How I started:

Over 10 years ago a friend in the aquarium service business, asked me to take a look at his chiller, I asked what is a chiller ? He explained and I took a look at it an figured out what was wrong and repaired it. He was happy and told everyone. I started getting calls from aquarium service people all around, soon I realized that there is a need for someone willing to fix a chiller. I kept hearing bad stories, people lost there fish, corals and livestock simply because they could not waste time with a (warranty) shipping to and back 2-3 weeks, or found an AC guy to (fix it) (who knows little about a water chillers, and destroys it with wrong refrigerant, over charge, ect.,

So I started COOLFISH INC. :

I only repair chillers, and build custom split high efficiency systems, I use only time tested, user and customer friendly parts and components. I have chiller heat recovery barrels made to order, with high water flow rates, made from sch40 and made in USA.

Living in Florida we experience a lot of lightning and power surges/outages, this causes major problems on start components, overloads controllers after seeing many bad results I made a delay relay box to take the load off the controller,and stop the compressor from coming back one for 3 minutes, letting the unit to balance so it can start easy. It has proven itself over & over again. I also have seen the need for a device to shut off the heat producing metal halide and other lights that heat the water in the event of chiller failure, so I now build to order, light controllers that do just that, giving you more time to possibly save their fish, some controllers I install a load beeper to alert. On big units, i use the same controller as a freez alarm, (freeze outs are rare but they happen) relay sticks, acts of god, ect.

The Ranco controller has proven to be the most user friendly and most reliable controller on the market . It's the only one I like! Needless to say I've seen a lot of good chillers over the years, but the influx of poorly engineered made imports has made me very choosy of what brands are worth fixing and which ones to toss in the trash. ( Hint if it is Cheap. It's CHEAP! )

I have recieved chillers 3 days old, 2 weeks old, a couple months old, if you buy a cheap chiller you are getting a plastic fan, a toy fan motor, a blow mold barrel A very cheap compressor, a horrible controller and there are no USA made parts that can be found to replace bad parts. I now only fix units that have real condensing units (Copeland or Tecumseh). I do not ship any imports for repairs, and I have a very limited service area. Don't make a costly mistake, pay the extra $ on a chiller that will last.

In the last several years one chiller seamed to stand up better than others, the Tradewinds a cousin to the old Custom Sea Life chillers, that is still one of my favorites it is totally repairable and parts are available nationwide.

Good news I have become a authorized retailer for Tradewinds chillers , now my customers can chose to repair or buy a new good chiller. Because Tradewind Chillers are so trustworthy they also offer an extended warranty. You cant beat that!