Budley Doright
Well-Known Member
Lol yes a few trays. I have 8x8 but way to small
anybody put a air pump in the freezer ?
- Thread starter bryan oconner
- Start date
Budley Doright
Well-Known Member
Battery????
bryan oconner
Well-Known Member
why not just stomp on it . buy a new one .
HydroRed
Well-Known Member
Could one make a water chiller out of a mini fridge?
Run a pump from res to a coil of copper in the fridge, then it exits out of the fridge back into the res. If you have a 20' length of copper coiled in the fridge it would have to cool it more than a cpl degrees before it gets back to the res I would think? If it runs too cool then put the pump on a timer or a thermostatic outlet. No bells n whistles, but think a thrifty diy'er could build it for under $120 and easily chill up to 25-30 gallons.
Hell, I might just build one lol
Run a pump from res to a coil of copper in the fridge, then it exits out of the fridge back into the res. If you have a 20' length of copper coiled in the fridge it would have to cool it more than a cpl degrees before it gets back to the res I would think? If it runs too cool then put the pump on a timer or a thermostatic outlet. No bells n whistles, but think a thrifty diy'er could build it for under $120 and easily chill up to 25-30 gallons.
Hell, I might just build one lol
Airwalker16
Well-Known Member
It's been done before. Although copper would be best for cooling properties, nutes interact with the metal. So you'd want to use some type of very thin walled poly or vinyl tubing.
Budley Doright
Well-Known Member
I run a copper coil (300') underground that circulates glycol through a heat exchanger then open loop water system is redirculated through the res's and creates great waterfalls. Yes your fridge ideal would work but getting your hands on a cooling coil that fit in the fridge would be better, and yes if possible it is nice to separate the water systems, I know that with the ph we run a pool heater would leach into the pool and void warranty, seen it happen lots here, that also may be due to the water being heated
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HydroRed
Well-Known Member
I run a copper coil (300') underground that circulates glycol through a heat exchanger then open loop water system is redirculated through the res's and creates great waterfalls. Yes your fridge ideal would work but getting your hands on a cooling coil that fit in the fridge would be better, and yes if possible it is nice to separate the water systems, I know that with the ph we run a pool heater would leach into the pool and void warranty, seen it happen lots here, that also may be due to the water being heated
What if I were to use 1/4" Stainless Steel tubing? I found a 50' section I could make the coil from if it will hold up better than copper?
Im sure I could find a 20' section far cheaper if I searched a bit longer but this was the first thing I came up on:
https://www.zoro.com/value-brand-coil-tubing-welded-14-in-50-ft-304-ss-3adc8/i/G3080332/?gclid=CLqE36v-1M4CFQqnaQodkGULAg&gclsrc=aw.ds
I found a small used mini fridge on craigslist for $25. I'm thinking I could piece this project together relatively easy for under $100 considering I already have everything but the tubing and the fridge... that is if SS will work for the coil.
Airwalker16
Well-Known Member
Hydro my man, the ecoplus 1/10 hp chillers have come down CONSIDERABLY in price the last monrh. Why don't you just pick this up and have a reliable way to keep water temps down?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000W4S45C/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1471869284&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=ecoplus+1/10+hp+chiller
SEE EVERYONE I FUCKIN TOLD YOU. THESE ARE NOW BACK UP TO $320 ALREADY. So don't come crying to me I'd you didn't buy one when I told you all to a few days ago.
HydroRed
Well-Known Member
I actually don't even need it since I don't grow in the summer. I'm just wanting to see if I can build something that would be expensive and effective for cheap. This thread just happened to create some interest.
Budley Doright
Well-Known Member
I don't grow when it gets hot either and yes the stainless steel coil would be much better I think, just run an open loop then. Yup I could have bought a chiller but what fun would that be lol.
Budley Doright
Well-Known Member
Even with only growing in the cooler months having a chiller has really improved things in the root zone and the plants seem to do better by limiting res temps to 66 and keeping canopy in the high 70's
HydroRed
Well-Known Member
I run on average between 68-72 with no chiller (res sits on concrete slab). I actually keep my room temps a bit lower than most. Rarely does my room exceed 77*F or drop below 68*f on cold midwest winters with lights off. Do you think I would benefit being a bit lower res temp wise? I get ok root growth & health,but theres always room for improvement.
Budley Doright
Well-Known Member
My plants certainly seemed to do better and I was kinda doing the same as you. Last year when I started the outdoor temps were unseasonably warm and the res temps went up to 75-76ish and I got the rot. Couple of guys here convinced me to chill the water so I bit the bullet. Things seem more stable as far as PH, plants seem healthier. I have only completed two grows with the chiller so it's hard to say if it will help with every strain and every grow, I am probably going to run a few of the strains that I know so it will be a good test. Thinking White Russian next if it's at the seed store when I go in next time
, love that shit lol.