing to do all around. Say hi to Baxter and Leon for me!
I enjoy your videos so very much! They keep me interested, entertained, and educated… and your narration is especially soothing. I lost my rat terrier a year ago last week and Leon has become a little joy and therapy to look forward to. Keep up the fantastic work and I look forward to many more videos! ❤️
... we can all live through this Leon the Lobster ... he has such an angle in his keeper ... blessings to your unique family ... and ... yes ... please keep these video's coming we love Leon for many reasons ...
Oh! I love nautilus’s! Lol but you can’t rescue one from Publix as they’re not commercially “edible”. I didn’t know they needed cool water as I’ve seen them floating in the Gulf of Mexico side of Florida well as always! Learned something! No I would not “catch on in Florida I never gather shells that are “occupied”
I built one for my 100 gal tank with a much smaller refrigerator and a dinky coil compared to yours , the only difference is my coil is submerged in a bucket of water ! The water temperature is almost a constant temp with no fluctuations when the refrigerator kicks on and off..
@@wayne-oo Not terrible. I'm shooting for at least 50 to get me through the summer. My fridge gets as low as 22 degrees F. Think I can make it work?? I'm on the fence in pulling the trigger on a chiller.
Came for Leon, didn't expect to see Leon. Was pleasantly surprised by Leon and listened to the entire thing in the background with 0 intention of ever needing a chiller XD. Good times were had.
I'm currently working on building a paludarium for some Kaiser newts, and seeing that I live in the scorching central valley in CA, I'll definitely need to get a good chiller for these cold-loving amphibians. Though I'll probably just end up buying a prefabricated chiller, the idea of building one from scratch is certainly intriguing. I might try this project myself once I have a bit more experience under my belt; I'm not a very handy person, and I'm sure I'd find a way to screw this up somehow if I tried it now.
Read all the (well, not all of them, of course) comments. There are some very good tips to add to the functionality of this build, use a second hand fridge (cost reduction) where to site your drill holes (safety) grommet your tube holes (reduces wear and tear on the plastic) don't take out the drip tray (otherwise freezer drip water into the main area of the fridge) There's a hella bunch of knowleagable people in the comments section. Though, my thought is no Kaiser newts in central vally CA, (they are stunning, tho) I'm sure some warm loving species would be kinder (I can't imagine how I'd feel if my cooling system broke down on 'em) Be brave. DIY is really all about failure until you get it right.
Don't hesitate to get your Leon merch. I just got my Leon mug and I love it. Should have got two because I have a sneaky suspicion my husband might steal it, I've seen the way he is eyeing me down as I drink my morning coffee. Thank you Leon, I'll think of you everyday now.
Nice little build, I've been thinking of doing something similar to this for home brewing for a while. A small electric fan to circulate the air around inside the fridge will help with heat transfer.
Forget my animals, my 70 year old house gets to 31°C / 88°F when the antique central A/C is off... Ha! My neotropical reptiles love it, everything else does not. The sheet steel is more than enough to cause that vinyl tubing to fail, over sized hole, filled with expanding foam and rubber grommets would be a safer bet. If you're open to it. You can also wrap the tubing in pipe insulation for a few dollars.
Fairly new viewer here, (Leon Fan) Love your smooth and easy delivery, I could listen to you narrating tying your shoes. If I didn't know any better I'd say you were Bruce Brown (Endless Summer).
I loved keeping fish. Especially goldfish. Then my son put crayons in the tank and it killed my 10 inch goldfish. Nontoxic, my ass. She started life as a feeder fish. I wanted to see how big she could get. I kept getting her bigger aquariums, but stopped at 55gal due to cost/space. RIP Goldy. Original name, I know.
I was looking at doing exactly this a few years back. We had several near 40C heatwaves here in the UK and my aquarium temperature was nudging 27+. I had a spare old fridge and a stainless coil too. Trouble was when i did some basic maths it just wasnt going to do the job for my 400l uk native aquarium getting down below 20C. I just went with heavy aeration and daily 50% cool water changes instead to get the temp down. Shame because it looks like a fun project.
I've got 2 of those same Craftsman drills from my Dad. I used them when I was a kid 45 years ago and they are just as brutally strong today as they were back then!
