Heating large systems

[tazmanian_cowboy]

How do you guys heat your large systems? Do you place your heaters in the sump and tanks , one or the other? What size and brand?

I am putting the finishing touches on my new system(not quite big as you guys) 400 gallons between 2 tanks and the sump in the basement. I am not sure how I want to heat it.

Taz

 

[shaginwagon13]

I have 2 heaters in my sump...One set for 74 degrees and the other set for 73.5 degrees.

 

[Nanook]

375 gallon and 470 gallon tanks heated with 5 500 watt heaters in my common sump area.

 

[ReefEnabler]

I have a total of around 350 gallons and I am getting by with two 250w heaters. between the pumps and the lights theres plenty of heat to go around.

 

[atwinparadox2]

I agree with RyanBrucks, you will need multiple heaters, but depending on the lights you have and how many big pumps you are running you will generate a lot of heat in other ways than just the heaters. So I wouldn't recommend buying a bunch until you figure out how much heat everything else produces for your tank.

 

[ricks]

I heat my tank with large pump and lots of light. In 20 years never needed a heater on large systems...

 

[Jflip2002]

Live in Southern California =)

 

[tylorarm]

My biggest surprise is how much heat i've had to add with basement sump and refugium online. I have 3 ranco controllers each with 500w of heaters and never use my chiller, just sump fan occassionally. I'd run your system for a while and get a rough est. of needs but i also find it's pretty seasonal.

 

[reeftard73]

I run 3 x 250w Stealth heaters in my sump on a single stage Ranco controller. Seems to work fine, temp stays where I want it. Whole system is ~230g.

 

[joealix]

Heat the room, not the water...if possible. I am right now in the middle of installing a 550g starphire in-wall-reef in my office with a total volume of about 1200g including sump, refugium, QT, growout...etc... and I'm heating the whole thing by insulating the room and controlling the room temperature which in turn keeps the water temperature constant a heck of a lot easier than trying to heat the water while the temps in your fish-room fluctuate. Of course you must ALWAYS have a backup heater capable of keeping your water warm enough as to not lose any livestock just in case your main heater croaks.

 

[Eric the half-bee]

Won't ever need one here. My lights keep my fish room a balmy 102 F in the spring/summer.

 

[Crumbs]

Anyone ever try using a titanium swimming pool heater? Im thinking about using one for a future 1200 gal build.

 

[dew2loud1]

In addition to heaters in the sump, I now keep a heater (300 watt) in each display and frag tank. That way if for some reason your return pump stops (has happened several times) you don't have to worry about tank temp dropping. I have about six 300 watters on my 800 gallon system. When I add the 900 online I'm going to use a passive solar water heater with heat exchanger.

 

[Tangwich]

I have a 225g with a total water volume of 275g and I have never had a heater run on this tank, my pumps and lights take care of that job for me. But then again I do live in southern cali so living in New Jersey, you might need one for those balmy winter nights.

 

[Kent E]

Bank of halides.

I'm going to use hollow spheres to insulate the sump.