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Active Aqua water chiller with a front mesh grille, digital control panel, and two top hose fittings.

Gray Active Aqua water chiller with front ventilation grill, top-mounted hose ports, and digital control interface.

Black Active Aqua water chiller with digital control panel, front mesh vent, and two top hose connectors.

Active Aqua Chiller 1/10 HP

Name: Active Aqua Chiller 1/10 HP
Brand: Active Aqua
SKU: AACH10HP
Price: 494.95 USD
Availability: InStock

Active Aqua

Price:

$494.95

Contact us about commercial pricing

Quantity:

Free shipping $49+ on most items

Financing
available here

Discreet packaging

Have a question?
716-217-0353

Set a reservoir temperature and let it hold there

Active Aqua rates this one at 1,020 BTU per hour off 1/10 horsepower and sizes it for a 10 to 40 gallon reservoir fed at 132 to 396 GPH. The heat exchanger is pure titanium rather than coated steel, which is why Active Aqua rates it for salt water as well as fresh and why nutrient solution does not eat it. Power Boost leans on the compressor to get through the first pull down faster, and after that the controller cycles on its own. Plan for one thing: the pump is a separate purchase, and Active Aqua names three of its own, all three of which sit on our shelf in Buffalo.

Free shipping over $49

30-day returns on all orders

Serving growers since 2006

Frozen bottles vs a chiller on the loop

What changes when the cooling stops being something you carry in

Ice bottles and a cold corner	The Active Aqua 1/10 HP on a loop
The temperature is wherever the last bottle left it, and it climbs all day until you swap the next one in.	You set a number on the controller and the compressor cycles against it, with a roughly 3 minute hold off between runs so it is not short cycling.
Someone has to be there. Miss a swap on a hot afternoon and the roots pay for it.	It runs unattended on a 120 V outlet at 2.2 A, so a weekend away is not a planning problem.
Melting bottles dilute the reservoir, and anything you drop in it is one more thing to sanitise.	Nothing enters the solution. It pumps through a sealed pure titanium evaporator and goes back.
There is no capacity figure to plan against, so sizing is guesswork and usually optimistic.	1,020 BTU per hour, which Active Aqua sizes for a 10 to 40 gallon reservoir.
Circulation is whatever your air stones happen to stir up, so the cold sits in one part of the tank.	A pump moves 132 to 396 GPH through the chiller and back, so the whole reservoir arrives at the same temperature.
A bigger reservoir just means more bottles and more trips to the freezer.	The same line steps up when you do: 1/4 HP, 1/2 HP and 1.0 HP all run the same controller and titanium evaporator.

Gallery

The cabinet, the control panel and the hose ports

Before you order

Six things that decide whether this is the right size

1,020 BTU/hr10 to 40 gal

The capacity figure is published, so you can size against it

Active Aqua rates the unit at 1,020 BTU per hour and puts a reservoir range next to it rather than leaving you to guess from horsepower alone.

Pure titanium

The only metal your solution touches

Titanium is why Active Aqua rates the same unit for salt water, and it is the reason a nutrient reservoir does not corrode the heat exchanger.

Power Boost is for the first pull down

It drives the compressor harder to reach your setpoint sooner, which matters most on day one when the reservoir starts at room temperature.

132 to 396 GPH

A flow window, not a single number

Anything inside that range works, which is why Active Aqua names three different pumps rather than one.

120 V190 W

It runs off a normal outlet

2.2 A at 190 W on standard 120 V household power, so no dedicated circuit and no electrician.

R134a

A refrigerant you can still get serviced

R134a is the common automotive and appliance refrigerant, so any refrigeration tech can work on it years from now.

Specifications

Published figures from Active Aqua

Cooling output1,020 BTU per hour

Compressor1/10 HP

Reservoir range10 to 40 gal, or 50 to 150 L

Flow rate132 to 396 GPH, or 500 to 1,500 L/H

Maximum pressure10 PSI

RefrigerantR134a

EvaporatorPure titanium, fresh or salt water

Unit size16.73 in L x 9.76 in W x 15.2 in H

How it works

Four steps from box to a reservoir holding temperature

1

Give it air on every side

Active Aqua asks for at least a foot of clearance at the sides, the top and the back. A chiller boxed into a cabinet dumps its own heat back into itself.

2

Drop the pump in the reservoir and plumb the loop

Out of the pump, into the chiller, back to the tank. Both fittings and two worm drive clamps are in the box, and if the two fitting sizes differ the larger one goes on the inflow.

3

Set your number

Hold SET for about 3 seconds, use the arrows to land on the temperature you want, then press SET again or just wait about 8 seconds for it to take.

4

Flush it every month or two

Active Aqua asks for an internal flush every 1 to 2 months, and the pump pre filter and the air inlet filter get cleaned at the same time.

What you get

In the box, and the pump you need to add

What ships

The chiller, with the pure titanium evaporator and the digital controller built in
Two inlet and outlet fittings, 3/4 in and 1/2 in
Two worm drive hose clamps
Two spare rubber collars
No pump. Active Aqua specifies one of its own submersible pumps and does not include one
Covered by a 1 year Active Aqua warranty to the original owner, so keep your receipt
Ships from our Buffalo warehouse, usually landing in 2 to 5 days
Indoor use only, and not rated for central or house plumbing

The three pumps Active Aqua names

Pump	Price	Where it sits
AAPW160, 160 GPH	$21.95	Just over the 132 GPH floor. The quiet, cheap option for a 10 to 20 gal tank
AAPW250, 250 GPH	$31.85	Middle of the window, and the one most 20 to 40 gal reservoirs want
AAPW400, 400 GPH	$38.45	A shade over the 396 GPH ceiling, for long hose runs or lift

Buying tip: the pump is not optional, so budget $21.95 to $38.45 on top of the chiller. If your reservoir is over 40 gallons this is the wrong model and you want the 1/4 HP at $699.00, the 1/2 HP at $1,099.95 or the 1.0 HP at $1,484.95. Active Aqua does not publish reservoir ranges for those three on any page we can reach, so call 716-217-0353 and we will size it with you rather than guess in print.