@@ggburnitup4055 They're a tad noisy, but not as bad as even today's cheap drills. They are powerful... if you have the side handle attached, I've sheared off quarter inch lag bolts driving them into oak. Bolt quit, drill didn't.
@@ggburnitup4055 No problem. They are bigger and a bit clunkier than a brand new Milwaukee or Bosch corded drill, but it's also 50 years old and still taking names!
you should have put silicon culking in around the tubing to seal the holes to prevent air leaks, keep the cold air in the fridge and warm air out.as the cooler works best when air tight, silicon culking should go both on the inside and on the outside.
I subscribed because of Leon, I did not expect to be interested in this. I was wrong. Although maybe I should qualify my interest by saying I am writing this listening to my pond flowing through the DIY filters I mad.
An actual air to water heat exchanger could be had for less than the stainless coil, and it would take up far less room in the fridge. A small one may fit in the freezer section alone, and it would cool way more efficiently than the big coil in the fridge. Bet it would bring that water down many degrees more. It would also leave the rest of the fridge open.
Have you thought of keeping the coil submerged in a bucket in the fridge? Maybe it could help with the thermal transfer and cool down the large tank more efficiently. Just a though and cool project.
@@LHyoutube I thought that's what you were referring to. About 20 years ago I was really into pc builds but could never afford it. I remember PC World magazine showcasing custom water cooling rigs. They were awesome looking and allowed for some crazy overclocking at the time.
Appliance repair tech reporting in for leon. Condescending coil runs along the left, top and right walls. Lower right back wall is safest for drilling. You can get lucky but lower right (facing you)
No risk for Freon leakage "As of January 1, 2020, a once very popular air conditioning refrigerant can no longer be made in or imported into the United States."
Another suggested tweak: instead of bottles of water inside the stainless steel coil, why not cans or bottles of beer? Thus you could enjoy a cold one as you reflect on the tremendous work you have undertaken on Leon's behalf and for our entertainment.
Taking the cold bottles out of the fridge and replacing them with warm bottles often would warm up the fridge and aquarium. Better to have separate aquarium cooling and beer cooling fridges.
@@raccoontrashpanda1467 I had imagined taking beer that was already cold and adding it. You make a good pint. By coincidence I have this beer in my fridge:Trash Panda by the Parallel 49 Brewing Company
When I seen the first video of leon I was like that's awesome he's trying to save a lobster sucks it's going to die and we probably wont get an update I'm glad to see I'm sadly mistaken. And that was an awesome molt video
Great project, you are relying on the air flow within the fridge to circulate around the stainless coil, you could increase the cooling capacity by adding a low voltage fan to blow the cool air through the coil, you can buy usb powered fans from Amazon with speed control for a few dollars.
I wish I would have seen this a few years ago. Maybe Scarface would have made it. Let me explain. So I worked in a grocery store and wanted to rescue a lobster that we had for weeks. Apparently people were picky about eating a lobster that had a scar on its head. Not sure how it got there but needless to say he was the only one left week after week after several replenishments. Scarface was the perfect name for the fellow on death row. There was hope. I wanted to purchase him and take him to the ocean but here in Florida that would of been another death sentence. So I thought about an aquarium but well that was pricey. That along with keeping the aquarium at a low temperature was another problem. Long story short, I went in for my shift one day and found that someone didn’t mind the scar. Thanks for saving Leon and for the learning experience you gave me. Wish I would have done the same. RIP Scarface.
Wow... you gambled twice... and won both times. I had to drill a pair of holes in the side of a little fridge just the same as you did... Very first hole: Pffffsssssssssssssssssssssssssssss! Got a tube.
It is an interesting concept and build but I'm curious to see how long the compressor lasts in the refrigerator. They aren't really designed for a constant heat source and instead for short bursts and maintaining the fridge at a specific temp.
@@EbolaxMonkey It's still going to kill the fridge in a few years, at least when in a warm climate. This concept is the equivalent of leaving the fridge door open all day.
Aluminum tape with insulation tape around the outlet tube could help keep temperatures down even lower, also seal the holes on the refrigerator with foam fill let’s get that thing chilling
Hopefully people get that every non human animal is a living being with individual wants and needs and especially don't want to die for primitive sensory pleasure.
As a failsafe, I'd add a thermostat to shut down the fridge incase it gets too cold. I'm not sure how sensitive he will be to temp swings but a lot of inverts are. Overall a great job!
