View Full Version : Best way to heat 500g
uryy4me
10/17/2003, 10:04 PM
You RC Ad idmin guys are quick! Thanks for setting up this forum!
First question for the group (and I admit it is kinda boring ) now that winter is approaching and I have to concern myself with heating a 500g system sitting on a Minnesota basement floor, what makes for a good heater config?
lllosingit
10/17/2003, 10:53 PM
Sorry I just have to know the answer, Why do you have a 500 gallon system sitting on the floor?
I don't have an answer for you but I do have a couple helpful tips.
Don't rely on one heater to heat the whole system, If it malfunctions you end up with a tank either to hot or to cold, If you use multiple heaters and one goes bad it's probably not going to change anything in a short amount of time so you will have more time to catch it before it does any harm.
Use some 2" blue Dow foam insulation on the sides and back of the tank to keep the heat from escaping as fast.
If it's a basement sump/refuge/prop tank like I run, instead of having heaters using up all that electricity use a couple halides set to run opposite of the lights in the main tank to help keep the tank warm and you get the much needed light as well.
I have a 90 gallon sump/refuge /prop tank in the basement (hooked to a 125 gallon main tank on the first floor) and it gets pretty cold in the middle of winter here in Iowa, I use two 200 watt heaters in the sump and for added insurance one 200 watt heater in the main tank in case the sumps pump should quit working when I'm at work.
I wrap all four sides with blue Dow foam and run the lighting (halides and PC's) in a reverse photo period.
The heaters do come on but not nearly as often as they did without the Dow foam.
I would go with 2 Pro-Heat II Titanium IC Heaters 250w.
http://www.marinedepot.com carries them as well as many other retail stores
lllosingit
10/17/2003, 11:00 PM
I don't think two 250 watt heaters is going to be nearly enough heat for 500 gallons sitting on a cold floor.
Is the system even a few inches of the floor? Maybe you can get some insulation between the bottom and the floor.
Wolverine
10/17/2003, 11:02 PM
Not only would I run multiple heaters, but I would do it on separate circuits if possible. That way if one blows, you'll still have hear from the other.
I'm a big fan of redundancy, especially when there's this much involved.
Dave
a third can always be added but I would try 2 frist as I always use heaters in the smallest size I can get away with just in case a thermastat sticks. It takes quite a while for 500 gallons @ 80ish degrees to cool to the point where your reef is in trouble if a heater doesn't come on but if too much heat is added you can kill a tank in an hour or two.
I totally agree Wolverine,
I would do it on separate circuits
uryy4me
10/17/2003, 11:38 PM
I guess I was a bit misleading. I have about 300g in a basement display and about another 200g in a sump/fuge on the basement floor...when I set it up this summer I figured heating during the winter would be cheaper than cooling in the summer?
I currently have 2 500w titanium heaters/controllers (jalli/finnex) set to fire with the first at 78 and the second at 76 but since adding in all my lighting temps have yet to drop below 78.
These units are on a circuit running halides, I figure while lamps are on no need for heat and I would prefer them to blow this line than anything associated with circulation?...I do need an electrician! :D (
I have always wondered it if might be better to get say 5 200w heaters with controllers say 1 degree apart (e.g 79, 78....75) to efficiently use electricity and minimize the impact of an electricity surge blowing something?
Mastino Mike
10/18/2003, 08:39 AM
I live in maryland and my 700 sits on the basement floor. The problem I have is more so with cooling than heating. I use 2 300w heaters. Depending on what pumps you use and lighting and all. My pumps run kind of warm.
My 750 sits on the basement floor as well and I am using 2 300watt heaters (ebo's) and they are hooked into a Tunze temperature controller and that keeps it locked in.
