Big tanks big heat. I need ideas.

[Saveafish]

I'm running close to 1000 gallons. My sumps are in the basement.
The house runs on geo thermal heat and cooling.
The house temp stays at 70deg top side 68 basement.
I'm running twin 800w immersion heater (1600w) and it can't keep up. With the extra cold we had its slowly dropping. Looking for heat ideas. I do run two hot water heaters in a series, one pre heats to 90deg than the other heats up to 145deg. Can I loop into them? Or go bigger on the heaters. Running 220v is no problem either. I have dual 400a breaker boxes.

 

[DarkSky]

Closed loop systems tied into your hot water tanks are pretty efficient and cheap to run. But from the sound of it you have tankless water heaters?

 

[Saveafish]

Their 50 gallon tanked.

 

[Saveafish]

Closed loop systems tied into your hot water tanks are pretty efficient and cheap to run. But from the sound of it you have tankless water heaters?

Is that close to running them as a recirc system. Just with a bunch of heat exchanging in a sump?

 

[lapin]

http://integrated-aqua.com/category/ias-products/temperature-control/aquatic-system-in-line-heaters/

 

[DarkSky]

Ah strange, I've never heard of them run in series like that!

Is that close to running them as a recirc system. Just with a bunch of heat exchanging in a sump?

Yep. Check out this article -

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/heati...-hot-water-heater-save-40-on-energy-cost.388/

Easiest route for you would be to just add another heater until it warms back up. I did that as my two undersized heaters were having trouble keeping my temps stable at night, a 3rd keeps them rock solid stable and I'll just remove it come spring.

 

[ca1ore]

Are you looking for a more economical solution or just a way to add more wattage? If the latter, I’d just add another stick. Using alternative heat methods will only save you $ if they are gas - electric heat is electric heat, mostly regardless of how provided. I don’t personally like using house hot water through a heat exchanger - I’d worry about bacterial issues in the water then being used for showers, washing dishes, etc. If I were going to do something out-of-the-box, I’d use a separate zone from my house heating (hot water baseboard). Maybe you could piggyback off the geothermal?

 

[BestMomEver]

I'm running close to 1000 gallons. My sumps are in the basement.
The house runs on geo thermal heat and cooling.
The house temp stays at 70deg top side 68 basement.
I'm running twin 800w immersion heater (1600w) and it can't keep up. With the extra cold we had its slowly dropping. Looking for heat ideas. I do run two hot water heaters in a series, one pre heats to 90deg than the other heats up to 145deg. Can I loop into them? Or go bigger on the heaters. Running 220v is no problem either. I have dual 400a breaker boxes.

We had no problems keeping our 500 warm.... stick a few 400 watt metal halides over your sump. Problem solved!

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

I'm running close to 1000 gallons. My sumps are in the basement.
The house runs on geo thermal heat and cooling.
The house temp stays at 70deg top side 68 basement.
I'm running twin 800w immersion heater (1600w) and it can't keep up. With the extra cold we had its slowly dropping. Looking for heat ideas. I do run two hot water heaters in a series, one pre heats to 90deg than the other heats up to 145deg. Can I loop into them? Or go bigger on the heaters. Running 220v is no problem either. I have dual 400a breaker boxes.

Set up if handy tankless dedicated to tank. With the energy savings it will pay for its self. Rennia or nortiz. Rennia better warranty

 

[Saveafish]

We had no problems keeping our 500 warm.... stick a few 400 watt metal halides over your sump. Problem solved!

That's my problem. I went from MH to led and now I lost my hear source.

 

[Saveafish]

I'll look i

Set up if handy tankless dedicated to tank. With the energy savings it will pay for its self. Rennia or nortiz. Rennia better warranty

I'll look into that.

 

[Saveafish]

Are you looking for a more economical solution or just a way to add more wattage? If the latter, I’d just add another stick. Using alternative heat methods will only save you $ if they are gas - electric heat is electric heat, mostly regardless of how provided. I don’t personally like using house hot water through a heat exchanger - I’d worry about bacterial issues in the water then being used for showers, washing dishes, etc. If I were going to do something out-of-the-box, I’d use a separate zone from my house heating (hot water baseboard). Maybe you could piggyback off the geothermal?

That's my worries, bacteria. Maybe added zone on the geo.

 

[jim_fitz]

i have a 3kw inline heater on mine

 

[Softhammer]

If you really need heat and aren’t afraid to drop some coin a pool heater would work. Probably 1500-2gs for a small above ground model for gas. More for a titanium heat pump that can also cool.

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

I try to avoid permanent solutions to very temporary problems.

If you’re looking at 2-3 months out of the year of having trouble keeping your temps up, then simply adding an additional heater and then unhooking it after winter is the way to go.

 

[Saveafish]

I try to avoid permanent solutions to very temporary problems.

If you’re looking at 2-3 months out of the year of having trouble keeping your temps up, then simply adding an additional heater and then unhooking it after winter is the way to go.

I think it's a long term thing. I'm gonna have to invest in real heat. Ugh

 

[Saveafish]

Would wrapping the stock tanks in insulation help?

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

On the tankless , you can go propane and have the tank filled when you need it.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

For every 100watts, $20 a month on bill.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

With the energy consumption you have, before talking about corals or adding them, your forking over to electric company the amount of a monthly bill for a nice brand new car. Think about that one

And like you said the temperature keeps dropping so you're not even heating the tank fully yet.