Res Chiller

[WillWorkForBuds]

Hey do you guys think this would work well for a res chiller?


I would like to try making a copper coil that will be about a foot long and sit in the bottom of my res. I would remotely connect the copper coil to a bucket that has very ice cold water in it and pump that water through the coil that is in the res. Ive seen it done the other way around, but I dont like that idea as much if this would suffice.

Would it make more sense using saltwater so I can keep it colder without freezing it. Or maybe using anti-freeze?


Let me know whatcha think

 

[cabanetforester]

Hey WWFB

Hey WWFB

I tried what I think you are describing. I used the coil from a water cooler, submersed in a large cooler (for insulation) of water much like Dopest did. The chiller loop was cooling about 14-16 gallons.




In this photo I had 4 plants 1 each in 10 gallon tubs. Only 2 of the tubs were chilled using the loop.The other 2 were left out of the loop. All 4 did fine , but the 2 in the chiller loop had much more trich production. They were 3 different strains so that could be the main factor with the trichs. I don't really know I'm only speculating, but I think the lower root zone temps might have helped (70F).

This was many months ago but I believe this pic is from that grow also.


This low powered chiller loop (1/20 hp) was able to maintain 14-16 gallons @ about 8-10 degrees below ambient closet temp.I used water heater copper flex tubes bent into a U shape and 3/4" ID hose.

This did work for all intended purposes, but I never liked the idea of having that copper in contact with my nute solution. I just dont know what affect it might have on the other minerals in the solution, If the copper could cause some to fallout of suspension or have some other undesired effect.

One big plus about making a chilled water loop is the obvious ability to have different nutrient profiles in each DWC for growing different strains or possibly a perpetual grow, which I have never tried but sounds interesting although probably too much work for my needs.
Anyway hope this is of some help I only did the 1 run with it but it did work to the benefit of the plants IMO. Peace, CF.

 

[rastagrass]

you can dip thecopper tubing in the plastic /rubber stuff that you dip tools in to keep the copper from poisoning your nutes.

 

[Deeyou]

My friend just freezesa 3 gallon bottle of soda filled with water into an iceblock and drops it in the res.

Always works well....

I have also read people doing this to grow purple strains indoors. Using that in conjucntion with an AC to drop room temp to around 50-55

 

[YwouldntI]

soda 3 litres w/frozen water should work you just have to freeze a couple at a time so you can do the switcharoony when the one melts yaknow

 

[NiteTiger]

Bucket of water in a mini fridge. Run your water from that thru your copper coil. Or vice-versa. Just make sure you don't let it get too cold.

Just to clarify, if you dip the coil, you're insulating it, and defeating the purpose.

 

[NoSayHombre]

Probably the last thing you want to get is copper toxicity. Look it up. If you reach that level, your plants will not recover no matter what you do. Do not put exposed copper tubing in your res. period. Been there, done that, lost a crop.