Help picking water chiller, need to order asap

BigGreenHulk

BigGreenHulk

Active Member
Hi everyone like it says. I have to order a water chiller as my temps are trying to linger in the low 70s (72-74) I have been keeping it at the upper 60s (67-68) with a few frozen solo cups through out the day but i have to get the chiller.

First hydro setup, ladies ( 4 in total) are slightly vegging from seed in a 12 gallon bubbleponics setup until they get a bit bigger to go into the rdwc ( 4 site with epicenter, just like the current culture 4 site but built myself way cheaper)

Total of five 8 gallon buckets (so less than 40 gallons would be good for a 1/10) , plus a reservoir. My hiccup is I know I will going 6 and then 8 site down the road so I do not know which cooler to go with. 1/10, 1/4, 1/2 hp?

Any experts able to help? thank you
 
GBAUTO

GBAUTO

Well-Known Member
Honestly, my rez is almost always above 75. Been that way for 3 years now. Hydoguard or GFF keeps phythium at Bay.
Chillers are sized for total system volume. Base your choice on that.
If I remember correctly, a 1/4 hp should be fine for 40 gal.
 
BigGreenHulk

BigGreenHulk

Active Member
GBAUTO said:
Honestly, my rez is almost always above 75. Been that way for 3 years now. Hydoguard or GFF keeps phythium at Bay.
Chillers are sized for total system volume. Base your choice on that.
If I remember correctly, a 1/4 hp should be fine for 40 gal.
Click to expand...
Thanks for taking the time to chime in, I appreciate it.

I was thinking the 1/4 may be a bit much on the higher end. I was trying to do the math and it looked like the 1/10 was the way to go in my shoes since I am currently trying to chill 10 to 50 gallons .. but once I go bigger down the road I may or may not need the 1/4 since my ambient room temperature never really goes above 78 I am thinking I should be ok since I am looking to chill it only 10 degrees... Others are cooling from the 90s down to 70 without a problem ... plus it is prime if it didn't seem to work and I have to go bigger.

I will def invest in the hydroguard, I have a ton of advanced nutrients left from my soil run too I would like to use up.. including tarantula, voodoo juice and piranha. Would that be comparable to hydroguard (if you happen to know by chance)?
 

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Joint Monster

Joint Monster

Well-Known Member
Like GB said, if you can keep your water where it is currently, run hydrogaurd or other bennies and you should be fine.

I shelled out on a 1/4hp unit and never had to even use it! My temps stay around 70-74. Heisenburg tea works wonders!

If you are below 74 wit 40 gallons, and plan to add another 48gallons down the road, you might not need the chiller at all. More water will maintain it's temp longer.

If you do get the chiller, consider running it in a closed loop! That way you don't get nutrient/salt build up inside the chiller.
 
BigGreenHulk

BigGreenHulk

Active Member
Thanks folks for the good info.. I ordered a 1/10 from amazon (did it shortly after this post just to be safe) as it is arriving today and that I have it on hand just in case.. If I do not end up needing it I am thankful for prime

Right now temps are sitting at 68-69 as I put a frozen solo cup or two in every few hours to maintain that. I am only using one of the 315 for now as they adjust and grow but then I know the temps will get warmer as I struggle since the ambient temp is around 69-71 in that room as it is.. I have a lot to learn and am grateful folks like you take the time to pass the education along!
 
BigGreenHulk

BigGreenHulk

Active Member
Joint Monster said:
Like GB said, if you can keep your water where it is currently, run hydrogaurd or other bennies and you should be fine.

I shelled out on a 1/4hp unit and never had to even use it! My temps stay around 70-74. Heisenburg tea works wonders!

If you are below 74 wit 40 gallons, and plan to add another 48gallons down the road, you might not need the chiller at all. More water will maintain it's temp longer.

If you do get the chiller, consider running it in a closed loop! That way you don't get nutrient/salt build up inside the chiller.
Click to expand...

I have to say am stumped on running it closed loop, I am searching the net but coming up with crap.. I cannot picture how to effectively do closed loop ..any help on that would be awesome thanks
 
Joint Monster

Joint Monster

Well-Known Member
BigGreenHulk said:
I have to say am stumped on running it closed loop, I am searching the net but coming up with crap.. I cannot picture how to effectively do closed loop ..any help on that would be awesome thanks
Click to expand...
haha, I was waiting for that. (That was me too a little while back haha!)

-So your chiller will have an intake and input outlet for the water.
-You will have to buy a "Wort Chiller" (for like brewing beer). e-bay has then for cheap. Make sure to get stainless steel!
-You will also have to buy a smaller GPH pump to pump the water through the wort chiller
-You pump water through the chiller, through the piping and back into the chiller.
-If it's a submersible pump you may need a separate small bucket to keep that water flowing.

so basically your water is in a "closed loop" .. it goes through the water-chiller-unit, through piping connected to your pump, through the piping that comes with the wort chiller, through the stainless steel wort chiller, and back into the water-chiller-unit. You put the Wort Chiller inside of your main Rez.

I'm not master, but I've also received a lot of great help from the awesome people around here!
This thread of mine might help you quite a bit, give it a read! :)
https://www.rollitup.org/t/creating-a-rdwc-setup-could-use-some-pointers.953413/
 
Old school grower

Old school grower

Active Member
Joint Monster said:
haha, I was waiting for that. (That was me too a little while back haha!)

-So your chiller will have an intake and input outlet for the water.
-You will have to buy a "Wort Chiller" (for like brewing beer). e-bay has then for cheap. Make sure to get stainless steel!
-You will also have to buy a smaller GPH pump to pump the water through the wort chiller
-You pump water through the chiller, through the piping and back into the chiller.
-If it's a submersible pump you may need a separate small bucket to keep that water flowing.

so basically your water is in a "closed loop" .. it goes through the water-chiller-unit, through piping connected to your pump, through the piping that comes with the wort chiller, through the stainless steel wort chiller, and back into the water-chiller-unit. You put the Wort Chiller inside of your main Rez.

I'm not master, but I've also received a lot of great help from the awesome people around here!
This thread of mine might help you quite a bit, give it a read! :)
https://www.rollitup.org/t/creating-a-rdwc-setup-could-use-some-pointers.953413/
Click to expand...
For closed loop. I'd use a bucket for the pump just so there is no air in the lines.
 
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