Water chiller recommendations for DIY cold plunge?

[Anna.scott]

I been using our cold plunge setup pretty religiously for the past few months and I`m ready to upgrade from the ice hauling lifestyle to something more sustainable. Thinking it's finally time to invest in a proper water chiller. Looking for something reliable that can hold temps steady (ideally around 39–50°F), doesn't sound like an aircraft taking off, and won't break the bank. Our tub is roughly 100 gallons and outdoors, if that helps for sizing. Bonus if it's energy efficient, we're in this for the long haul, not the utility bill drama.
Anyone use aquarium chillers, DIY mods, or is it worth just going with a plug and play cold plunge specific unit?

 

[444ANGEL444]

I been using our cold plunge setup pretty religiously for the past few months and I`m ready to upgrade from the ice hauling lifestyle to something more sustainable. Thinking it's finally time to invest in a proper water chiller. Looking for something reliable that can hold temps steady (ideally around 39–50°F), doesn't sound like an aircraft taking off, and won't break the bank. Our tub is roughly 100 gallons and outdoors, if that helps for sizing. Bonus if it's energy efficient, we're in this for the long haul, not the utility bill drama.
Anyone use aquarium chillers, DIY mods, or is it worth just going with a plug and play cold plunge specific unit?

I FEEL YOU. Hauling ice gets old real quick so props for finding ways to make it sustainable. For a 100-gallon setup I doubt you need the aquarium chillers because that's too much work with mods and plumbing. Cold Plunge and Penguin setups are pretty good and they're plug and play, too. No more hassle!

 

[SubZeroSoaker]

Good call on skipping the ice runs! For a 100-gallon outdoor tub, a ½ HP Penguin Chiller is a great choice. It's quiet and keeps the water between 39–50°F without a hitch. Just remember, you'll need to get a pump and filter to go along with it. Aquarium chillers can work, but they often don't have enough power for that size. Plug-and-play units are really simple to set up but can be a bit expensive.

 

[olds0ulfrank]

I been using our cold plunge setup pretty religiously for the past few months and I`m ready to upgrade from the ice hauling lifestyle to something more sustainable. Thinking it's finally time to invest in a proper water chiller. Looking for something reliable that can hold temps steady (ideally around 39–50°F), doesn't sound like an aircraft taking off, and won't break the bank. Our tub is roughly 100 gallons and outdoors, if that helps for sizing. Bonus if it's energy efficient, we're in this for the long haul, not the utility bill drama.
Anyone use aquarium chillers, DIY mods, or is it worth just going with a plug and play cold plunge specific unit?

A cold plunge specific chiller is the way to go, they keep temps steady, aren't that loud and use energy efficiently. DIY setups might save cash upfront but can cause headaches later.

 

[chillritualist761]

Good call on skipping the ice runs! For a 100-gallon outdoor tub, a ½ HP Penguin Chiller is a great choice. It's quiet and keeps the water between 39–50°F without a hitch. Just remember, you'll need to get a pump and filter to go along with it. Aquarium chillers can work, but they often don't have enough power for that size. Plug-and-play units are really simple to set up but can be a bit expensive.

Thanks for the tip! For a 100-gallon tub with a ½ HP Penguin chiller, what pump flow rate would you recommend to maintain steady 39–50°F temperatures without overworking the system?