dwalk Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 With my little test for insulating tanks, this is what I have found so far. Week 1: No insulation Used 18.6kwh Week 2: 12mm Polystyrene on 3 sides, not inc top Used 14.0kwh Week 3: 12mm polystyrene on 3 sides,plus top around lights Week 4: 12mm all around except front during the day / evening. What this result means By insulating my test tank with 15mm poly back and sides, I have saved about 24% of the power. Based on a kwh rate of 19cents, my tank costs $3.50 week with no insulation compared to $2.65 insulated on 3 sides. 85 cents a week saving might not sound like much, but this is for only one sml tank, most people have mts and the savings are likely to be a lot higher The Test Tank 130L community tank, 5 Dwarf Gourami, 5 Striata Loaches. 5 Tiger Barbs, 4 GBA (young), 1 SAE, 3 BN, 1 Plec, 1 Siamese fighter Filter: Fluval 205, cleaned weekly for duration of test. Heater: Jager 150w, 25 Degree temp Lights: Two 15 watt tubes, on a timer for 8 hours a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkLB Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 This is an interesting experiment. 8) Thanks for sharing your findings thus far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke* Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 thank you for sharing your findings. altho the cost of getting the poly at the start would cost you a bit the savings down the track would soon surpass it (your results show) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwalk Posted June 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 Paying for poly??? Ahh, if you ask nicely at your LFS, you may get some poly for free. It's nice to know that someone is actualy following what i'm doing. Thanks for the replies MarkLb and Luke*. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaNs Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 Or get free packing sheets from placemakers... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldogod Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 I use poly on my lizard tanks and keeps the heat in nicely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smcoleman Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 if i did that to all my tanks wood save about 150 a month Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon1990 Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 if i did that to all my tanks wood save about 150 a month Do it then! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 if i did that to all my tanks wood save about 150 a month Just enough money to buy some more tanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwalk Posted June 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 if i did that to all my tanks wood save about 150 a month How many tanks do you have?? You must have a very Extreme case of MTS ! Bring out the men in white coats?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 Any idea on the temperature in Levin during the second week of the experiment? Just this may change the results slightly - although I am happy to conclude that insulating your tank saves power. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smcoleman Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 i have 37 running at the moment but once i build all my new stands will have 65 in my fish room haha lust a couple Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwalk Posted June 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 Any idea on the temperature in Levin during the second week of the experiment? Just this may change the results slightly - although I am happy to conclude that insulating your tank saves power. Matthew, I've asked Niwa for this info and will post if and when it becomes available. The weather has been reasonably similar I suspect, and my lounge temperature doesn't vary all that much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpidersWeb Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 Thanks heaps for that! Great post, maybe when you've finished the results Caryl could throw it in an Aquarium World issue ? I'll have to order some poly, mine are in an uninsulated garage, and the power cost is rediculous. We have pieces on our fry tanks to provide even temp, but not the big ones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 Maybe this thread should be headed "how to avoid a power crisis" :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whetu Posted June 23, 2008 Report Share Posted June 23, 2008 Maybe this thread should be headed "how to avoid a power crisis" :lol: Aha! So it's us and our tanks causing the power crisis! Please... nobody tell the government or we'll be outlawed dwalk, am I correct that a Fluval 205 is an external cannister filter? If so, I wonder if you would consider adding another week to your experiment. After the tank is fully insulated and you are satisfied that your results are steady, could you insulate the filter and hoses for a week and see if that makes any difference? Perhaps you could just throw a towel over the cannister and maybe wrap something around the hoses... like bubble wrap or something. I run two eheim pro II cannister filters on my tank. By the time the water comes out of the tank, goes down the hose (which is against a cold wall) circulates in the cannister (which is on a cold floor) then goes back up the hose into the tank, it has probably lost several degrees in temperature. Doing that a few times an hour would probably have quite an effect on the overall tank temp. What do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwalk Posted June 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2008 dwalk, am I correct that a Fluval 205 is an external cannister filter? If so, I wonder if you would consider adding another week to your experiment. After the tank is fully insulated and you are satisfied that your results are steady, could you insulate the filter and hoses for a week and see if that makes any difference? Perhaps you could just throw a towel over the cannister and maybe wrap something around the hoses... like bubble wrap or something. I run two eheim pro II cannister filters on my tank. By the time the water comes out of the tank, goes down the hose (which is against a cold wall) circulates in the cannister (which is on a cold floor) then goes back up the hose into the tank, it has probably lost several degrees in temperature. Doing that a few times an hour would probably have quite an effect on the overall tank temp. What do you think? Sounds a good Idea Whetu, not sure on the best way to insulate the filter and hoses, for as little outlay as possibile. How about some suggestions people?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VinsonMassif Posted June 23, 2008 Report Share Posted June 23, 2008 To insulate a canister you could use thick filter floss stuff and a woolen blanket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted June 23, 2008 Report Share Posted June 23, 2008 I'd just throw a spare blanket or something over it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nemines Posted June 23, 2008 Report Share Posted June 23, 2008 u could get ur grandma to knit you a "filter-cosy" for ur birthday/ Christmas....? :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whetu Posted June 24, 2008 Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 u could get ur grandma to knit you a "filter-cosy" for ur birthday/ Christmas....? :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Marvellous idea. Will ask her for a striped one with a pompom on top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spoon Posted June 24, 2008 Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 u could buy a foam camping mattress u know the blue 1s they are cheap at the warehouse , cut it up and cable tie it around ur hoses could also cut out pieces and duct tape them together to make a sleeve to fit over ur filter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockerpeller Posted June 24, 2008 Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 maybe find someone with an old chrisco frozen food hamper polystyrene box to put the filter in.make holes for the hoses, and power cord and your away. as stated before, the initial cost (if you have to buy one) will be far outweighed by the savings. even if it doesn't work, think of thomas edisons reply about his failed lightbulbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spoon Posted June 24, 2008 Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 im pretty sure i could discover 3000 ways how NOT to insulate a filter and hose lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwalk Posted June 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 Temperature data for the first two weeks I've just got the temperature data with min and max temperature for the first two weeks from the Niwa website. In trying to work out how to compare the two weeks tmperature, I've averaged the daily readings to give an averaged min, and an averaged max for each week. Week 1 June 9-15 inclusive. Min temp for the week 2.2c average min 6.7c Max temp for the week 17.5c average max 14.4 Week 2 June 17-22 inclusive Min temp for the week -0.9 average min 2.7 Max temp for the week 18.8 average max 14.9 What this means??? The 2nd week has a noticably cooler overnight temp, and a higher average temperature. As it is both cooler at night and slightly warmer during the day, i think the heater would of been working a little harder in the 2nd week. My power saving of 24% could be slightly low. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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