dr.g13

Hey everyone, not sure where i needed to place this question but here we go.

I just installed a 1hp chiller for 2 iceboxes. I have a ~96gallon rez connected to it too. what i was woundering was, what can i add to the water (if anything) that will make the water cool faster in the chiller? i think i read once about "water wetter" but i t hink i also read something about it making slim so i doubt that option would be for me if it were true.

any thoughts/ideas/suggestions would be appreciated. would anti-freeze make the water cool faster?

thanx in advance.

-Doc

GreenDragon2k

2 iceboxes? What's that for?

I really wouldn't recommend pumping anything but pure water through your chiller. If its not getting the water cold enough you need a chiller designed for cold water applications. 85% of the aquarium chillers on the market are not designed to chill water below 65 F. They make special cold water chillers for bait tanks, crab tanks etc. that chill down into the low 40's

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rockpython

anti freeze does not cool.... it's just as it says anti freeze (it lowers the freezing temp with Ethylene Glycol).... how about ice?

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dr.g13

thanks guys. yea i never thought about how i could possibly damage my chiller. the Ice boxes are basically radiators (kinda) that you put into your ducting and it cools the air (water is more effiecient in heat transfers than air is )

With the chiller on and the 2 1000k lights on too the exiting air for both lights is 65.5 degrees F after an hour of running the lights. the chiller is definetly stroung enough (they suggest 1/2HP chiller per light min and 1/3 per light optimum) so it'll be more than able to maintain 84F in my sealed room (well not sealed yet but im just testing everything right now

I was just thinking out loud i guess about liquids that cool faster than water (if any do). cuz when i searched on google for this kind of info there was nothing even close to solid sources or usefull info. I figured people here might have some usefull knowlege.


long story short. lol. i guess ill stick to just water and not mix anything to it because it honestly doesnt need more help cooling. i just love being effiecient


Thanks guys for responding so fast

-Doc

Edit: oh yea I have the Arctica Commercial series titanium chiller 1HP and i think it gets to like 45F . I've seen it go to 49F definetly its an awsome chiller

Peace.

vpur

Water is one of the best refrigerants known to man. Check out liquid bromide chillers.

This is how I see your question:
Your trying to reduce the surface tension of the water to increase heat exchange on the boundary layer.

Well water does have a high surface tension, so surfactants are used in certain processes. If your chiller is SS then you should be able to look for surfactants you can add. Make sure the surfactant is compatible with SS. Most surfactants are.

This is a closed system right? And its not going to your plants in anyway right? Then you should be able to do this. Now I wouldnt trust using that chiller for anything else if you go this route.

IMO i dont think you'll see any benefit from doing this. Its too small of a scale to benefit.

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sek311

Salt.. sodium chloride + water creates a eutectic solution. Eutectic point by mass can be researched. Old fashion ice cream makers and chilled water loops will use salt water. I've worked on some ice rinks that use saltwater. Also why salt is spread on a iced over road. Its a bitch and corrosive should only be used when a system is designed for it. You can attempt it but make sure that heat exchanger is SS used for marine aquariums. Check with the chiller spec and see if your flow rate is correct and if your heat load is too high. water wetter worked great on my old race motors =)