Tank Heaters?

[wolfracer]

What type of tank heaters are people using and what can you recomend for a 300 gallon tank. A friend of mine is throwing away a water bed heater, and I was wondering if anybody had tried to use one of these on a plastic tank? I know that the temp probe can't go in the water because it is made of copper.

[badflash]

I used a pair of 400 watt water bed heaters under my kiddie pool and they worked quite well until the pool started to leak. The temperature probe goes under the tank. Put it in close contact with the bottom and put something over it to keep it in place like styrofoam.

In my 700 gallon recirculating system I'm using a pair of 1 KW bucket heaters. I use a honeywell digital controller to cycle them at 85F. The heaters run about $25 each and the controller about $75. Have have a previous post that details it.

[wolfracer]

Are you using a pair of bucket heaters for redunacy, or because it takes two to maintain the temp.

[badflash]

It takes 2 to keep my system at 85 in the winter. My basement gets chilly and my tanks are uncovered an uninsulated.

[mpugh5@aol.com]

i'm starting to toy with the idea of building a tank right into the ground of my greenhouse. after seeing the local colleges set up i was thinking of maybe digging down maybe 3-4' below grade and coming up maybe another 2' above.i haven't calculated gallons of water per cubic ft space for this yet but that would determine just how large i would need to build. this way i can place a nice coil beneath the tank inbedded in sand. maybe styrofoam base, sand and coil and the bottom of the tank,which would be made with a pond liner type material and of course i would have the entire pool area encased in styrofoam boards. this is what they are doing with a gas fired boiler. i was looking at a boiler yesterday on craigslist that was a multi-fuel burner. it took wood and if your fire went out then it would automatically switch to gas( propane or natural gas) this sounds very appealing, but must receive much pro con from those in the know and maybe a conversation with the professor that designed all this. and guess what? he lives in my town some where. thanks michael

[wolfracer]

That boiler system sounds like something I would be interested in. It could be the soluyion I need for my Radiant heat tubing.

[badflash]

A hot water heater with a circulating pump an a heat transfer coil can work too. Small appartment heaters put out lots of heat.

[wolfracer]

A hot water heater with a circulating pump an a heat transfer coil can work too. Small appartment heaters put out lots of heat.

That is actually my original and current plan, but I thought if there was a multi-fuel solution it would be worth looking at.

[badflash]

There are multi-fuel hot water heaters, but they get pricey. I'm checking into recycled fry oil as a heat source. Looks easy to convert to fuel oil that will burn in a conventional fuel oil heater.

[jackalope]

In my 700 gallon recirculating system I'm using a pair of 1 KW bucket heaters. I use a honeywell digital controller to cycle them at 85F. The heaters run about $25 each and the controller about $75. Have have a previous post that details it.

I remember those posts, but I can't find them ..... any idea what we were discussing when the heaters came up?

OK, I found the link for the Heater here: Clik ;) (http://www.diyaquaponics.com/forum/showthread.php?33-My-700-gallon-basement-system)
(The heater is here: Clik ;) (http://www.jeffersequine.com/ssc/product.asp?CID=1&pf_id=16047)

But I can't find the link to the controller ...... was it in a PM?

[TerryC.]

A hot water heater with a circulating pump an a heat transfer coil can work too. Small appartment heaters put out lots of heat.

That is actually my original and current plan, but I thought if there was a multi-fuel solution it would be worth looking at.

I believe water heater have, or use to have, a zinc anode in them to prevent or minimize electrolysis. I am not sure if that would effect fish, but that is why it is not recomended to drink hot tap water (or at least it used to be). Maybe newer water heaters are different. I would look into that before trying it.

From wikipedia "Other examples of protection by use of sacrificial anodes include protection of voids in the glass lining of mild steel water heater tanks via use of magnesium or aluminum alloy anodes,[1] protection of off-shore oil rigs via special alloy anodes for use in salt water, protection of lock gates in water ways, etc." see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacrificial_anode

[jackalope]

I'm just using submersible 300 watt aquarium heaters for now. I'm waiting tor badflash to link the controller he recommends ;)

[badflash]

This would be it.
http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/j ... oller.html (http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/johnson-controls-a419-digital-temp-controller.html)

[jackalope]

This would be it.
http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/j ... oller.html (http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/johnson-controls-a419-digital-temp-controller.html) Bookmarked :!: :!:
THX ;) I'm assuming the sensor is stainless ... if it was copper or brass, it wouldn't be good for the fish, right?

Now all I have to do is get the bucks together before winter ;).

[badflash]

I encapsulated my probe in some aquarium tubing and sealed it with aquarium calc. This will control 10KW. It is pretty robust.

I used 2 1000 watt stock tank heaters. They cost about $25 each. Be sure to get the ones for making the water HOT. Most shut off at around 40F and are just there to stop freezing.

Aquarium heaters are not up to the task long term. They foul easily and require frequent cleaning. Farm stuff is designed to use it for years, then chuck it out.