Best heating option for moderalty large water volume

[Feet4Fish]

I am working on a 900 gallon system and am very undecided on how to heat it. I have watched videos on titanium heat exchangers and pex coils and have read some mention of heat pumps. Although any big build is quite an investment, I do not have an unlimited budget. I know some online heaters for these water volumes although great have a big price tag. I guess I am searching for reliable, safe, and most bang for my buck. I would love to hear any ideas!

 

[Feet4Fish]

I am working on a 900 gallon system and am very undecided on how to heat it. I have watched videos on titanium heat exchangers and pex coils and have read some mention of heat pumps. Although any big build is quite an investment, I do not have an unlimited budget. I know some online heaters for these water volumes although great have a big price tag. I guess I am searching for reliable, safe, and most bang for my buck. I would love to hear any ideas!

Heating somehow auto corrected to hearing. Dang you clumsy fingers!

 

[fftfk]

Bump for the interesting topic!

 

[SeabrookZoo]

Tagging along as i am looking to heat roughly 800 gallons system volume.

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

Personally, I would just keep it simple and run traditional heaters if the climate wasn't too cold. I would use something simple with a glass body, like the Eheim Jager. I'd buy as many of the largest size as I needed to keep temps stable.

One thing I would do though is only submerge the glass part of the heater. I used to run Eheims 100% submerged, and I noticed these were much more likely to develop leaks and get condensation inside. This makes sense after all: you're submerging a glass tube filled with air. The plastic cap is the only thing holding the water out and, given enough time, will develop leaks. If the only thing submerged is the glass, water has no way to get in (provided they're not shattered by an impact). My heaters have been lasting much, much longer since I realized this "trick." I'd recommend doing this to prolong the life of the heaters. You'll want the heaters on a controller in case the thermostat sticks on.

Another unconventional thing you could do to heat the tank is run metal halide lighting. Sounds silly, but in some large tanks where users have switched lights from MH to LED, the users noticed that temperatures didn't decrease, but the heaters had to run a lot more to replace the heat that was generated by the MH lamps. In Sanjay Joshi's case, he actually had to add heaters after he got rid of his MH to keep his temps stable.

 

[AlexG]

I use a radiant heating system utilizing a pex coil attached to the hot water heater with a re-circulation pump and redundant temp controllers. Traditional electric heaters will work as well but the savings in operating costs will be quickly realized with a radiant heating system using a natural gas water heater. I have released several YouTube videos on how my system is setup along with its performance. As far as setup cost goes the radiant heating system has a higher up front cost but there is a significant savings in operating costs. As far as risk goes I have read some terrible stories of how electric heaters have wiped out tanks when they fail which is one of the primary reasons I wanted to get away from electric heating. As with any equipment there is always a risk but a passive radiant heating system I believe the risks are minimal and one of the safest ways to heat a large aquarium system. If you have any questions about my heating system setup don't hesitate to ask.

 

[Murica]

I was in a dilemma of wanting to conserve energy, but worried about my tanks temp dropping, so here's what I did..


I put foam board insulation around every part of my refugium and the heat retention is amazing. My current led lights alone are enough to keep the entire system heated. I have a section of my sump that's exposed to air for oxygen exchange, and I do have lids on my display tank.

I was planning on insulating the sides of the tub as well, but truth be told that would make the tank temp too warm. My heater literally never runs. I'm probably going to have to remove some of the insulation when I switch to t5 lighting

There's plexi under the insulation

 

[Feet4Fish]

I use a radiant heating system utilizing a pex coil attached to the hot water heater with a re-circulation pump and redundant temp controllers. Traditional electric heaters will work as well but the savings in operating costs will be quickly realized with a radiant heating system using a natural gas water heater. I have released several YouTube videos on how my system is setup along with its performance. As far as setup cost goes the radiant heating system has a higher up front cost but there is a significant savings in operating costs. As far as risk goes I have read some terrible stories of how electric heaters have wiped out tanks when they fail which is one of the primary reasons I wanted to get away from electric heating. As with any equipment there is always a risk but a passive radiant heating system I believe the risks are minimal and one of the safest ways to heat a large aquarium system. If you have any questions about my heating system setup don't hesitate to ask.

I believe I have watched all your videos and actually that is what prompted my discussion. Prior to your videos I was going to use serial standard heaters on a controller. I have a tankless on demand water heater which I think would work well with your method. I have never messed with copper plumb which does worry me some.

 

[AlexG]

I believe I have watched all your videos and actually that is what prompted my discussion. Prior to your videos I was going to use serial standard heaters on a controller. I have a tankless on demand water heater which I think would work well with your method. I have never messed with copper plumb which does worry me some.

The best solution I can recommend with the plumbing piece is to use push connect fittings rated for use with Copper and PEX with shutoff valves on both ends of the PEX loop where it meets the copper pipes and if needed install additional shut off valves. The best advice I can give is that you monitor any plumbing fittings that you install closely for the first week or two they are installed. The other option is to get a plumber to install the fittings that allow you to create the PEX loop.

 

[Feet4Fish]

Thanks!

 

[fftfk]

Do you have a link to your videos? I wouldn't mind taking a look.

The best solution I can recommend with the plumbing piece is to use push connect fittings rated for use with Copper and PEX with shutoff valves on both ends of the PEX loop where it meets the copper pipes and if needed install additional shut off valves. The best advice I can give is that you monitor any plumbing fittings that you install closely for the first week or two they are installed. The other option is to get a plumber to install the fittings that allow you to create the PEX loop.

