Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 15

Thread: Tank Heaters?

  1. #1
    Moderator wolfracer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Flint Hills of Kansas
    Posts
    263

    Tank Heaters?

    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.

  2. #2
    Moderator badflash's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Malden Bridge, NY
    Posts
    1,544

    Re: Tank Heaters?

    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.
    The best fertilizer is the farmer's shadow

  3. #3
    Moderator wolfracer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Flint Hills of Kansas
    Posts
    263

    Re: Tank Heaters?

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

  4. #4
    Moderator badflash's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Malden Bridge, NY
    Posts
    1,544

    Re: Tank Heaters?

    It takes 2 to keep my system at 85 in the winter. My basement gets chilly and my tanks are uncovered an uninsulated.
    The best fertilizer is the farmer's shadow

  5. #5
    Members mpugh5@aol.com's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Pa. southeast
    Posts
    80

    Re: Tank Heaters?

    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
    one life one love.

  6. #6
    Moderator wolfracer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Flint Hills of Kansas
    Posts
    263

    Re: Tank Heaters?

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

  7. #7
    Moderator badflash's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Malden Bridge, NY
    Posts
    1,544

    Re: Tank Heaters?

    A hot water heater with a circulating pump an a heat transfer coil can work too. Small appartment heaters put out lots of heat.
    The best fertilizer is the farmer's shadow

  8. #8
    Moderator wolfracer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Flint Hills of Kansas
    Posts
    263

    Re: Tank Heaters?

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

  9. #9
    Moderator badflash's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Malden Bridge, NY
    Posts
    1,544

    Re: Tank Heaters?

    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.
    The best fertilizer is the farmer's shadow

  10. #10
    Moderator jackalope's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Montana, USA
    Posts
    878

    Re: Tank Heaters?

    Quote Originally Posted by badflash

    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
    (The heater is here: Clik

    But I can't find the link to the controller ...... was it in a PM?
    I use the Linux Operating System ...... Free as in beer!
    You're never too old to learn something
    Aquaponics - food'n'fish at your doorstep

    Helena, Montana - Home of the Northernmost Monument to the Confederacy

Similar Threads

  1. Heaters
    By jackalope in forum Water Heaters
    Replies: 125
    Last Post: 09-13-2017, 01:01 AM
  2. Propane Heaters in a greenhouse Do or dont
    By jhooker in forum Commercial Systems
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 09-14-2013, 12:35 AM
  3. fish tropical tank poo for bacteria start up tank
    By DARRYL in forum Aquaponics Knowhow
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 03-28-2013, 08:11 PM
  4. Marineland Aquarium Heaters Recall
    By davidstcldfl in forum Water Heaters
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 05-06-2011, 06:17 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •