Water Chillers~!

Vumar

Vumar

Well-Known Member
So I have noticed there are several brands on the market that advertise either hydroponic or aquarium water chillers. The aquarium water chillers seem to be a bit more expensive but can handle cooling larger amounts of water. Is this because the heat ex-changer material in these aquarium chillers is different? I know copper isn't used because it will kill coral (anyone have a DIY dehuimidifier made into a chiller?! DO POST PICS!) but I thought they used titanium-something for all heat ex-changers not just aquarium ones? They must cheap out on the hydroponic ones since they are $100-$200 less. /shrug

Anyone got an answer for this?

Im also interested in which brands people have used or use for their grows. Any suggestions/guidance? Thanks in advance~!
 
dbkick

dbkick

Well-Known Member
I believe the jbj or wtf it is tty bitches about is aquarium use mainly but don't quote me .
Something about a pvc tank that breaks.
 
dbkick

dbkick

Well-Known Member
These aqualogic ones with the drop in coil seem to do a really good job but they cost about a grand for 1/3 horse.
I like the drop in coil a lot. I also have a half horse active aqua but I think it hardly ever comes on since the drop in keeps a steady temp in the room with co2.
 
jijiandfarmgang

jijiandfarmgang

Well-Known Member
Like I said, I have a jbj arctica and I really like it. Look on the reefer forums, they take their chillers seriously.

I have a active aqua chiller that is junk. Straight out of the box the fan was hitting the condenser.

- Jiji
 
Vumar

Vumar

Well-Known Member
jijiandfarmgang said:
Like I said, I have a jbj arctica and I really like it. Look on the reefer forums, they take their chillers seriously.

I have a active aqua chiller that is junk. Straight out of the box the fan was hitting the condenser.

- Jiji
Click to expand...
I am all for buying quality products but these JBJ chillers run $200-$300 more than active aqua. You get both chillers new I am assuming?
 
jijiandfarmgang

jijiandfarmgang

Well-Known Member
Vumar said:
I am all for buying quality products but these JBJ chillers run $200-$300 more than active aqua. You get both chillers new I am assuming?
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Yuppers. I'm not saying you have to go with jbj. Do your own research. But you'll find plenty of threads on the ecoplus and active aqua being junk. Depending on the size of chiller, and if you buy online, it may be cost prohibitive to ship it back and return if an issue arises.

- Jiji
 
Vumar

Vumar

Well-Known Member
jijiandfarmgang said:
Yuppers. I'm not saying you have to go with jbj. Do your own research. But you'll find plenty of threads on the ecoplus and active aqua being junk. Depending on the size of chiller, and if you buy online, it may be cost prohibitive to ship it back and return if an issue arises.

- Jiji
Click to expand...
You saved me from buying junk, much appreciated.
 
redi jedi

redi jedi

Well-Known Member
Vumar said:
So I have noticed there are several brands on the market that advertise either hydroponic or aquarium water chillers. The aquarium water chillers seem to be a bit more expensive but can handle cooling larger amounts of water. Is this because the heat ex-changer material in these aquarium chillers is different? I know copper isn't used because it will kill coral (anyone have a DIY dehuimidifier made into a chiller?! DO POST PICS!) but I thought they used titanium-something for all heat ex-changers not just aquarium ones? They must cheap out on the hydroponic ones since they are $100-$200 less. /shrug

Anyone got an answer for this?

Im also interested in which brands people have used or use for their grows. Any suggestions/guidance? Thanks in advance~!
Click to expand...
That's the main difference between a general purpose chiller and a aquarium chiller...the material the heat exchanger is made from. Higher quality materials are needed for the aquarium chiller due to highly conductive/corrosive water being circulated through it.

A general purpose chiller is usually installed outdoors and use a water/glycol mix. So the HX doesn't need to be as corrosion resistant.
 
Vumar

Vumar

Well-Known Member
redi jedi said:
That's the main difference between a general purpose chiller and a aquarium chiller...the material the heat exchanger is made from. Higher quality materials are needed for the aquarium chiller due to highly conductive/corrosive water being circulated through it.

A general purpose chiller is usually installed outdoors and use a water/glycol mix. So the HX doesn't need to be as corrosion resistant.
Click to expand...
And these units that can be installed outdoors and use water/glycol are different than the active aqua as well? Im looking for a brand that you are referring to
 
redi jedi

redi jedi

Well-Known Member
Well not really different in design, its more about application. A general purpose chiller doesnt come much smaller than 2hp. Which is about the largest aquarium chiller you will find.

