livebearer_breeder Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 Alright this is my "delima"......... I have got mainly big tanks and have decided to down size but in mass, my intentions are to have many, many small tanks....... The reason for this is for my killies, i want to get more species and intend on breeding them, but my current setups are too few and too big........... It has not been hard to heat these tanks, but the electicity bill has increaed hugely. i am worried with more smaller tanks if i have to have little indiviual heaters in each tank that the electricty bill will increase, and the cost would be harrendase for the heaters alone........... I have thought about alternative means of heating all these small tanks, so far i have figured out that heating the garage with lights or gas heater etc would not work, becuase it is not insulated and heat quickly disapates. and as said before individual heater for each tank is not the street i wont to take....... so i have come to the conclusion that heating pads would do the trick, i have seen many setups in the wellington region with these, and they seem to be rather effective. however in my search for them i have been terrabley unsuccesful.......... I was wondering if anyone new a means of either purchaseing them or making them? I have read an article on how to DIY one but seemed extremly complicated......... Any help would be greatly appreciated Cheers Shae 250 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 It is only complicated if you do not have an electrical background My husband built ours and has made 3 so far. All are still going well and the oldest would be coming up 10 years old and never had a problem with any of them. The biggest problem may be finding a thermostat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 As a general rule, the more litres the more electricity to heat it. Likewise the less litres the less electricity. It doesn't matter if you have more heaters. If the total litres is less you will use less power. You'd be better off insulating the tanks as the only power required is to top-up the loss of heat. By insulating you'll lose less heat therefore use less power. My old fishroom had over 3000L in it but only used $60.00 a month in power. The 100mm polystyrene walls kept all the heat in. Most of the heat was supplied by the pump and lights. The heaters very seldom tuned on and the main cost of power was the pump followed by the lights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 The heatpad idea is still good though. It's often more practical for what you want to do. The same power requirements still apply as above though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livebearer_breeder Posted December 11, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 this doesnt really help me though, i need to know where i can either order them or buy them? Shae 250 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I luv killies Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 Im sorting some out at the moment and should have price lists within 2 weeks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 I don't know of anyone making them to sell (anyone else know??). Would you give DIY a go if someone gave you the instructions. It is important you are confident with making mains connections though. I wouldn't recommend it for anyone who doesn't know too much about mains and electrical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livebearer_breeder Posted December 11, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 I might be able to talk to one of my electrician friends to help me, instructions would be fine, not great but would help, better than nothing. Shae 250 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 Ok, if no one else can help I'll PM you instructions. Caryl, do you have instructions somewhere, someone has t have written a good article on DIY heatpads at some stage?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 Undersoil heating cables from some of the better garden centres would do the trick. Just run in conjuntion with a good thermostat and you should have a good set up. I thought previously (before my fishroom was taken over by my son) that I would use either hot pipes or heat cables buried in trays of black sand with the tanks resting on this... but it didn't eventuate.. but I can see no reason for it not working Bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 Grant wrote one Warren. It is in the Aug 98 AW page 36. My scanner isn't coping with OCR at the moment so I would have to retype it. Can you scan a copy and send it to me? Bits may have to be updated or changed now. I know the company mentioned has moved so the address is wrong. I would need to check they still exists and can do the job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted December 11, 2004 Report Share Posted December 11, 2004 Scanning now, you should have in in your mailbox in a few minutes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted December 12, 2004 Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 Thanks Warren but I meant it scanned as a text file . Grant reckons the scanner should do it so I will try again. All it gives me is heiroglyphics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted December 12, 2004 Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 Did you get it to go?? I can OCR it if you like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Posted December 12, 2004 Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 I am pretty sure I saw some heat pads in a wholesalers catalogue, PM me if you are interested. they would not be cheap however, as Warren said, its heating the water that counts, The power company doesnt care how you heat your fish they just want your money :-) /Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted December 12, 2004 Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 Got it going thanks Warren Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livebearer_breeder Posted December 12, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 well im hoping you guys can get it to me soon cuz i just ordered a 1500mm x 300mm x 300mm with four partions at every foot, so essentialy it is five 27l tanks, for my killies. I intend to bye a big air-pump, then have a 5 valve, gang valve off it running either corner filters or spong box filters in each of the partions. know my main delima is heating, so if you can get that info to me as soon as possible please it would be very helpful. Is a heating pad cheaper in electicity than 5 small heaters? becuase i intend on about 4 of this style tank. Cheers Shae 250 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted December 12, 2004 Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 I believe a heating pad is going to be generally less efficient than 5 small heaters. You're going to lose a lot of heat keeping the stand warm instead of the tank water in addition to the glass and any substrate insulating the water. A submersed heater...Basically all of the power goes into the water making it more efficient. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livebearer_breeder Posted December 12, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 Profanity Edited. LB... This is your final warning Wow, that really stuffs up my plans!!! I hope your wrong Ira. Shae 250 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livebearer_breeder Posted December 12, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 i was under the impression that a heating pad would be more cost effective? Shae 250 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted December 12, 2004 Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 A single heating pad may cost less to buy than 5 small heaters, but is going to cost more to run. So, depends how you're looking at cost effective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livebearer_breeder Posted December 12, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 That is the exact oppostie to what ive read, they are spose to be really expensive but use less power! What i mean by cost effectiveness is i need to use less electicty. Shae 250 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
breakaway Posted December 12, 2004 Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 Why dont you try cascading your EDIT: 5 partitions? You can put in a heater on the bottom most partition. Then get a filter or pump and position the intake near the heater, and position the spray bar or outlet on the highest compartment. Then drill holes in the partitions so the water would overflow into the lower compartments. In addition you could also run box filters if you like. If this wont work, please tell me why, I have been wanting to employ this idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livebearer_breeder Posted December 12, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 if your gonna pay for it mate! Shae 250 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted December 12, 2004 Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 If anything doing that would be the least expensive route, would even cost a tiny bit less for the tank because each partition would be slightly shorter than the rest, But too late now probably. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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