Aged Salt
10/18/2003, 09:45 AM
Iryy64, my 700+g system is in the basement, & heating it has never been an issue--I do run a grow out at night & with the big pumps, & MH's, my chiller still is on most of the time,Bob
Nagel
10/18/2003, 09:12 PM
my 540g system has a 150g rubbermaid on a piece of 1/2 inch plywood, on top of 1/2 inch foam on a concrete slab. Barely need the heaters as the multiple MH's keep the chiller working... I do have a 500w Won Pro aluminum in there, but word to the wise, they WILL burn through a rubbermaid stock tank so take proper precautions....
dgasmd
10/18/2003, 09:57 PM
I guess my case is quite different than the others here so far. I have a 360 in the house and a 100 gal refugium in the garage along with the 100 gal sump. My sumps are the rubbermaid stock tanks, so they are pretty thick and impossible to properly wrap. Last winter, I only had the sump and no refugium and I was having a hard time keeping the temp at 80 degrees despite having 1800 watts worth of heaters going and 1600 watt of MH on for 12 hours per day.
Things I did that helped were to connect 1000 watts of titanium heaters on a temp controller set at 79F. Then, I put another 300 watt Ebo Jager and 2x250 watt titanium heaters set at 80 degrees on their own thermostats. I also ran the halides from 4 PM to 4 AM (coldest part of the day and the time I was home anyways).
This year I have the added 100 gal which is lit by regular NO bulbs, but I have dropped my base temp to 78 F. We'll see how it goes.
Ken Sellick
10/19/2003, 03:48 PM
build a simple plywood box around your sump and fill the space with spray foam insulation it would pay for itself in lower heating bills. Be careful to cover the top of the sump while the foam is curing.
dgasmd
10/19/2003, 04:40 PM
Thanks for the suggestion, but most of the heat loss occurs from the top of it and not the sides. I am sure it would help some.
I will buy some styrofoam sheets at home depot and put them to float on the water surface to try to cover most of it. That should help too. I hope!
Ken Sellick
10/19/2003, 04:46 PM
Floating covers work great on sumps
willieboy240
10/20/2003, 07:41 PM
oh finally. i have a comment. i'm into old hot rods. and what we do is in the winter is build a insulated box then heat it with a gas heater. (with a car, it would be to inslate the garage and put it on a timed garage heater.) remember gas is cheaper. but i dont have to do that anymore in sunny california.:D
500 main tank up stairs, 2 sumps next to garage in the crawl space under the main tank. 1, 100 gal full, and overflows into a 150 gal, half full and then returned to tank. I have no heaters! Between the pumps, lights, and house temp, the tank never drops below 76*. In the summer, the central air in the house keeps the temp around 80*. The above sounds like good advice though.
z28pwr
10/21/2003, 01:47 PM
When I bought my 720 it came with a big heater that is more like a canister. Water goes in through one end and comes out warm through the other. I'll try to get a brand and a model for you. This is what I will be using on my 375 along with 2 300 Watt heaters for backup.
Nagel
10/21/2003, 05:26 PM
Originally posted by z28pwr
When I bought my 720 it came with a big heater that is more like a canister.
That's called a fire-plug style heater... A little pricey, but for large systems they are good. Usually 1000+ watts. I know alot of wholesalers and LFS's use fire-plugs for their systems...
andycook
10/21/2003, 09:56 PM
How reliable are the fireplugs? They are in the $200-$300 range, right? I was planning on having multiple 500w heaters on controllers in case on failed to turn on or shut off. One fireplug seems to heat a tank seems to be against the usual heater advice.
z28pwr
10/21/2003, 10:14 PM
Originally posted by andycook
How reliable are the fireplugs? They are in the $200-$300 range, right? I was planning on having multiple 500w heaters on controllers in case on failed to turn on or shut off. One fireplug seems to heat a tank seems to be against the usual heater advice.
I'm going to do a fireplug and (2) 300 watt heaters.
My setup should be around 450 gallons all together.
NRA4EVR
10/26/2003, 03:03 PM
I have a 1000w fireplug in my system... runs great. I also use an AC to controll the temp...
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