A quick and dirty fish tank heater for cold nights

[davidstcldfl]

Actually, it was a 110 volt element. I wonder if a 220 element could be used with only 110 volts?

Yes sir, it'll work...but it'll use about 1/2 the rated voltage.
When I bought my house, my hot water tank only had 110V going to it. It heats fatster, since I ran 220 to it.

[Lordshandyman]

The new heater works great. No issues with the epoxy leaking water. Fishies are enjoying the hot tub tonight.

[davidstcldfl]

Fishies are enjoying the hot tub tonight

Glad to hear it's working well...
I wish I had a hot tub for me...it'll be close to freezing, here in central FL, in the morning....

[Jeff]

Here's a video of what some folks are doing with hot water heating elements. Some are even using stainless steel elements...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DMiYSoffBA

The same guy in that video built my heater for me, and it worked GREAT during the winter. When outside temps were in the high 30's, my tank was sitting above 60 degrees F.

Not trying to hijack a thread, but I filmed a video of me OPENING the heater, and then showing it installed in my system (skip to 1:11 to start right with the aquaponics stuff):

[youtube:2b19g50m]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5wKv8QSo9E[/youtube:2b19g50m]

If you want to see this unit actually being made, from start to finish, then you can watch the long video here. In this video, Bob (FiberInspector) is actually making my unit. This is good for you DIY guys!

[youtube:2b19g50m]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWZ3qQ3R8_A[/youtube:2b19g50m]

The only downside: it ain't cheap on the electric bill! Depending on how cold your ambient temps are, and how hot you're heating your tank, it can hit you hard in the wallet. I saw my electric bill go up well over $100 because of it.......but then again, I was trying to heat my UNINSULATED tank to 68 degrees when it was below 40 F outside. Once I realized how expensive it was, I adjusted it down to 58-60 degrees.

The beauty of this heater is that it's hands off, and with a thermostat, it controls itself to whatever I set it to. So I don't have to worry about it getting too hot or too cold.

[jackalope]

Lordshandyman, If I remember correctly, if your running 110 volts to the hot water element, your only using about half the watts, as the rating on it.
If you didn't take that into account, then your using even less electric then you thought...

Actually, it was a 110 volt element. I wonder if a 220 element could be used with only 110 volts?

This is just a thought, but I think what you're showing and describing here is almost the same thing as those plug-in elements for heating a cup of coffee (they sit in the coffee cup and heat up the cup of coffee) IF they still sell such an animal I don't know anything about the wattage, etc., but I believe you can get either 12 volt (for RV) or 120 Volt (for the home) at an RV supplier. They sit directly in water, and since they have a cord on them, they could be connected to a controller. Admittedly, they probably wouldn't be as effective as your unit for an 800 gallon tank, but could be used for smaller applications. This is just the kind of idea that makes this forum so great ..... an exchange of ideas for anyone who just wants to get going and doesn't have a bankbook as big as the Unabridged Webster's Dictionary
Just my 2 centavos ......

[jackalope]

I LOVE it when a plan comes together! I was really worried about keeping the tilapia alive in my aquaponics system during the current cold snap here in southwest Florida, so I threw together another contraption. It's a propane powered, recirculating fish tank heater! My fish are comfy and happy. I'm nipping on a double knock of 94 proof Elijah Craig 12 year old bourbon, and sitting inside monitoring the fish tank temp with a wireless pool thermometer! Life is good and the fish are happy!

I've actually used this concept before, but I used a coil of copper tubing rather than the PEX tubing. I am happy to report, the PEX seems to be working fine. The water in the heater is steady at 106F, the system water is holding steady at 70F, and the ambient temp has dropped to 58F on it's way to 41F tonight. Something similar to this might come in handy for those of you who keep tilapia with only occasional cold conditions. I can run the heater 24 hours on 1/2 tank of propane with the flame set as low as I have it now.

Good idea! I like this, may give it a try next winter if we winter here in Tennessee again (the wife hates Montana winters ) have you had any problems with the PEX taking the heat, such as going soft on you etc.? Another question would be is how were you able to keep the PEX off the bottom of the cooker/away from the higher heat conducted thru the metal? PEX is pretty spendy in Montana, in your opinion, would vinyl tubing work just as well, or would it be less effective within the cooker itself?

[bsfman]

Good idea! I like this, may give it a try next winter if we winter here in Tennessee again (the wife hates Montana winters ) have you had any problems with the PEX taking the heat, such as going soft on you etc.? Another question would be is how were you able to keep the PEX off the bottom of the cooker/away from the higher heat conducted thru the metal? PEX is pretty spendy in Montana, in your opinion, would vinyl tubing work just as well, or would it be less effective within the cooker itself?

The PEX does sit on the bottom, but it has not been an issue. Essentially the temp on the bottom is water temp - despite the heat being applied there. I only heat the water in the cooker pot to about 130F. Vinyl tubing would probably work as well. The cold water pumping through the tubing keeps it cooler than the hot water through most all of it's length so melting is not an issue. I have used vinyl tubing in homebrewing beer and though it gets soft and flexible, I have sucessfully used it at temps up to 175F without issues.

[David - WI]

I would think that if you dropped the whole thing into a metal trash can with a few small holes near the bottom for air and a couple larger holes in the lid for exhaust, you could triple or quadruple your "gas mileage"?

[bsfman]

I would think that if you dropped the whole thing into a metal trash can with a few small holes near the bottom for air and a couple larger holes in the lid for exhaust, you could triple or quadruple your "gas mileage"?

Probably so. But for the few nights a year I need to augment heat, it's not worth the effort to me to do so.

[David - WI]

I would think that if you dropped the whole thing into a metal trash can with a few small holes near the bottom for air and a couple larger holes in the lid for exhaust, you could triple or quadruple your "gas mileage"?

Probably so. But for the few nights a year I need to augment heat, it's not worth the effort to me to do so.

Ahhh... than it's nowhere NEAR cold enough where you are! LOL