Do you use redundant heaters in your growouts?
- Thread starter MimicTang
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David M
New member
I use submersable pumps for everything, really helps to heat the system and keep it stable. Also I have a room dehumidifier which kicks out heat and dries the air at the same time. Last year I made it through the whole winter without any additional heat but I was only using a well insulated 9 X 20' section of the garage. Over the summer I built a new growout system (375 gallons) which is in the open part of the garage. So far running at a stable 80 with the dehumidifier running only at night. Yesterday I covered the window with 1-1/2 foam sheeting as I was getting a lot of heat loss thru the glass. I expect I may have to add heat to this part of the system in a month or so but maybe not, time will tell. I have a box full of regular aquarium heaters, mostly Ebo's and Visitherms of 100-250 watts. What I will do is use one controller to throw a relay, crank all the heaters to max and connect them to the load side of the contactor. That way I can add or subtract heaters as needed to burn the minimum watts necessary to stabilize the temp. Rather than spend big $ on a single large heater I think this is a better choice, in my case because I already have everything I need but for others (at the hobby level) because you can probably pick up some used heaters on the cheap. The relay is not expensive and I can post a "how to" for anyone not sure what they are doing. Don't cheap out on the controller though, that is the most important part and you don't want it to fail.
Also for those looking at over 1000 watts of heat consider the electrical side of this. ( I am a liscensed electrician btw) A normal household electrical circuit is 15 amps (bedrooms, common areas, living rooms) or 20 amps (garages, family rooms, kitchens). If you are running 1000+ watts of heat you will want a dedicated circuit just for that. By code you should not load a 15A circuit to more than 1440 watts or a 20A to 1920. However that is the max continuous load and most circuit breakers won't hold up under that kind of abuse. Better to limit the 15A circ to 1000 watts and the 20A to 1500.
Also for those looking at over 1000 watts of heat consider the electrical side of this. ( I am a liscensed electrician btw) A normal household electrical circuit is 15 amps (bedrooms, common areas, living rooms) or 20 amps (garages, family rooms, kitchens). If you are running 1000+ watts of heat you will want a dedicated circuit just for that. By code you should not load a 15A circuit to more than 1440 watts or a 20A to 1920. However that is the max continuous load and most circuit breakers won't hold up under that kind of abuse. Better to limit the 15A circ to 1000 watts and the 20A to 1500.
Thanks for the info, David. Please describe how to do the relay and what a controller is, and where to get one. Sounds like a good idea to me. I worry that someday my free heaters will stick "on" and boil my fish someday. Sometimes things you get for free are worth the price you pay.
David M
New member
Yes exactly, I wouldn't trust those heaters. (I lost my whole Caribbean theme tank to a stuck heater. Rare jackknife and spotted drums, awesome queen angel, spawning pair of chalk bass and a harem of cherubs, really sad.) Plus it's nearly impossible to get them all set exactly the same 
This way they are all "on" or "off" at once and controled by a single t-stat. I will make up a parts list and "how to". The only thing is I don't know how cost effective it would be if you had to go out and buy everything, for me it's cheap because I already have everything 
This way they are all "on" or "off" at once and controled by a single t-stat. I will make up a parts list and "how to". The only thing is I don't know how cost effective it would be if you had to go out and buy everything, for me it's cheap because I already have everything 
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