 

[Muttley000]

I use a radiant heating system utilizing a pex coil attached to the hot water heater with a re-circulation pump and redundant temp controllers. Traditional electric heaters will work as well but the savings in operating costs will be quickly realized with a radiant heating system using a natural gas water heater. I have released several YouTube videos on how my system is setup along with its performance. As far as setup cost goes the radiant heating system has a higher up front cost but there is a significant savings in operating costs. As far as risk goes I have read some terrible stories of how electric heaters have wiped out tanks when they fail which is one of the primary reasons I wanted to get away from electric heating. As with any equipment there is always a risk but a passive radiant heating system I believe the risks are minimal and one of the safest ways to heat a large aquarium system. If you have any questions about my heating system setup don't hesitate to ask.

I have been running the same thing for several years now. About 500 gallons in my system at the moment and it is rock solid. My tank is in an unhearpted basement so I heat year around.

 

[SeabrookZoo]

I use a radiant heating system utilizing a pex coil attached to the hot water heater with a re-circulation pump and redundant temp controllers. Traditional electric heaters will work as well but the savings in operating costs will be quickly realized with a radiant heating system using a natural gas water heater. I have released several YouTube videos on how my system is setup along with its performance. As far as setup cost goes the radiant heating system has a higher up front cost but there is a significant savings in operating costs. As far as risk goes I have read some terrible stories of how electric heaters have wiped out tanks when they fail which is one of the primary reasons I wanted to get away from electric heating. As with any equipment there is always a risk but a passive radiant heating system I believe the risks are minimal and one of the safest ways to heat a large aquarium system. If you have any questions about my heating system setup don't hesitate to ask.

Could this be done with a smaller tank Point-of-Use water heater. I am in the process of building a fish room for my system. I plan to put a laundry tub sink in there but did not have any intention to run a hot water line from my water heater that sits in my attack above the second floor. My plan, before the thought of radiant heat, was to tie into the water to my fridge, which has a 3/8" water line, and use a mini point-of-use water heater for the heat. Is it possible this will work or will the load be to much for the smaller unit to handle? Realistically, to use multiple heaters or the mini water heater are about the same price wise. I would be nice however to remove dome of the risk factors.

 

[AlexG]

Could this be done with a smaller tank Point-of-Use water heater. I am in the process of building a fish room for my system. I plan to put a laundry tub sink in there but did not have any intention to run a hot water line from my water heater that sits in my attack above the second floor. My plan, before the thought of radiant heat, was to tie into the water to my fridge, which has a 3/8" water line, and use a mini point-of-use water heater for the heat. Is it possible this will work or will the load be to much for the smaller unit to handle? Realistically, to use multiple heaters or the mini water heater are about the same price wise. I would be nice however to remove dome of the risk factors.

Its hard to say how a small on demand point of use water heater would work. It depends on the water volume of the system, the ambient environment of the fish room, and the duty cycle of the point of use water heater. I would really be concerned about the duty cycle of a point-of-use water heater compared to a standard hot water heater or a tank less hot water heater that is rated for a house.

 

[Feet4Fish]

Personally, I would just keep it simple and run traditional heaters if the climate wasn't too cold. I would use something simple with a glass body, like the Eheim Jager. I'd buy as many of the largest size as I needed to keep temps stable.

One thing I would do though is only submerge the glass part of the heater. I used to run Eheims 100% submerged, and I noticed these were much more likely to develop leaks and get condensation inside. This makes sense after all: you're submerging a glass tube filled with air. The plastic cap is the only thing holding the water out and, given enough time, will develop leaks. If the only thing submerged is the glass, water has no way to get in (provided they're not shattered by an impact). My heaters have been lasting much, much longer since I realized this "trick." I'd recommend doing this to prolong the life of the heaters. You'll want the heaters on a controller in case the thermostat sticks on.

Another unconventional thing you could do to heat the tank is run metal halide lighting. Sounds silly, but in some large tanks where users have switched lights from MH to LED, the users noticed that temperatures didn't decrease, but the heaters had to run a lot more to replace the heat that was generated by the MH lamps. In Sanjay Joshi's case, he actually had to add heaters after he got rid of his MH to keep his temps stable.

Did you rig heater holder with T fittings on PVC? Recently saw a picture of that

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

Did you rig heater holder with T fittings on PVC? Recently saw a picture of that

No I didn't, the Eheim heaters are pretty long and I have mine in a 10g sump. I secured mine at an angle with the suction cups that came with it, so most of the top plastic bit is out of the water and almost all the glass is submerged.

If my sump was taller though, I would definitely do something more permanent with PVC like you mention.

 

[Breadman03]

I second insulation. Doing the sides of my sump drastically reduced my heat demand and I plan on insulating my drain and return pipes this winter....along with replacing and insulating my basement doors.

 

[Pigpen]

I have been using hot and cold water to cool system for 20 years now . I use the same system on my 20,000 gallon reef and we even make and sell our heat exchangers and control panels that allow you to heat and cool a system using a titanium heat exchanger . stay away from the pool heat exchangers as they are made for a really low grade titanium that fails and then you fill you tank with fresh water . we have seen this a few times now .

 

[Muttley000]

I have been using hot and cold water to cool system for 20 years now . I use the same system on my 20,000 gallon reef and we even make and sell our heat exchangers and control panels that allow you to heat and cool a system using a titanium heat exchanger . stay away from the pool heat exchangers as they are made for a really low grade titanium that fails and then you fill you tank with fresh water . we have seen this a few times now .

Do you mind saying whose solenoid valves you use?

 

[surgeon1]

might be late but you are north enough to use 400 watt mhs for heating.