Active Aqua AACH50HP Water Chiller

Curated from 75 real Reddit conversations

Refreshed on: March 17, 2025

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Active Aqua AACH50HP Water Chiller

Brand: Active AQUA
Price: $874
Snoop Score:
8.2
Sentiment
6.7
Popularity
7.8
Technical
8.8
Buy on Amazon for $874See All Chillers Reviews
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Snoop's Take

The Active Aqua AACH50HP Water Chiller is a robust cooling solution designed for aquariums, hydroponics, and cold plunge baths, with a capacity ranging from 90 to 172 gallons. Users have praised its effective cooling performance, with many noting, "I have it chilling to 38F daily and I'm pretty sure it can go lower," showcasing its ability to maintain precise temperatures even in challenging conditions. Despite some criticism regarding the chiller's loudness and occasional struggles to maintain the set temperature, the overall sentiment leans towards a strong recommendation for anyone needing reliable temperature control in their aquatic setups.

Not for you? Check out our other rated Chillers

I have an Active Aqua one and it's great.

Positive Feedback

ActiveAqua chiller not bringing tank down to temp.

Negative Feedback
Product
8.2
Active Aqua AACH50HP Water Chiller
Buy on Amazon for $874
Aquarium Temperature Regulation
8 / 10
Hydroponics and Aquaponics
9 / 10
Commercial Reservoir Cooling
9 / 10
Versatile Cooling Applications
9 / 10
See how this compares to all Chillers

What it does well!

Key strengths users can’t stop talking about.
Effective cooling performance
“I have an Active Aqua one and it's great.”➕
“I have the same chiller, 1/4 HP, on a 40gal breeder and have no issues keeping water 62-64F in a 75F home.”➕
“I got a stronger one and now it’s working great.”➕
“Everything is great so far but I’m in TX and it gets very hot here in the summer.”➕
Highly recommended for effective cooling
“That is a great chiller I strongly recommend it.”➕
“This is the one I bought and it has been terrific, though.”➕
“Texas summers can be brutal, and that much direct sun will definitely make your chiller work harder.”➕
Effective cooling capability
“I have it chilling to 38F daily and I'm pretty sure it can go lower.”➕
Effective water temperature management
“It’s a penguin chiller, they say it’s less wear and tear on their chiller to keep it set 24/7.”➕
“I set my chiller to 50 F and leave it on all the time.”➕
“I run mine 20 hours a day.”➕
“it only cycles on a couple hours a day given the insulation.”➕
Effective cooling performance in hot climates
“5 months no issues, keep it at 42 degrees.”➕
Reliable performance in hot climates
“all was good works well for me...”➕
Keeps water at a steady temperature
“Keeps it at a steady 62 no problem.”➕
Active Aqua chillers can achieve low temperatures
“Active aqua chillers can keep it near 60F.”➕
Highly effective cooling performance for aquariums
“We now have 3 in a 60 gallon and haven't had to change anything about the filter and chiller.”➕
“The ActiveAqua has fittings for 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch.”➕

Where it needs some work!

Areas to watch—feedback on possible improvements.
Chiller struggles to maintain set temperature
“ActiveAqua chiller not bringing tank down to temp.”➕
“I’ve been having issues with keeping her tank cool for a while (in the sense that the chiller is almost always 'on').”➕
“I notice this morning that my tank it at 73 when it should go no higher than 66.”➕
Struggles to maintain temperature effectively
“It's a branded simple aquarium chiller that does not live up to their claims that it can chill a tub in 2 hours.”➕
“STAY FAR FAR AWAY!”➕
Missing components and poor customer service
“I wish I would've just spent more and got the ice pod.”➕
Chiller is quite loud
“I have one and it's really quite loud.”➕

Compare On All Talked About Dimensions

Product NameImagePriceScoreCompareSee DetailsBuy Now
BAOSHISHAN Aquarium Chiller 42gal Water CoolerBAOSHISHAN Aquarium Chiller 42gal Water Cooler$289
8.9
DetailsBuy
Ezcasch Aquarium Chiller for Cold Plunge and HydroponicsEzcasch Aquarium Chiller for Cold Plunge and Hydroponics$354
8.7
DetailsBuy
EcoPlus Commercial Grade Water Chiller 1.5 HPEcoPlus Commercial Grade Water Chiller 1.5 HP$1349
8.4
DetailsBuy
Active Aqua AACH50HP Water ChillerActive Aqua AACH50HP Water Chiller$874
8.2
DetailsBuy
Dreamtrue Aquarium Chiller 79 GalDreamtrue Aquarium Chiller 79 Gal$349
7.7
DetailsBuy
Poafamx 42gal Aquarium ChillerPoafamx 42gal Aquarium Chiller$279
5.8
DetailsBuy

Core Power Plays

The specs and strengths that make it shine.
Need for proper pump performance for optimal function
“Woah 80% on the 1hp???? Holy fuck. That would explain the amazon review disparity.”➕
“That sounds about right with what I see around the internet.”➕
Active Aqua Chiller is not specifically meant for aquariums
“it has good reviews but is not specifically meant for aquariums although people can use it on aquariums & axolotls.”➕

Buyer’s Cheat Sheet

What to check before you click ‘Add to Cart.’
Difficulty finding affordable alternatives
“Looks like I’m going to have to break down and get a chiller so I can keep my Axolotls in my reptile room.”➕
Challenges with finding affordable alternatives
“IMHO it is the best chiller on the market and the choice for high end cold plunge brands such as blue cube.”➕
“you think the ecoplus is the move?”➕
Challenges with finding affordable alternatives in the market
“People always look for bottom line price but they end up paying twice!!”➕
Need for continuous pump operation
“Did you read the AA manual? It's only like 2 pages after all the warnings.”➕
Suggestions for alternative chillers
“I’d really love your help, thanks!”➕
“Not cheap but I really like my JBJ Arctica, it runs quiet and works great.”➕
Performance depends on ambient temperature
“Depends on your ambient temperature, but yes.”➕
Challenges with finding affordable chillers
“I have since learned that’s not the case.”➕
Need for additional components to set up the chiller
“Still confused. aquarium chiller question I’m aware that connecting the chiller to a canister is ideal, but that’s just not an option right now.”➕
“Most chillers include a small submersible pump and length of tubing.”➕
“Oh ok. So I DONT need anything but a chiller, pump, and some vinyl tubing??”➕
“Mine didn't, I had to buy this submersible pump and all the tubing.”➕
Need for compatible flow rate between chiller and filter
“I was told I could connect it to the filter, which was awesome but then read somewhere the flow rate has to be compatible.”➕
“Unfortunately you wont be able to hook the chiller up via canister because the canisters flow rate is too slow.”➕
“How do I know which pump would be compatible?”➕
“Curious to see if the Active Aqua 1/10HP worked out for you?”➕
Alternative chiller options are being considered
“We decided to go with the AQUA EURO USA MAX CHILL 1/10 HP TITANIUM WATER CHILLER.”➕

Cautionary Callouts

Know the pitfalls before they catch you off guard.
Concerns about drop shipping and product authenticity
“either way website looks legit and so are products just wondering if anyone has tried it ?”➕
Chillers produce heat that needs to be vented
“I know chillers produce heat that they need to vent as they run.”➕

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