We need Leon!~ We need Leon!~ We need Bradys description of how Leon is doing! Please get Leon a side by side aquarium filled with other fish, so he thinks he has other aquatic things around him. Or better yet he needs a flat screen tv that projects happy life at the bottom of the Ocean.
Suggest a double flare on the stainless pipe to help the vinyl pipe stay put with the clamp. Firewall pass through plugs will keep the hose from rubbing on sharp edges of fridge where drilled.
Great video! I have a 220 native tank looking to do a brook trout paludarium setup. So the tank would only be filled a little less than halfway. We’ll say 110 gallons. I’m assuming if I created this chiller it would keep that water right around 65ish degrees? Any thoughts? The trout need 65ish degrees to thrive. Thanks again!
Since I saw this video, I've been thinking about drilling two holes in the refrigerator in the kitchen. the 24-gallon aquarium is right next to the refrigerator. Mom...😕
If you live near or in a college town, these types of mini fridges are up on second hand sites like CRAZY this time of year! You could save yourself an extra $100 bucks by buying a second-hand fridge!
I would have used rubber grommets on the metal side where the tube goes through. Looks nicer, seals it good, and protects the vinyl tubing from the sharp sheet metal. Other than that, great idea.
You’re are truly skilled my guy. Really enjoyed this DIY and it is amazing to think how many things it could actually be used for. Thank you so much. Love you guys.
This got me thinking. Wouldn’t it have been easier to use a water cooler? Like the ones you find in offices or waiting rooms, that take the big jug up top,
The chiller needs to be titanium or stainless steel. Copper and other metals can be toxic in an aquarium, and can corrode quickly in salt water. ✌️✌️✌️
Do you have a failsafe, so that if the chiller developed a catastrophic leak it would not drain the aquarium? I can think of two ways-either by placing the variable speed pump high in the aquarium, or by having a water level detector switch off the pump if the water level dropped.
I have no need for an aquarium chiller - I'm just here to catch a glimpse of Leon!
But I have to say that this was a fascinating and educational video. And it was very enjoyable to watch. I bet you could make a video about changing a tire look enjoyable! Great job!
I'm just waiting to see him smothered in butter!
I also came here to see Leon and see how he has grown since molting. I also hope that the Tony lobster that I am keeping will soon molt to remove the scars on its body.
@@redditstoriesrelationshipsusa Yes! More rescue lobsters 😍🦞
@@jagboy69 I'm thinking you'll be waiting for a very long time!
@@nancycowell-miller4321 at least until the algorithm changes or people get bored watching a lobster in a tank.🥴
This was an interesting build! 👍
If you revisit this chiller in the future, I'd recommend taking that stainless coil down to a hydraulic shop and having the ends flared so the hose is less likely to ever come loose or leak. I'd also suggest bulkhead fittings on the pass-through locations on your fridge so you have less of a chance of abrasion ever wearing through the hoses, improved air sealing, and less foam exposure (Cabinet foam is extremely flammable. That cyclopentane (analogous to butane) sticker on the back is a warning that the foam is literally full of it).
I'd also consider putting the pump on a moisture sensing outlet and routing the hoses above the height of the tank (maybe they already are?) so they could never siphon it empty. I use a 5/8" siphon hose to transfer fuel from cans into my vehicles and the flow rate is is about 1.25 gallons/minute with about a 24" fall.
If heat gain through the hoses becomes an issue, pipe insulation is pretty readily available and reasonably inexpensive. It's worth seeking out the stuff with a rubber outer shell that has an adhesive sealing flap. The stuff HD usually carries is just foam with a barely glued lip. The rubber stuff also doesn't "hate" being spray painted so you could somewhat make it match your decor.
For christ sake.... Its a chiller for aquarium water... Its fine the way it sits...lmao....
If only all dads treated their kids as well as you treat Leon ❤
Best lobster 🦞 Dad ever ❤️
Random comparison...you clearly have a story in your life to suggest this, and I'm sorry that you have xx
You should let them discount the fridge as a scratch and dent you could have saved even more money.
Speak for yourself
No kidding.
As suggested by The Broken Life, you need to grommet where the hoses pass through the metal cabinet. The vibration of the compressor, along with the sharp edge of the hole in the sheet metal will eventually saw through the tubing. While actual passthrough grommets are ideal, one possibility is to force silicone rubber caulk in and around the hole. This will cushion and trap the tubing in the hole, thereby eliminating the sawing motion of the vibration.
