Big Tank Heaters - what is your scheme

[yaktop]

have a new 400 gallon system *in New England), whats best, in-line heaters, multiple heater tubes, bi-chiller that also doubles as a heater, furnace heaters?

my 250 system I just used three 300 watters in the sump. Is there a better way ?

Figured I'd ask those whose been in it for awhile.

TIA

 

[paljets]

CustomAquatic has these..
http://www.customaquatic.com/customaquatic/subsubcategorypage.asp?subcatindexid=he-com-ll

 

[forensicdoc]

The first question to ask is whether your home is climate controlled and how warm you plan on keeping your home in the winter. 400 gallons is a lot of water and is quite a heat sink in itself. While I currently live in TN, I have sucessfully kept tanks without heaters in homes that were kept between 65 and 68 degrees in the winter. I am not sure where the idea that the temp in the tank has to be held steady came from, but if you snorkel along coral reefs you will notce quite a variation in temp from spot to spot and from time of day to time of day. Not only do you save the cost of the heaters, you also save the cost of the electricity to run them.

 

[yaktop]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10562522#post10562522 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by paljets
CustomAquatic has these..
http://www.customaquatic.com/customaquatic/subsubcategorypage.asp?subcatindexid=he-com-ll

never seen them before. how reliable are they?

 

[KurtsReef]

I will be going through my first winter (Western NY) with a large reef, sump in the cellar and have been giving the heating of the tank some thought.

Generally we keep the home around 66 in the winter, I had only needed a couple 200w heaters in the 100g system and have added two more 250w heaters to what is now a 500g system...there is a heating duct right by my tank and I thought about having it go under the stand but was not sure if that would be a good idea.

Heating my tanks has never really been an issue, keeping them cool in the winter (no central air) has in the past been a pain in the rear. Having the body of water in the cellar dropped my temp by more than 10F resolving that issue.

My cellar averages near that 65-68 all year so would need to raise the temp of the water by about 5 -7 degrees total. My plan is to simply use (2) 200w and (3) 500w heaters to start the winter out and see how it goes from there...I also in the past ran the same temp year round, I plan on changing that scheme to include "Summer" and "Winter" temps keeping the winter temp (Late Nov-Feb) in the very low range of 70/72 and the summer temp up around 76/78.

 

[yaktop]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10562624#post10562624 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by forensicdoc
The first question to ask is whether your home is climate controlled and how warm you plan on keeping your home in the winter. 400 gallons is a lot of water and is quite a heat sink in itself. While I currently live in TN, I have sucessfully kept tanks without heaters in homes that were kept between 65 and 68 degrees in the winter. I am not sure where the idea that the temp in the tank has to be held steady came from, but if you snorkel along coral reefs you will notce quite a variation in temp from spot to spot and from time of day to time of day. Not only do you save the cost of the heaters, you also save the cost of the electricity to run them.

this is true but the fluctuations arent in the 65 to 68 range in the wild but more like 76 to 84. The water is a heat sink and will retain it for awhile but it needs to be bumped up along the way otherwise your tank would also be 65 to 68 by the end of the winter. I keep the house 68 and even in the basement where the sump is with my old 250 system and I still needed heaters. I wish I didnt and I dont see anyway around it.

 

[yaktop]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10564420#post10564420 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by KurtsReef
I will be going through my first winter (Western NY) with a large reef, sump in the cellar and have been giving the heating of the tank some thought.

Generally we keep the home around 66 in the winter, I had only needed a couple 200w heaters in the 100g system and have added two more 250w heaters to what is now a 500g system...there is a heating duct right by my tank and I thought about having it go under the stand but was not sure if that would be a good idea.

Heating my tanks has never really been an issue, keeping them cool in the winter (no central air) has in the past been a pain in the rear. Having the body of water in the cellar dropped my temp by more than 10F resolving that issue.

My cellar averages near that 65-68 all year so would need to raise the temp of the water by about 5 -7 degrees total. My plan is to simply use (2) 200w and (3) 500w heaters to start the winter out and see how it goes from there...I also in the past ran the same temp year round, I plan on changing that scheme to include "Summer" and "Winter" temps keeping the winter temp (Late Nov-Feb) in the very low range of 70/72 and the summer temp up around 76/78.

sounds similar to my issues but 70/72 appears to be way to low and why not go to 80 in the summer at least ?

 

[TIMMYE]

I heat my 300+ gallons with 2 150watt heaters that never come on. But my tank and sump are in the main living space. We keep our house 70-72 year round.

As far as putting your vent under the stand I would not do that for a couple of reasons. You will not be able to controll the outgoing air temp and cook or cool your tank too fast depending on what season. Also It will affect the performance of the HVAC for the rest of the house. HTH

 

[KurtsReef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10565934#post10565934 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by yaktop
sounds similar to my issues but 70/72 appears to be way to low and why not go to 80 in the summer at least ?

My summer figures are going by this year where 78 is simply where it sets without heating it any. That is the ambient temp of the tank...I may decide next year to turn up the heaters and push it up to 80/82 however do not see the need.

For the winter, that does sound low and I may be able to get it more like 73/74 but will need to wait and see. 70 may be pushing the limit of some livestock, 72 should be more than adequate a constant temp for any of them as long as its a gradual drop. I do agree keeping it in the 73/74/75 range in the winter and 80 in summer would be ideal.

 

[ricks]

No heater here, never had one on my 280 and sure don't need one on my 500.. Total system water around 700 gallons. Always been a problem keeping large SPS systems cool. Never had any problem with warming them up...