Chiller for 4 Bucket System?

So I want a chiller for a 4 bucket system with no reservoir. I'm not really sure how a chiller works, does it also have a pump in it that circulates water through a hose? Can I run the hose from each bucket (with insulation around the hose when it goes out of the bucket)?

(I don't want the added expense of a reservoir.) So after watching a youtube video, it looks like I need pump and a 4-way splitter on both the pump (inlet) and pickup (return) sides. Anyone else do it like this?

and a mop.

Yea, now that I think of it there is no way it will pull exactly equal amounts of water in and out of each bucket so one or more will quickly overflow while others will go empty. I guess a res is the only way.

why not make the switch to coolers and not add a chiller?
They hold temp for days and are easily chilled with a frozen bottle of water .

I'm not saying it can't be done but I've just never really attempted rdwc, if you do it the right way I'm sure there is no problem with flooding.

never looked into it because I always thought there's more risk of flooding things, like with my ebb monster water is pumped from the main res and into a controller bucket, gravity takes over at that point and the controller bucket has float switches so it fills up the controller and shuts off the pump.

Maybe just insulation over and around buckets will work? I'll try that.

people use foil tape and things like that, depends on room temp as to whether it will actual keep temps down to a safe level.

You just need a control bucket for proper water levels. Just use frozen plastic bottles for temp control, usually 5 or so degrees below room temp.

Chillers more setup for RDWC or something that is feeding satellite reservoirs from a main one.

Ya i looked a chiller for single dwc fuck all that noise. There are better ways to drop rez temps

cavor, what better (quieter) ways did you find?

more expensive but you could do a ice probe in each bucket.

ice probe in a cooler even better.

Ya but ice prodes have 2 have good air movement around them or they freeze up, you have yet another hole to seal, and for $115 a bucket not worth it. Remberme you need to have room temps at about 70 to have rez temps no more than 73. Get an ac and put you airpump in the path of the ac units air flow. that will drop rez temps alot. Also i have found that with this hobby nothing is qiuet shit my lighting controller has a relay trigger that is loud when it clicks on. also i have two box fans and a recirculating fan that moves my ac air around

Yup true the only way your going to get your res temps proper without useing a cooler is by getting ur ambient room temps as low as u want your res temps to be.. Its the cheapest way too a chillers not gonna cut it not if its constantly fighting to keep the res temps low because the res temps are going to want naturally sit at eoom temp anyhow..
If i was u id rig up a simple rdwc i just built 3 of them it is possible but use your controller bucket as described earlier keep it cool with frozen 2 liter bottles simple and problem solved really.. U can get a cheap ac unit on ebay for like 150 its the best way to go trust me ive been thru it all keep ur room temps proper the rest will fall into place.
Peace

dbkick - Sweet setup brother. Love the ingenuity. Is your setup posted somewhere as a DIY project? Would love the details on something like that. I primarily use WaterFarms, but tough to keep temps low in my location.

I guess the portable ac route is the way to go, thanks dl.

Nl problem man heres a pic of a simple rdwc i just built all im doing is useing the pump to push water thru the buckets back to the controller buckets.. I pit equalizer pipe between the buckets connecting them all up solved the flood and drain issue and keeps all my buckets water level the same with a constant swirl of fresh water replacement.. Im putting a frozen 2 liter bottle in the controller bucket keeping my temps between 68-74...
I got a portable ac unit set at 77 so ambient room and res temps never get up over 77 direct your ac air to the floor and allow it to blow on your water and air pump problems solved..
Hope it helps

So just having a single pipe going in and out first bucket to next bucket till last one goes back to res may cause uneven water levels?