Water Chiller Selection

Fundamentals Nutrients & Water
#1

I know of several threads mentioning Water Chillers. Im looking at the 1/10 HP models Active Aqua, or EcoPlus.

I wish I could find cheaper unit, as this seems very excessive for cooling 1 plant. I have thought of expanding down the road, to two Grobos or Grow Boxes, if everything works out.

Can you use these Water Chillers for multiple reservoirs? If so, it would make it easier to purchase, knowing it could be expanded to chill two units in the future.

Also, anyone have preference or experience with either of those Chillers?

Im still new, and waiting for my Grobo to arrive(two days!!!), but like to prepare everything in advance. I’ve already got seeds, hooks, hygrometer-meter(smart app enabled), back-up nutes, and scrog net.

The Grobo will be in a brand-new Insulated Garage, the temperature stays mid 70s, but I’m worried this will be too hot for the water - Thus the water chiller, and hopefully Ive got everything covered.

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#2

One i have can be used for multiple res just has to be split off and a good pump. I’d get an external fan to keep air circulating better, pointed at top of grobo. Also a ph and ec meter may help troubleshoot if needed

#3

I’ve been getting by with the cheapo

It was originally endorsed by some, then trashed as Chinese junk. I admit that there is a learning curve but I’ve been using it for the last 90 Days. YMMV

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#4

It works okay for you?

I looked at that one, but the Amazon reviews terrified me.

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#5

Mines had no issues thus far. Well except that I had to bumb my temp up 2 degrees because of condensation leaking into grobo from hoses. O and Stephen said the chillers are/can be altering the dosing mechanics because the floats are “jumpy”

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#6

it has so far. I’ve found that during the drain and fill, turn the unit off by long pressing the enter button, then unplug the power supply. when the unit is done draining, unplug the pump. After the unit is full of water, leave the power off to the pump and chiller for 2 hours then power it back up. If you don’t, the water will freeze inside the chiller

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#7

I’ve left mine on without pump active for 5 hours+ and no freezing. I unplug pump during d&f then plug back in. Make sure pump is external. Allows more area for root growth. I also had to make a Home Depot run to grab correct hoses when unit arrived

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#8

Thats good to know. Thanks! I might try that one, it saves 100s if it works good.

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#9

The pump on the cheapo is internal, about an inch and a quarter cubed. I don’t think room for root growth is a problem

#10

Good luck buddy :call_me_hand: still tho I wouldn’t want to adjust what grobo has done too much

#11

I bought that same one. Was so hard to figure out how to use. Setting a temp and finding the right range for it to turn back on was so annoying. I’m not using it on this first since my roots are already well established and I dont want to be messing in the tank and mess up the roots. I might use it on my next grow depending on how this one goes.

#12

I don’t think you can use the same chiller on multiple reservoirs, because the nutrients are going to get mixed. Unless they’re expected to have the same mixtures at the time time, it’s not possible in the usual configuration.

You could build a copper heatsink out of some hardware store pipes, put it in the bottom of each rez and then daisy chain them together with a single pump and chiller. This will move cold water through, cooling both (much slower), without mixing any of the nutrients.

When I build my grow room, I’ll do something similar with 2 reservoirs. Bottom one gets chilled by chiller and then pumps it’s nutrient water through a heatsink to the one on top.

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#13

Yeah - This was my thought as well. You just confirmed. Almost easier to just use 2 cheaper chillers, if I ever go that far.

#14

You could do a closed loop hose. Instead of using the actual reservoir water. Would cool with the ambient temp of the hose and bubbler would stir. Just wrap a few loops inside and then to the next unit. You could use copper or stainless with a smaller diameter. Might not be as perfect but I think you could dial it in. Then nutes would be unchanged.

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#15

I agree. The Changlish is atrocious! I figured it out, mostly trial and error. Don’t ask me to repeat the process :joy:

#16

Honestly just go for the easier, more expensive unit if you’re trying to get a chiller. I set mine at 63 degrees when I installed it, and except for flipping the switch before a dain/fill, I haven’t touched it since. If I ever need to daisy chain things together, this thing can definitely do it with some extra (cheap) DIY hardware.

I’d rather have the workhorse easier to use and higher quality with cheap extension parts than multiple cheap workhorses. My future stress levels are already thanking me for the $200 extra I spent.

#17

Don’t keep me in suspense @Tito, which chiller did you get? I was up all night researching chillers and every time I found one someone would spoil it with bad reviews.
I was about to settle with this one until I saw this new topic.

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#18

I’ve been going through the same motions! I stayed away from the jbl chiller you are showing, because the price was much higher. I want good quality, but don’t need top of line.

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#19

Looking at the reviews I felt it was better for me because of the reviews with people saying, “I’m on my third chiller because they don’t last anytime” I personally would hate to have to buy another unit days, weeks or months later. I am still deciding though.

#20

I use this one :point_down:It works great and is easy to use. No problems at all:

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image3024Ă—4032 2.46 MB

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