I was thinking to push the coil ends through the wall and then do all the connections externally. Would that negate the need for grommets?
@@ValeriePallaoro You still need a grommet or bead of caulk to prevent the sawing motion. The stainless steel tubing would take longer to saw through, but any time you have an "edge" like a hole in sheet metal, you need to ,either bond or grommet. Look at the firewall in your car (sheet metal wall between the engine and interior) every wire or hose is grommeted or bonded.
@@bobcraig3827 I think he can get away with it this time... The hose fits snugly and its got the insulation and plastic to support it from digging into the metal... If there was no insulation I'd agree with you....
@@bobcraig3827 it's not sawing through stainless steel dude.
@@EikottXD Saw through the TUBING.
dude
Refrigeration tech here. The condensing coil on most modern fridges run along the outside walls of the unit. I'm thinking you got really lucky in not popping one. That unit also has a flammable refrigerant, just felt you should know. Over all, I think this diy is really smart. It should work well for a long time I suspect.
The little guys just have the coils as he showed in the video. Even "active coolers" normally just have one cold wall and you can generally feel where it is.
@@TheBrokenLife He showed the freezer's evaporation coil in the video, it's the condensation coil that's around the outside, but you can feel the warmth. They're usually bonded to the outside metal shell to radiate heat efficiently. And yes, flammable refrigerant happens a lot, which is why there's a large label about it.
Big refrigerators have an larger condensation coil with a fan, so their walls are mostly insulation and the occasional wire. My thought was to put it on a stand and go in/out the bottom, which tells you how paranoid I am of the walls...
@@jameswyatt1304 I'd have to watch it again, but I'm used to seeing the condenser right by the compressor with a little fan on it, even on the big guys. Deep freezers would be where I'd expect to see a "warm skin".
Oh well... Nothing venture, nothing gained, and it worked out in the end.
I'm not a refrigeration tech but by looking at the copper going up from the back of the unit into the side walls 5:45 I was concerned with his thought process. If you'd like to answer my question though, would it make a difference to the cooling rate overall if he put spacers between the coils? I'm thinking it would be more effective if the metal was being cooled equally on each circumnaviation of a coil, rather than, as is, where the metal to metal touches. It might not, of course, because the metal, once filled with cold water would just cool itself. Thanks. And yes, good build, and opened my eyes, to diy processes.
@@ValeriePallaoro spacers and a fan to move air over them will make the temperature transfer more efficient for sure. However doing that would increase BTU load on the system and might overwhelm that units capacity.
I love DIY projects! This doesn't look too hard for anyone with any skill level to pull off. It's an interesting project. I had fun watching you make it! ☺️
Ya ok…. No some people are just not capable in certain things , I’m one of those people , kudos to you for being you
plz Watch Video. DIY Aquarium Chiller By New_Aquarium_Hobby.
Hi Leon Hi Brady 😙😙😙
Hey Je ne ✌️✌️✌️
How is Leon 🥰
Eaten.
don't comment until seeing the entire video, gosh ..
Brady you did such a good job! i first saw this concept about 30 years ago in the aquarium room of my biology teacher. he used the same method to cool down an mediterranean aquarium im summer.
I came here for Leon, I'm staying for your interesting projects and very chill attitude, voice and editing style, which is such a refresher in this era of flashy and in your face media. Keep up the good work! :)
I ❤️Leon
Great low-cost dual-purpose solution. However if you'd like it to function even better you could have the refrigerator and the aquarium in different rooms. The calories removed from the water being released into the same room from the back of the fridge will eventually at least partly end up back in the aquarium water otherwise. One could imagine the refrigerator immediately on the other side of a stud wall to mitigate this with the pipes coming through the wall. Also won't your refrigerator end up wet from the freezer dripping with the drip tray removed?
The metal coil should be immersed in water inside the fridge, remember that air is an insulator so the current setup isn't efficient whatsoever. The fridge then cools the water and it acts like a heat sink, look up home brewing and distilling and you'll understand. The temperature of the fridge can be set much higher thus it won't run constantly and waste electricity.
