DIY Natural Gas tank heating
- Thread starter nikunjpatel
- Start date
nikunjpatel
New member
I've been running this set up now for about a month, works flawlessly.
Ive got about 700 gallons in my system and my sumps are in my back yard (outside). Even in sunny southern california my 1000 watt heater ran constantly during the winter and needless to say my electricity bill was out of control even with solar. So I basically copied this design from Steve Garrett of Garretts acropolis....
Bascially freshwater recirculates through black irrigation tubing which acts as the eat exchanger in my sump. and then flows back to the water heater. I use the ice cooler as a top off for fresh water. When the temp drops below 78, the iwaki pumps kicks on and within a 5 minutes the tank temp goes up 1 degree,, not bad right? Natural gas here in so cal is much cheaper. ...
Ive got about 700 gallons in my system and my sumps are in my back yard (outside). Even in sunny southern california my 1000 watt heater ran constantly during the winter and needless to say my electricity bill was out of control even with solar. So I basically copied this design from Steve Garrett of Garretts acropolis....
Bascially freshwater recirculates through black irrigation tubing which acts as the eat exchanger in my sump. and then flows back to the water heater. I use the ice cooler as a top off for fresh water. When the temp drops below 78, the iwaki pumps kicks on and within a 5 minutes the tank temp goes up 1 degree,, not bad right? Natural gas here in so cal is much cheaper. ...
Last edited:
uncleof6
Active member
Interesting, I live in So. Cal as well. I have only owned 1 heater in the 35 years I have been in the hobby, and after noticing it never turned on, (back in the 70's) I put it in a box, where it still is today. Added togther, I run around 700 gallons here at the house. If I do nothing, the temp averages 80 - 82°F, year round. This is too high. Rather than heaters, I run chillers to pull the temp down to 72 - 75°F. This is more "mid-range." Low 80's being close to the upper extremes of the temperature range (the range being between 61°F and 86°F.)
So, in my experience, unless the temp drops below 61°, running a heating system at all, would seem to not be indicated. The conclusion that can be drawn is folks are running their tanks too warm. Dissolved oxygen levels decrease with increase in tempereature, and metabolic rates increase with temperature increase. So what you have is a higher BOD (biological oxygen demand) and less oxygen with which to supply it. Rather upside down...
So, in my experience, unless the temp drops below 61°, running a heating system at all, would seem to not be indicated. The conclusion that can be drawn is folks are running their tanks too warm. Dissolved oxygen levels decrease with increase in tempereature, and metabolic rates increase with temperature increase. So what you have is a higher BOD (biological oxygen demand) and less oxygen with which to supply it. Rather upside down...
nikunjpatel
New member
is any part of you system outside?
61 degree? that seems really cold for an sps tank
61 degree? that seems really cold for an sps tank
uncleof6
Active member
Nothing of mine is outdoors. If your temps are dipping to 61 and below, I understand the use of heaters. 61 degrees is not uncommon for deep reef. Remember, these corals we keep are found at all depths of the photo zone.
Although at the surface, the temp may be 30°C, (86°F
at 70 meters, it is to 25°C (77°F.) The surface is a rather hostile place with extremes in temperature etc. Especially the intertidal zones. The SPS we keep are found from upper portions of the photic zone, all the way down to the local euphotic depth, which in clear tropcial waters can be down to 200 meters.I am not saying these corals don't survive at the higher temps, becasue obviously they do; but overall seem to do better at the lower, mid range temps, and for good reason, metabolic rates are lower, and oxygen levels are higher. Fish are much the same.
The point is, we are using these rules of thumb, and it surprises some that the temps on the reef are actually lower. Case in point...
nikunjpatel
New member
I've never tested my tank without heaters. I figure in the winter time it could possible get to the low 60's. But 72-76 seems reasonable . I have no basis really for keeping my tank at the current temp range, other than consensus or what other are doing.
