Quick questions about Aluminum in res.

joe macclennan

Well-Known Member
@Machead...what kind of pump with filter will catch all of the dissolved salts from entering the chiller if it weren't a closed loop? And if you were removing all salts what good would it be to the plants?

you are right. some do talk utter bollocks sometimes! ;)
 

joe macclennan

Well-Known Member
lol. okie dokie then. Just because it's still working doesn't' mean it's still running efficiently. I will guarantee that if you could see the inside of the heat exchanger you would be shocked.

I wouldn't count on it running another three years if I were you.
 

joe macclennan

Well-Known Member
hey man, I'm not saying you can't do it that way. You can, and I have before.

but without a stainless coil and a closed loop system your chiller will lose efficiency and eventually plug up.

different nutes and water types and filtration would all play a part in this.
 

machead

Well-Known Member
If broke tomorrow it already done it's job £250 is nothing to pay out when get perfect grow!

I really couldn't grow with out one as water temp get to high to quickly.
 

waterdawg

Well-Known Member
I work on chillers quite a bit and from my experience if it is not a closed loop they will plug up with deposits. Flushing a core will remove deposits but if the core is copper or aluminum most flushing chemicals will destroy the coil. Most of the chillers I work on have either stainless, zinc alloy, titanium alloy, or cupronicle. To do what you want you really should use a closed loop but why not just use two res's and pipe in two closed loop heat exchangers for each res with one chiller. You may need a small inline circ pump to move water for grow res loop to keep it at temp you want. There are many ways to pipe what you need with out using two chillers. The stuff I work on is quite large so may not be cost effective for what you are trying to do, if interested PM me. I'm sure i could come up with a cheap cooling piping schematic.
 

lakew00d

Well-Known Member
Oh wow, a lot of replies.


So I made a easy Ice Box with a car trans oil cooler,its really sweet. ill get pictures.

But I am going to make the DIY ice box in a closed loop like a few of you said.
and chill it with water bottles but chill my Res with my water chiller.

Does that sound good?
 

lakew00d

Well-Known Member
DSC_0135.jpg
Yea this is what I made, its will cool it after the lights so I can keep the room closed and introduce C02.

Cost me only about 7 dollars, the cooler was free
 
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