I was wondering just about this. Maybe a shortened 5 gallon bucket with a hole in the bottom for the lower pipe and then caulk / aquarium sealant around it. I think the water would make the heat transmission MUCH more efficient, like when you add a couple gallons of water to the iced down beer in the cooler to really get it cold fast.
or at least increase the thermal mass by having a jug of water sitting inside the coil. A mini cooler jug might be perfect fit.
I'm honestly surprised more people haven't pointed this out
@@sebastianwhalin743 they don't teach physics in high school anymore, there's no time left after gender studies and CRT
Brady, this was an awesome DIY. I would like to suggest, just for a little more efficiency, some spacers in the coils to allow air to pass between them more easily. I may be wrong as your refrigerator environment may be rather static in regards to airflow, but thought I would suggest it anyway as I suspect a coil spacer would be relatively cheap and easy to find.
Leon hit the Jackpot when you rescued him. He one lucky lobster 🦞
Probably better odds in the lottery actually
*He IS...
(English for Beginners, Lesson 01)
At first i was wondering why this aquarium video was in my recommended - but then i realised its Leon's dad!
Helping Leon keep his COOL!
😁
I wondering how big Leon will get
The world's largest recorded lobster was a 44-pounder (20-kg) caught off Nova Scotia in 1977, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.
Nicely done! You can also increase it's effectiveness buy insulating the clear tubes externally. The more insulation, the less strain on the compressor. I had used a long freezer (a GE I believe) and dedicated most of the right side of it for my 45 gallon tank chiller. It worked well (dropped the temp on average of 15 to 18 degrees in a fairly warm basement) and I had plenty of space left over for other frozen goods to boot, so it was a nice thing to do all around. Say hi to Baxter and Leon for me!
I figured it out - you're the "This old Tony" of lobsters!
Nothing stops you from.keeping Leon happy and healthy and I'm SO HERE FOR IT💙💙!!
I enjoy your videos so very much! They keep me interested, entertained, and educated… and your narration is especially soothing. I lost my rat terrier a year ago last week and Leon has become a little joy and therapy to look forward to. Keep up the fantastic work and I look forward to many more videos! ❤️
Hello 👋 Lana
How are you doing today
... we can all live through this Leon the Lobster ... he has such an angle in his keeper ... blessings to your unique family ... and ... yes ... please keep these video's coming we love Leon for many reasons ...
Wow, Leon has AC! World's most pampered lobster haha 🦞🦞🦞
Oh! I love nautilus’s! Lol but you can’t rescue one from Publix as they’re not commercially “edible”. I didn’t know they needed cool water as I’ve seen them floating in the Gulf of Mexico side of Florida well as always! Learned something! No I would not “catch on in Florida I never gather shells that are “occupied”
IMPRESSED: The most I could've done is pick up the fridge! Love ya Leon: You got a Great Papa! deb in Sunny SC🕶
I built one for my 100 gal tank with a much smaller refrigerator and a dinky coil compared to yours , the only difference is my coil is submerged in a bucket of water ! The water temperature is almost a constant temp with no fluctuations when the refrigerator kicks on and off..
Thats a good idea
Yeah water would transfer heat much quicker than air.
How cold can you get a 100 gal tank?
@@marcusverhage3679
With 2 inch pink foam on the bottom of the tank in the summer heat of northern Minnesota it stays below 65 F
@@wayne-oo Not terrible. I'm shooting for at least 50 to get me through the summer. My fridge gets as low as 22 degrees F. Think I can make it work?? I'm on the fence in pulling the trigger on a chiller.
I came for the Lobster, I stayed for the cool projects this guy does!
Very cool man! Haha no pun intended 😉
😅😅😅
What a lucky lobster Leon is to have such a caring guardian! Peace and blessings.
This is awesome! Thanks for the info and tell Leon we say hi
Thank you for the "how to" video! And of course ....thanks for saving and filming Leon❤️😇
Came for Leon, didn't expect to see Leon. Was pleasantly surprised by Leon and listened to the entire thing in the background with 0 intention of ever needing a chiller XD. Good times were had.
❤️Leon❤️
I'm currently working on building a paludarium for some Kaiser newts, and seeing that I live in the scorching central valley in CA, I'll definitely need to get a good chiller for these cold-loving amphibians. Though I'll probably just end up buying a prefabricated chiller, the idea of building one from scratch is certainly intriguing.
