Help with chiller size purhase please

[happyherb]

Hi....I'm looking to buy a chiller to run in this Australian summer...I will be making a RDWC system with 20 ltr buckets for 12 plants(so 12 buckets) plus a controller of the same size(makes 13)....and probably a 40-50 ltr top off tub/container(but does that even need to be chilled?)....the room already has an A/C....dont know how good it is....but I'm sure it will help to lower the temps a bit(lights will be run at night)

So.....what size do i require?


I'm looking at the "Hailea HC" type(the black ones)

http://www.guppysaquariumproducts.com.au/cooling-heating/chillers.html

Also...am I on the right track....do I also need a (submersible) pump to run this?....if so what size liters per hour/minute??

I would appreciate any help to make the correct purchase.Thanks.HH.=]-~

 

[willostat]

well if you are chilling 20x13 liters for a total of 260 liters then I would go with the 1/10 hp as it can handle 400 liters. Always go with the next larger size. you will need a submersible and a roll of 1/2 inch black tubing the chiller doesnt move water at all its passive and needs the pump. The chiller will kick out a little heat so if its running a lot the rooms ac is good

 

[happyherb]

hey willostat...thanks...yes the 1/10th makes sense...but have read posts awhile back with people with similar numbers being recommended going for 1/4(maybe i was missing something from those convo's?..eg other environmental factors they faced?)...so wanted too check the facts here(a chiller's new to me and not a piece of equipment i have any experience with)


so the pump needed...is there some ratio to size?....(eg 260 liters = 260 liter per minute pump needed...per hour pump ...or ...etc?)

 

[willostat]

if you want fast results than go with the higher hp. A 1/10 will chill it but it will slowly do so over the course of hours. If you want it to run less and cool it much quicker then go with a 1/4hp especially if money is not a concern. Just for reference I use a 1/10hp on an aeroflo i set it to 69F but this is merely 30 liters or 8 gallons. It only runs for about 15 minutes at a time to get it down a few degrees F once an hour. So with your setup it would be running a lot if not constant. As far as your pump goes there is no ratio im aware of but recycling faster means more volume is exposed to the chiller. But with high volume, the solution spends less time in the chiller and wont be as cool.

 

[happyherb]

Thanks for that....I went for the 1/4..so if i scale up things ,I'm still covered....and/or if things get way hotter than I expect I'm still good.HH. =]-~