A general purpose chiller should be run closed loop with water /glycol. While aquarium chillers are generally run open loop/inline.

I cant really recommend a specific brand. All the chilling equipment I have encountered is industrial...really large.

I'm sure @ttystikk can chime in here
 
dbkick

dbkick

Well-Known Member
redi jedi said:
I have a 1/10hp Coralife, a 1/4hp Ecoplus and a 1/3hp USA(?)...all do the job I ask.
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I have a 1/10th horse active aqua , a 1/2 horse active aqua and a 1/3 horse aqualogic and I can say the same.
Although I do like the aqualogic much more even though it has no thermostat.
 
ttystikk

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
redi jedi said:
Well not really different in design, its more about application. A general purpose chiller doesnt come much smaller than 2hp. Which is about the largest aquarium chiller you will find.

A general purpose chiller should be run closed loop with water /glycol. While aquarium chillers are generally run open loop/inline.

I cant really recommend a specific brand. All the chilling equipment I have encountered is industrial...really large.

I'm sure @ttystikk can chime in here
Click to expand...
A chiller is defined as a compressor driven unit that cools water and rejects its excess heat into the air. Size is irrelevant to the definition.

In practice, anything smaller than one hp is designed for keeping a small volume of water cool and won't have capacity for anything else.

Once a chiller has crossed that threshold, it's starting to have enough capacity to act as an environmental control unit- so if there is a delineation between small and large, that's probably it.

In industrial chilling, glycol is added to the cooling circuit to protect against freezing temperatures outside. The way to keep lines from freezing from the action of the chiller itself is to ensure a certain minimum flow rate of water through the unit. Glycol does NOT add to the cooling capability of the system, in fact it doesn't carry thermal loads nearly as well as water does; its whole purpose is just to prevent freezing.

There is no upper limit to the size of a chilling system; the Hoover dam is riddled with cooling lines from its construction in the 1930s... and it's STILL shedding excess heat from curing concrete. That's big!
 
redi jedi

redi jedi

Well-Known Member
ttystikk said:
A chiller is defined as a compressor driven unit that cools water and rejects its excess heat into the air. Size is irrelevant to the definition.

In practice, anything smaller than one hp is designed for keeping a small volume of water cool and won't have capacity for anything else.

Once a chiller has crossed that threshold, it's starting to have enough capacity to act as an environmental control unit- so if there is a delineation between small and large, that's probably it.

In industrial chilling, glycol is added to the cooling circuit to protect against freezing temperatures outside. The way to keep lines from freezing from the action of the chiller itself is to ensure a certain minimum flow rate of water through the unit. Glycol does NOT add to the cooling capability of the system, in fact it doesn't carry thermal loads nearly as well as water does; its whole purpose is just to prevent freezing.

There is no upper limit to the size of a chilling system; the Hoover dam is riddled with cooling lines from its construction in the 1930s... and it's STILL shedding excess heat from curing concrete. That's big!
Click to expand...
Glycol is also a corrosion inhibitor...never said it had anything to do with capability.

It is also a lubricant in some cases..
 
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Vumar

Vumar

Well-Known Member
ttystikk said:
A chiller is defined as a compressor driven unit that cools water and rejects its excess heat into the air. Size is irrelevant to the definition.

In practice, anything smaller than one hp is designed for keeping a small volume of water cool and won't have capacity for anything else.

Once a chiller has crossed that threshold, it's starting to have enough capacity to act as an environmental control unit- so if there is a delineation between small and large, that's probably it.

In industrial chilling, glycol is added to the cooling circuit to protect against freezing temperatures outside. The way to keep lines from freezing from the action of the chiller itself is to ensure a certain minimum flow rate of water through the unit. Glycol does NOT add to the cooling capability of the system, in fact it doesn't carry thermal loads nearly as well as water does; its whole purpose is just to prevent freezing.

There is no upper limit to the size of a chilling system; the Hoover dam is riddled with cooling lines from its construction in the 1930s... and it's STILL shedding excess heat from curing concrete. That's big!
Click to expand...
Actually your basic concrete takes 40 years to fully cure.The water runs its course through the concrete/cement mix and is eventually evaporated into the environment then the salt damages are revealed after 40 years.
 
ttystikk

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
Vumar said:
Actually your basic concrete takes 40 years to fully cure.The water runs its course through the concrete/cement mix and is eventually evaporated into the environment then the salt damages are revealed after 40 years.
Click to expand...
The Hoover dam is so large that it is still shedding heat from its building and will for centuries to come... and the coolant lines were cast into it. This is straight from the tourist info.
 
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