I might try this project myself once I have a bit more experience under my belt; I'm not a very handy person, and I'm sure I'd find a way to screw this up somehow if I tried it now.
Read all the (well, not all of them, of course) comments. There are some very good tips to add to the functionality of this build, use a second hand fridge (cost reduction) where to site your drill holes (safety) grommet your tube holes (reduces wear and tear on the plastic) don't take out the drip tray (otherwise freezer drip water into the main area of the fridge) There's a hella bunch of knowleagable people in the comments section. Though, my thought is no Kaiser newts in central vally CA, (they are stunning, tho) I'm sure some warm loving species would be kinder (I can't imagine how I'd feel if my cooling system broke down on 'em) Be brave. DIY is really all about failure until you get it right.
Don't hesitate to get your Leon merch. I just got my Leon mug and I love it. Should have got two because I have a sneaky suspicion my husband might steal it, I've seen the way he is eyeing me down as I drink my morning coffee. Thank you Leon, I'll think of you everyday now.
Nice little build, I've been thinking of doing something similar to this for home brewing for a while. A small electric fan to circulate the air around inside the fridge will help with heat transfer.
This man is very smart and very creative! Well done, you’re continuing to make Leon feel more and more at home! 🙂
Forget my animals, my 70 year old house gets to 31°C / 88°F when the antique central A/C is off... Ha!
My neotropical reptiles love it, everything else does not.
The sheet steel is more than enough to cause that vinyl tubing to fail, over sized hole, filled with expanding foam and rubber grommets would be a safer bet. If you're open to it. You can also wrap the tubing in pipe insulation for a few dollars.
Fairly new viewer here, (Leon Fan)
Love your smooth and easy delivery, I could listen to you narrating tying your shoes. If I didn't know any better I'd say you were Bruce Brown (Endless Summer).
I loved keeping fish. Especially goldfish. Then my son put crayons in the tank and it killed my 10 inch goldfish. Nontoxic, my ass.
She started life as a feeder fish. I wanted to see how big she could get. I kept getting her bigger aquariums, but stopped at 55gal due to cost/space. RIP Goldy. Original name, I know.
I was looking at doing exactly this a few years back. We had several near 40C heatwaves here in the UK and my aquarium temperature was nudging 27+. I had a spare old fridge and a stainless coil too.
Trouble was when i did some basic maths it just wasnt going to do the job for my 400l uk native aquarium getting down below 20C. I just went with heavy aeration and daily 50% cool water changes instead to get the temp down.
Shame because it looks like a fun project.
I've got 2 of those same Craftsman drills from my Dad. I used them when I was a kid 45 years ago and they are just as brutally strong today as they were back then!
I kinda wanna know how useful they were
@@ggburnitup4055 They're a tad noisy, but not as bad as even today's cheap drills. They are powerful... if you have the side handle attached, I've sheared off quarter inch lag bolts driving them into oak. Bolt quit, drill didn't.
@@kleetus92 thank you this is helpful especially since I'm doing more practical work in high school where I work with machines
@@ggburnitup4055 No problem. They are bigger and a bit clunkier than a brand new Milwaukee or Bosch corded drill, but it's also 50 years old and still taking names!
you should have put silicon culking in around the tubing to seal the holes to prevent air leaks, keep the cold air in the fridge and warm air out.as the cooler works best when air tight, silicon culking should go both on the inside and on the outside.
Really unecessary!
I subscribed because of Leon, I did not expect to be interested in this. I was wrong. Although maybe I should qualify my interest by saying I am writing this listening to my pond flowing through the DIY filters I mad.
So glad leon is here for us to document! Lobsters are so neat, unique, and amazing. Leon has really grown, and us viewers have learned to love him!
Seems like an awesome diy for future axolotl owners, including myself!
An actual air to water heat exchanger could be had for less than the stainless coil, and it would take up far less room in the fridge. A small one may fit in the freezer section alone, and it would cool way more efficiently than the big coil in the fridge. Bet it would bring that water down many degrees more. It would also leave the rest of the fridge open.
reef tanks have specific needs which he mentions, ie. copper will kill leon
Yea, this seemed a bit over the top.
Have you thought of keeping the coil submerged in a bucket in the fridge? Maybe it could help with the thermal transfer and cool down the large tank more efficiently. Just a though and cool project.
