We recommend our partner, That Fish Place-That Pet Place, for all your TIC equipment needs. They offer TIC kits, as well as individual items, at discount prices for TIC educators. For drop-in chillers, we recommend Tradewind Chillers. Contact Hal for assistance at (760) 233-8888 or twchillers(at)sbcglobal.net. Below, you will find
Equipment List Except for the chiller, all the standard TIC equipment is listed in the table below. The brands listed are those that have been successful in classrooms. Comparable equipment should also work. Fluval 405 canister or Hagen AquaClear filter *Many different types of filters and media are currently in use. Preferences vary from state to state and region to region. Follow the advice of your supplier for a heavy load. The filter media you choose should be able to handle a high quantity of waste and should support a large colony of beneficial nitrifying bacteria. **The tubing size and lengths needed, as well as any tubing clips or clamps needed, will vary with your set-up, including which chiller you choose to use. Suitable Environment Materials In addition to the above materials, you will also need:
You will need a chiller to keep the tank's water temperature at about 50° Fahrenheit. Most chillers are only designed to chill aquarium water to around 60°-70° Fahrenheit. Therefore, for our program, we must purchase chillers that are rated for a larger size tank--for example, for a 55-gallon TIC tank, we purchase at least 1/4 horsepower chillers which are technically designed for 100-125 gallon tanks. Some classes prefer to purchase 1/3 horsepower chillers, just to increase longevity by decreasing wear. By using a more powerful chiller, we decrease our chances of burning our chiller out after only a year or two. Here are the most popular chiller options: 1. AquaEuro -- available from That Fish Place-That Pet Place
Glacier Corporation Chiller - Ph# (714) 557-2826 1/6 Horsepower -1 year warranty – Immersed Coil Type (Cooling coil is placed in water)– While this unit is very durable and has been the standard in the past, the chillers below are now generally preferred. No tubing or pump needed for the chiller. A pump will be needed for the UV sterilizer—use what is recommended for the UV flow rate. 3. TradeWind --a reliable, well-priced alternative Many TIC programs have been having great luck with chillers (a variety of styles and sizes) from TradeWind Chillers. Notes about the pump:
Each year, each set-up will need a few new items:
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