Help with Aquarium Pump

[Muckdog]

Hi, I just recently purchased a Robobrew to brew in my small apartment. Instead of taking the shower nozzle off of my kitchen sink each time and adapting the chiller, I plan on filling my sink and pumping cold water through the chiller using an aquarium pump. My question pertains to the pump output and the chiller output. I'll need 1/2 inch hose for the chiller output, so I'm looking for an aquarium pump that also has a 1/2 inch hookup. Does anyone know of any pumps that I'll be able to attach a 1/2 inch hose to? Thanks in advance.

 

[Smellyglove]

You can look into those smaller solar pumps, 12V or 24V. They have threads so you just need a female threaded barb.

 

[golfindia]

The fountain pumps at harbor freight all come with an assortment of adapters.

 

[ba-brewer]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DWORE6E/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I have one of these, works better for water than it does for wort.

 

[golfindia]

Those little 12/24v pumps don't have anywhere near the capacity necessary for pumping chiller water. I use a 600-ish GPH fountain pump and it's not enough....

 

[ba-brewer]

When I brew lagers (5gal batch) I run tap tap water through my immersion chiller to get the temp down to the 70s. Then using a small pump like the one I linked before, I pump ice water thru the chiller and I can get the temp down to low the 50s. I think my chiller is only 3/8" tubing.

I have also used a pump like this one too.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JWJIC0K/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I start with just enough water in the bucket to circulate thru the loop then add blocks of ice to the bucket and use the return water to melt the ice blocks.

Someone posted a formula and I believe it takes about 10lbs of ice to chill 6gal of wort from 80 to 50.

 

[Muckdog]

Those little 12/24v pumps don't have anywhere near the capacity necessary for pumping chiller water. I use a 600-ish GPH fountain pump and it's not enough....

So I took your advice and went to Harbor Freight, however, I purchased a 200 GPH pump since I didn't see this post. I have yet to try it since I don't have the tubing, but I'm assuming this isn't going to work. Once I get the tube, I'll give it a shot. I just need an alternative way to pump the tap water through without hooking the chiller directly to the faucet, but if this pump doesn't work, then I'll just get the necessary connections for the faucet.

I really only need to get temperatures into the 70s for now as I will not be brewing any lagers soon.

 

[golfindia]

If you have cold tap water, it should work fine. I'm in FL, my tap water is 72 deg. I use this pump:

https://m.harborfreight.com/lawn-garden/pumps/620-gph-submersible-pond-pump-63314.html

I pump 80F pool water through the CFC until I get below 100F, then recirculate ice block chilled water from a cooler. After 100F, the CFC spits out 65deg wort. Takes about 30min to chill a 10g batch

 

[Muckdog]

Do you think the 200 GPH will work, or should I go return it before trying it and get that one?

 

[golfindia]

I'd return it if you can.

 

[SEndorf]

Rather than filling your sink and using a weak aquarium pump, why not try a scew on sink faucet adapter similar to this.

 

[Muckdog]

Rather than filling your sink and using a weak aquarium pump, why not try a scew on sink faucet adapter similar to this.

I have a shower head sink at my apartment and it's a pain to remove the shower head. On top of that, for some reason when I did get it off, the hose with the attachment retracts into the pipe, which makes it nearly impossible to pull it out.

 

[SEndorf]

You have a shower head on your kitchen sink?
Not trying to be a PITA.. just trying to understand your setup.

 

[Muckdog]

It's basically a shower head haha. I just meant the style. It's like this:

And there is a place for an attachment when you remove the head, but removing the head is very annoying, and once you do, the hose and the end retract up into the top curved portion of the faucet and you can't easily pull it out.

 

[SEndorf]

Now I know what you mean!
By gawd.. I have the same faucet.
It's a great faucet, but not at all good for what you're trying to do.
Is there a way to put a tee connector under the sink with a valve?

 

[Muckdog]

Yeah that's it haha, it sucks. I'd be hesitant since we rent the apartment, but I haven't checked. I figure if I fill the sink, then start the pump and run the sink, it basically replicates the flow coming directly from the sink. I can also add ice to the side of the sink where the water is being pumped from to cool it down.