Any chance you're a custom PC builder? 😂
@@LHyoutube Nope, I just like to tinker and build my own stuff when possible.
@@davej652 - Oh OK, it was mainly a joke as water-cooling is a big trendy thing in the custom build PC community 😀
@@LHyoutube I thought that's what you were referring to. About 20 years ago I was really into pc builds but could never afford it. I remember PC World magazine showcasing custom water cooling rigs. They were awesome looking and allowed for some crazy overclocking at the time.
@@davej652 - Overclocking Leon would be cool, imagine the size of his zoomies! 😂
Appliance repair tech reporting in for leon. Condescending coil runs along the left, top and right walls. Lower right back wall is safest for drilling. You can get lucky but lower right (facing you)
No risk for Freon leakage "As of January 1, 2020, a once very popular air conditioning refrigerant can no longer be made in or imported into the United States."
Another suggested tweak: instead of bottles of water inside the stainless steel coil, why not cans or bottles of beer? Thus you could enjoy a cold one as you reflect on the tremendous work you have undertaken on Leon's behalf and for our entertainment.
Taking the cold bottles out of the fridge and replacing them with warm bottles often would warm up the fridge and aquarium. Better to have separate aquarium cooling and beer cooling fridges.
@@raccoontrashpanda1467 I had imagined taking beer that was already cold and adding it. You make a good pint. By coincidence I have this beer in my fridge:Trash Panda by the
Parallel 49 Brewing Company
If you live in a college town, I bet goodwill will have mini fridges for even cheaper, making this project even more affordable.
Did this for a 29 gallon axolotl tank works super effectively u can keep them at natural temps
When I seen the first video of leon I was like that's awesome he's trying to save a lobster sucks it's going to die and we probably wont get an update I'm glad to see I'm sadly mistaken. And that was an awesome molt video
I just bought a small window AC for my office keeps the room and the tank cold.
Great project, you are relying on the air flow within the fridge to circulate around the stainless coil, you could increase the cooling capacity by adding a low voltage fan to blow the cool air through the coil, you can buy usb powered fans from Amazon with speed control for a few dollars.
What is the plural of a beer ? A Keg! Greetings from Germany and thx for your vid.
So cool! Waiting for the Leon update...
Awesome! I have another fun Leon update coming up soon. ✌️✌️✌️
I wish I would have seen this a few years ago. Maybe Scarface would have made it. Let me explain. So I worked in a grocery store and wanted to rescue a lobster that we had for weeks. Apparently people were picky about eating a lobster that had a scar on its head. Not sure how it got there but needless to say he was the only one left week after week after several replenishments. Scarface was the perfect name for the fellow on death row. There was hope. I wanted to purchase him and take him to the ocean but here in Florida that would of been another death sentence. So I thought about an aquarium but well that was pricey. That along with keeping the aquarium at a low temperature was another problem. Long story short, I went in for my shift one day and found that someone didn’t mind the scar. Thanks for saving Leon and for the learning experience you gave me. Wish I would have done the same. RIP Scarface.
nice job. You could have saved more by getting a used fridge :)
There is a problem with the last Leon video it has disappeared.
Yeah I am reloading it now. There was a tech issue. It should be up in a few minutes. ✌️✌️✌️
You did a great job,So smart,you are so good to Leon interesting video ,Thank you🧡🦂
Wow... you gambled twice... and won both times. I had to drill a pair of holes in the side of a little fridge just the same as you did... Very first hole: Pffffsssssssssssssssssssssssssssss! Got a tube.
Lucky Leon with his own refrigerator with sea food mmm!
It is an interesting concept and build but I'm curious to see how long the compressor lasts in the refrigerator. They aren't really designed for a constant heat source and instead for short bursts and maintaining the fridge at a specific temp.
That's why he added the water bottles in the fridge, and freezer area. They stay frozen/cold, and lower the load on the system.
@@EbolaxMonkey It's still going to kill the fridge in a few years, at least when in a warm climate. This concept is the equivalent of leaving the fridge door open all day.
If the stainless steel coil is immersed in a bucket of water , it should overcome it.
What's with mini fridges arriving damaged? Same happened to me.
Aluminum tape with insulation tape around the outlet tube could help keep temperatures down even lower, also seal the holes on the refrigerator with foam fill let’s get that thing chilling
I’ve become emotionally invested in this lobster lol.