FAQ

Questions growers ask before putting a chiller on a reservoir

Do I have to buy a pump, and does it have to be theirs?

You have to buy one, and Active Aqua's manual says to use an Active Aqua submersible pump. The three it names are the ones in the table above and we stock all three. The figure to respect is the 10 PSI maximum on the chiller: these are low head submersible pumps feeding a short loop, not pressure pumps, and reaching for something much stronger is how you find that limit. If you already own a pump and want to check it against the window, call 716-217-0353 with the model.

How cold will it actually get, and how long does it take?

Active Aqua does not publish a minimum setpoint or a pull down chart for this unit, and we would rather say that than print a number we cannot point at. What they do say is that the starting temperature of your solution drives how long the first chill takes, which is what Power Boost exists for. In normal running the compressor stops once the water reaches your setpoint and waits about 3 minutes, or until the water is a degree above it, before restarting.

Will nutrient solution corrode it?

The evaporator is pure titanium, which is the part your solution actually flows across. Active Aqua rates the same component for salt water aquariums, and salt water is a harsher environment than any nutrient reservoir. The fittings and hose are the ordinary wear items, not the heat exchanger.

Where does it need to sit, and can it go in the tent?

Outside the tent. A chiller moves heat out of the water and into the room it is standing in, so putting it inside the tent means your exhaust fan is now removing that heat too. It needs at least a foot of clear air at the sides, top and back, it is indoor use only, and at 16.73 by 9.76 by 15.2 inches it wants about a two foot square of floor once you allow for that clearance.

Will it trip my circuit or run up the power bill?

It draws 2.2 A on a 120 V 60 Hz outlet through an 18 AWG three core cord, so it shares a normal household circuit without any special provision. It is also not running constantly: once the reservoir is at temperature the compressor only cuts in to hold it there, so the 190 W rating is the draw while it is actually cooling rather than an all day figure.

What maintenance does it need, and what is covered?

Flush the internal components every 1 to 2 months and clean the pump pre filter and the air inlet filter while you are in there. A clogged air inlet is the usual reason a chiller stops keeping up, because it cannot shed the heat it is pulling out. The warranty is 1 year from purchase, covering the original owner only, and a copy of the receipt or invoice is required for warranty work, so keep yours.

What if my order shows up damaged, or I change my mind?

If you receive a defective or damaged unit, email us a photo at help@happyhydro.com and we'll take care of you. For change-of-mind returns, we accept returns within 30 days for most items in new, resalable condition. If you're not sure whether this product is right for your setup, call us first at 716-217-0353. We'd rather answer your questions before you order.

Why buy from Happy Hydro?

Happy Hydro has been selling growing equipment since 2006. We've carried Active Aqua for years because the systems work great and customers who buy them leave happy. Have questions before you order? Call 716-217-0353 or email help@happyhydro.com. We're easy to reach and happy to help!

Questions? We're easy to reach.

Happy Hydro has been serving growers since 2006. Call or email us before you order, after you order, or any time something comes up. When you're happy, we're happy.

716-217-0353 help@happyhydro.com

Why Happy Hydro

Why Buy From Happy Hydro

Happy Hydro began as a pipe dream in a garage and has grown into something built almost entirely on word of mouth and repeat customers. Rather than focusing on raising margins and obsessing over profits, we've always believed that the right combination of competitive prices, superior products, and world-class customer service speaks for itself. Our philosophy will never change: when you're happy, we're happy.

Our commitment

What you can expect from Happy Hydro

Real People, Real Growers

Our grower support team isn't a call center. They know the products because they're passionate about growing. Reach us Monday-Friday, 10 am-4 pm EST at 716-217-0353 or help@happyhydro.com, before you order or after.

Hand-Picked by Growers, for Growers

Every brand we carry was chosen by our founders because it performs. We only stock premium brands we believe in, and every item is inspected before it leaves our warehouse.

Fair Prices and Free Shipping

We work hard to keep our prices as low as manufacturers allow, and we include free shipping on orders over $49 so there are no surprises at checkout. Find a lower price anywhere and we'll match it.

Authorized for Every Brand We Carry

We're an authorized dealer for every manufacturer on our site. That means you get the full manufacturer's warranty on every purchase. No grey market, no expired stock.

30-Day Returns on Most Orders

Hard to commit to a product you haven't tried. Return most items within 30 days in original condition and we'll take care of it. Read the full policy.

Secure Shopping, Private Data

Every transaction is SSL encrypted. We don't store payment information and we will never sell your data to anyone, ever.

Volume and Commercial Pricing

If you're a commercial grower or putting together a large order, reach out before you buy. We have pricing available that we can't advertise publicly. Call 716-217-0353 or email help@happyhydro.com and we'll take care of you.

Questions? We're easy to reach.
Happy Hydro has been serving growers since 2006. Call or email our grower support team Monday-Friday, 10 am-4 pm EST, or email us anytime.