# water chiller



## mikeydean (Sep 16, 2013)

I'm going to have to get a chiller for my res. The Active Aqua Chiller is what I'm looking at, is there anything else I need to get to make this work, something to submerge in the res? Thanks


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## Hushpuppy (Sep 17, 2013)

Yeah besides the water chiller, you will need a roughly 5gal reservoir(I found that a cooler works ideally), a water pump that pushes about what the instructions on the chiller says(If I remember correctly, it has 2 temp/gpm settings for the chiller. If you get the stronger pump then the water it is pushing will only get so cold, while if you get the lower gpm pump, the water it is moving will be colder.) You will also need some hose to connect the pump, reservoir and chiller together, as well as hose clamps.

Now there are 2 ways to hook these up: If you want to connect directly to your existing reservoir and pull the rez solution through the chiller, then you will not need a reservoir. I don't recommend doing that as over time the nutes will eventually clog the chiller flues. I actually run a separate water system where I got some 1/2" copper tube about 20' long and I gently worked a 5' section into a tight enough coil that it would fit inside my solution reservoir. Then I connected that coil to my chiller and water reservoir with 1/2" hose so that my chiller water stays separate from the solution rez. I cut holes in the top of my cooler and placed my pump inside it so that I would push water from the cooler through the chiller, out to the copper coil in the solution rez and then back to the cooler. Once I got it running and all the air out of the lines, I sealed it up so that no contaminants would get into my chiller water. With the chiller set to 68f, My rez stays at 68-70f constantly 

You can look at my stealth cabinet grow journal and I have pics of my setup


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## Hushpuppy (Sep 17, 2013)

If you look at frame #60 in the stealth cabinet grow journal you will see my chiller setup. I use the 1/4hp chiller for 2 reservoirs in 2 5x5 tents with the 160gph pump and it works quite well. My 2 reservoirs together equal about 60gal of water to cool. If you are going any bigger and/or they are in a fairly warm environment, you may want to go to the 1/2hp chiller.


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## mikeydean (Sep 17, 2013)

I run a 40 gal res. I thought that you was not suppose to put copper in the nutes?  I think that the 1/4 hp will be great..


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## Hushpuppy (Sep 18, 2013)

I don't know about not putting copper in the nute solution, I haven't heard anything about that. I have had mine working in my 2 rez all summer and last summer and haven't noticed any problems.  Having only 40 gal rez, the 1/4hp unit will work quite well for you


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## mikeydean (Sep 18, 2013)

Copper and aluminum are toxic to plants. The nutes will eat up both metals. Have to use stainless  


found this somewhere else :hubba:   just sayn'​


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## Hushpuppy (Sep 18, 2013)

They are only toxic in high amounts. Since we do regular water changes and keep the PH at a relative level, I don't see too much building up, but I don't know enough about that. I haven't seen any problems in my plants but I will have to look into it.


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## trillions of atoms (Sep 18, 2013)

what are your rez temps?


alot of times just insulting the rez will fix the issue...

maybe not but idk.


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## mikeydean (Sep 19, 2013)

75 to 78 Way too hot


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## trillions of atoms (Sep 20, 2013)

no its not....for what application?


are you asking for advice or giving it?

you give minimal info and act like you know....


you can have this one bro.


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## mikeydean (Sep 20, 2013)

trillions of atoms said:
			
		

> no its not....for what application?
> 
> 
> are you asking for advice or giving it?
> ...


 

Dind't mean to step on your toes! :chillpill: :chillpill:   Take two of these and some of this :joint:  and you be OK!


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