Chiller - set up?

[alistair]

Previously I ran my little Via Aqua chiller with a seperate MJ1200 pump, out of the sump into my tank ......
I now have picked up a larger Chiller and need some advice about set up .....

How many people run their chillers of seperate pumps?
How many "T" their chillers off their return line?

 

[Tim]

I use a seperate pump.....

 

[albfelix]

i use main pump to feed the chiller and return back to tank, not sump! No headloss, no extra heat, no extra noise, no extra pump. Feed that splits from main tank and chiller is controlled by 2 true union ball valves.

 

[tommy818]

i run my 1/3 hr chiller with no pump.i use a 3/4 in tubing which i syphon water from the tank into intake pvc connected to my sump .this method works just as good as a pump.thiis way u never have to worry that the pump might jam or burn out.and if the power ever goes out the syphon will stop but so will the chiller'

 

[Wes]

100% of my return passes through the chiller before it reaches the display tank.

 

[NYreefNoob]

i used a separate pump that ran my reactors also

 

[albfelix]

100% of my return passes through the chiller before it reaches the display tank.

that kind of setup will ONLY work if the return pump is rated the same as what the manufacturer recommends for the chiller!

 

[dmr2000]

I use a external pump for my skimmer and chiller I t off with shut off's to control the flow to each of them you can see if you look at my pic's I have posted.

 

[Sean]

100% of my return passes through the chiller before it reaches the display tank.

Yes
A properly plumbed chiller should return back into the display. It shouldn't be looped back into the sump. You don't want to chill chilled water.

 

[tommy818]

dont make a difference where it returns

 

[NYreefNoob]

chill chiller water ? actually my sump was about 3 degree's warmer from all the pumps in it. intake it by tank drain and it drains out by the return pump

 

[tommy818]

use all external pumps it will help the method i posted on this topic works no pump continuious syphon this way your cooling the tank water

 

[Sean]

dont make a difference where it returns

really?

So i guess it's ok to put the return right next to the intake of the chiller.

 

[Sean]

I like to use the main pump.

If the main pump is to strong then T it off and use a flow meter but it should still return back into the main display from the sump.

Also if your controller has a temperature probe it should go into the sump or where the chiller is pulling from.

 

[Wes]

dont make a difference where it returns

actually it does. If you return back to the sump you will chill the water in the sump quickly, then it cuts off and the display has hardly had time to chill. This causes the chiller to cut on and off more frequently than it need to. Which can decrease the lifespan of the chiller.

 

[tommy818]

i trying to figure your logic but what i meant was it doesnt matter if the water returns to the sump or the tank because the water either way is going back into the main display tank. my syphon method from the display takes the warmer water from the tank runs it through the chiller to the sump then the chilled water goes back to the tank.

 

[rjs5134]

I run my entire return through the chiller. The flow is slightly more than the chiller is rated for, but doesn't impact performance noticeably.