Help me with my latest score please

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I visited my buddy in Foster City, who had sitting all alone and looking very sad, a CC-25 Polar Bear Chiller made by Via Aqua.

After some fast talking and an agreement to give it back if he finds he needs it (Yeah right), I obtained a new toy!!

For people who have chillers, any recomendations for set up or plumbing. I plan to drop the hoses into the sump on opposite sides.

I don't want the heater to fight it, any suggestions on how to set the chiller and heater to be in harmony.

I had planned to set the heater lower at about 77 or so and set the chiller at about 80. The three degrees are for wiggle room and thermostatic error range. Is this typical?

Oh yeah....most important, I assume they have internal pumps? These manufactures don't expect people to buy a $400 dollar chiller and THEN a pump for it do they?

I want to make sure of the operation, before I break it and have to replace it. -Thanks Doug

 

[Pico1]

I've heard that some require pumps. I've also heard that slow flow through the chiller is best. Google CC-25 Polar Bear Chiller and see what retailers and the manufactures of this product have to say about it.

 

[dots]

Tried that first....thanks

I usually try to research my dumb questions first, and ask here when I run into a wall


I pretty much have figured out that I need to use a pump......off to Home Depot for 3/4 hose instead of the 1/2 I just bought!!:mad2:

 

[boviac]

Sorry Doug. I checked online for the chiller you bought. I do believe it (Polar Bearâ„¢ Chiller CC25 Spinning Compressor with Titanium Heat Exchanger http://www.commodityaxis.com/ProductData.aspx?id=62 requires a pump. There are chillers that have drop in coils. Those type if placed in an optimum high flow area of your sump will not require a pump. Otherwise you'll need one.

First I assume you have a sump and return pump. Going from there I use my return pump on my 50 gal to go through the chiller and then up to the tank. Others I know like how Mermaid Aquariums had their WMC setup had an independant pump and return in the sump for the chiller. I'm not sure if the chiller has its own temp regulator but you may be able to run the two (pump and chiller( simultaneously. I personally would rather run water full time throught the chiller for two reasons. 1) once the chiller shuts off there is still colder refrigerant that can be used to cool tank down further (I get usually an additional 0.1F drop after it shuts off. 2) some aquarium pumps don't like to be switched on and off and may not come back on. At that point your chiller can become damaged if no heat exchange is occuring inside.

My chiller is a life saver in the summer here in the sac valley. I use evaporative cooling (i.e. fans) but occasionally I do have it come on above 82.5F.

Good luck.

Chris

 

[Fragmented]

Do you have a controller? The controller will regulate the heater and chiller not to compete. I have mine set at 78 for the heater and 79 for the chiller. I had them at both at 78, but raised the chiller to keep it from running too much. One degree made quite a difference.

 

[Reefugee]

Ditto with what Rachelle (Fragmented) said. Put it on a dual stage controller so that the chiller and heater does not compete.

 

[dots]

Nope, I havn't gone too gagety yet....I was looking at them the other night, and seem to be what I need for the long run.....along with the phosban reactor, uv sterillizer, and ozonizer and a closed loop system I have been thinking of plumbing.......ah TOYS!!!

I just got the hoses I need, and the Via Aqua pump I have in the display to use for the chiller. Though the display won't be lacking I still have two 820 Seios, a small via for behind the rockwork, and the return still churning things up.

I should have that sucker running in a little while!!!

 

[Sparkss]

a 2 stage temp controller or jsut an AC Jr will do what you need. I had the same chiller (or was our the larger one ?.. don't recall and don't feel like walkig downstairs to look ). It most definitely requires a pump. Here is the thread of our recent setup. The hose just to the right of the Berlin XL (being used as an ozone reactor) is the one that feeds the chiller :

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=7278393#post7278393

The return can be seen in the last picture in this post (from the same thread) :

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=7278385#post7278385

The curved pipe with water coming out of it just to the left of the fitting that the red 1/4 tubing it connected to.

Hope that helps at least a little bit. We just replaced our chiller with an eco cooler. It is still temporarily plumbed, so no picutres until we can get it to it's permanent placement (just as soon as I build it).