Hopefully people get that every non human animal is a living being with individual wants and needs and especially don't want to die for primitive sensory pleasure.
0:21 - Victorinox Swiss Rescue Tool? 😀
I knew Leon was cool, but now it's the case literally!
As a failsafe, I'd add a thermostat to shut down the fridge incase it gets too cold. I'm not sure how sensitive he will be to temp swings but a lot of inverts are. Overall a great job!
We need Leon!~ We need Leon!~ We need Bradys description of how Leon is doing! Please get Leon a side by side aquarium filled with other fish, so he thinks he has other aquatic things around him. Or better yet he needs a flat screen tv that projects happy life at the bottom of the Ocean.
My son has 2 axolotl temp needs to be around 65 degrees .
As Always Brilliant Entertainment. Thank you. P.S. very clever
Awesome Sandi! Thanks for checking it out. ✌️✌️✌️
Wish I could thumbs up twice
Suggest a double flare on the stainless pipe to help the vinyl pipe stay put with the clamp. Firewall pass through plugs will keep the hose from rubbing on sharp edges of fridge where drilled.
Explain how w flare fitting will go on a Vinyl hose?
hey! Brady! keeping more beer cool is always a must and, keeping a hot lobster cool in the process that's a bonus!!
I like this!!! Chill your beer and fish!
Thank you Brady say hi to Leon for me. Peace
DIY!!! This is so helpful!!
Great video! I have a 220 native tank looking to do a brook trout paludarium setup. So the tank would only be filled a little less than halfway. We’ll say 110 gallons. I’m assuming if I created this chiller it would keep that water right around 65ish degrees? Any thoughts? The trout need 65ish degrees to thrive. Thanks again!
110 is large for this chiller. Would be interesting to see though. ✌️✌️✌️
I had a similar design idea to yours, good job
Since I saw this video, I've been thinking about drilling two holes in the refrigerator in the kitchen. the 24-gallon aquarium is right next to the refrigerator. Mom...😕
😅😅😅
Wow this is by far your best video yet, keep up the awesome work! Your voice reminds me of watching how it's made when I was younger
I am curious on how you hooked it up to the aquarium. Is it running into the sump? Or directly in and out of the tank?
🗿
If you live near or in a college town, these types of mini fridges are up on second hand sites like CRAZY this time of year! You could save yourself an extra $100 bucks by buying a second-hand fridge!
Hello 👋 joy
How are you doing today?
Cool DIY project, but I bet it would have been a lot more effective if the coil was in a bucket of water inside the fridge.
I'm watching this in my Leon shirt.
I like my house temp at 65 so he’d be ok here. But I love this video, I didn’t know we could build something like this!
Hello 👋 Stephanie
How are you doing today
I would have used rubber grommets on the metal side where the tube goes through. Looks nicer, seals it good, and protects the vinyl tubing from the sharp sheet metal. Other than that, great idea.
I miss leon the lobster alot. Can you build something for him. Maybe like a cave or something? @
Brady Brandwood
Good job, somewhere around 1/3 - 1/2 price and it stores beer! It's so good Leon did a solo on castanets at the end!
Why not use much smaller (and cheaper) coil and put it into freezer? ...and have much more space for cooling other stuff.
Yeah that would be an interesting idea to try.
You’re are truly skilled my guy. Really enjoyed this DIY and it is amazing to think how many things it could actually be used for. Thank you so much. Love you guys.
This got me thinking. Wouldn’t it have been easier to use a water cooler? Like the ones you find in offices or waiting rooms, that take the big jug up top,
The chiller needs to be titanium or stainless steel. Copper and other metals can be toxic in an aquarium, and can corrode quickly in salt water. ✌️✌️✌️
Very cool, I'm glad it all worked out buddy. We'll done, I'm sure the fish and/or Leon will love the cooler water
Love this moment 😏👉 8:21
I knew someone would comment on that. 😅 Ding Ding! First commenter!
Do you have a failsafe, so that if the chiller developed a catastrophic leak it would not drain the aquarium? I can think of two ways-either by placing the variable speed pump high in the aquarium, or by having a water level detector switch off the pump if the water level dropped.
Yeah the pump is high in the aquarium. Definitely never safe to put the pump at the bottom of an aquarium.