Keeping the heat in?

[marlinmero]

Need some heating / energy ideas. Power bill is a little high and it's not even winter yet. I have a remote sump out in the garage. It's a 100 gallon rubbermaid stock tank. My plan is to wrap it with some Styrofoam insulation to keep the heat in.
1. Will that help? Any other ideas?
2. I have 1 300 watt titanium heater in the sump. Should I add the second in? Would two working less hard be more efficient than 1 working hard?

 

[SoloGarth]

Using multiple heaters will not make the system more efficient. Heat is heat. There are no other losses in a heater and the same heat energy is needed to keep the tank at temp regardless of the number used.

Insulation may help if you can add it effectively. This is the exact reason I won't do a basement sump though. No matter how you design it there are much greater energy costs required due to heating and increased head pressure.

 

[fishresponse]

Is your sump sitting on the garage floor? I would suggest having it sit on some rigid styrofoam as the cold floor can suck a lot of heat out of your tank. Also if you can decrease evaporation that would help with some energy consumption.

 

[PhaneSoul]

I have to put lids on my sump in the winter. Helps with evap and heat loss