Thoughts on heating a tank

ruiny · 12/07/2017, 01:53 PM

So my basement sump on my tank keeps the tank quite cool.
I run 2 heaters that can barley keep up.
I can always get another heater. But they are expensive to run.
Any thoughts on insulation for the sump?
I’m concidering doing a hot water tank heating. But that’s a lot of work.
Thanks for your thoughts.

lapin · 12/07/2017, 02:34 PM

They make insulation blankets for hot water heaters. You could cut that to fit around the tank. Place a cover over the sump. Use some 2 sided tape and tape another set of glass or acrylic panels around the tank, like a double pained window. Air is a good insulator. Foam wrap the pipes. These might all help or not.

mcgyvr · 12/07/2017, 03:08 PM

yep... an insulated cover will help considerably... it could even just be that pink/purple foam board as its "fairly" resilient to moisture..
Then use the same foam board to cover the sides of the glass to reduce losses there too..

clevername · 12/07/2017, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

yep... an insulated cover will help considerably... it could even just be that pink/purple foam board as its "fairly" resilient to moisture..
Then use the same foam board to cover the sides of the glass to reduce losses there too..

agree with everyone, even just cardboard top would help a lot (NOT the first suggestion).

Id go with the pink foam board for the top and the thickest wall insulation you can afford, to wrap around the sump (which shouldn't be too much)

PS: even a glass lid on the tank would help

Mark Bianco · 12/07/2017, 06:16 PM

Sort of expensive but you could build some 2 x 2 walls big enough for your needs with a door and insulate the walls and floor. I did this and just ran a small room heater my tank heaters hardly ever turned on...

der_wille_zur_macht · 12/08/2017, 10:01 AM

Unless you're switching energy sources (ie a gas fired boiler), an aquarium heater directly in the water is the most cost effective way to heat water. There's basically zero loss in the heating process itself. Don't put the system on an electric water heater or use electric space heaters near the system, you will lose money.

That really only leaves insulation and reduction of evaporation as available options. Get creative. There are really cheap ways to insulate a sump.

nereefpat · 12/08/2017, 10:35 AM

If the sump is sitting on the floor (cold concrete), that would be worth fixing, imo.

You could build a simple box from 2x4s and plywood.

ruiny · 12/08/2017, 01:36 PM

So the sump is sitting about 2 feet off the floor on a wooden table.
My water heater is gas. For me gas is cheap and hydro is expensive.
I’m thinking insulation is the place to start. It will help regardless of the heat source.

outy · 12/08/2017, 06:24 PM

I use a Rubbermaid 100g which holds heat well for my basement set up. The glass tank I had bled heat.

I also use the 1/2" pink foam insulation board that sits 1" over my water level.

Makes a big difference.

ruiny · 12/08/2017, 08:07 PM

I’m going to have a hard time covering the sump.
To many pipes and a big slimmer sticking out.
I’m thinking more of a curtain to close off the sump room.

Heart of Dixie · 12/13/2017, 02:59 PM

I covered mine with the 1/2" pink insulation board from Home Depot. It took a little while but as long as you have a good razor knife, cutting it is easy. They also sell 1" material but I did not need that thick. This keeps the tank around 78.3 degrees during a mid-twenties night in an unheated basement, close to the garage doors. This is about 3 degrees higher than without the cover. The sump sits on a metal desk, the skimmer and return pumps are external.

12/07/2017, 01:53 PM	#1
ruiny Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Ottawa, Ontario Posts: 536	Thoughts on heating a tank So my basement sump on my tank keeps the tank quite cool. I run 2 heaters that can barley keep up. I can always get another heater. But they are expensive to run. Any thoughts on insulation for the sump? I’m concidering doing a hot water tank heating. But that’s a lot of work. Thanks for your thoughts. __________________ Go Sens Go Current Tank Info: 93 mixed reef

12/07/2017, 03:08 PM	#3
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	yep... an insulated cover will help considerably... it could even just be that pink/purple foam board as its "fairly" resilient to moisture.. Then use the same foam board to cover the sides of the glass to reduce losses there too.. __________________ Who me?

12/08/2017, 10:01 AM	#6
der_wille_zur_macht Team RC Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NY Posts: 17,749	Unless you're switching energy sources (ie a gas fired boiler), an aquarium heater directly in the water is the most cost effective way to heat water. There's basically zero loss in the heating process itself. Don't put the system on an electric water heater or use electric space heaters near the system, you will lose money. That really only leaves insulation and reduction of evaporation as available options. Get creative. There are really cheap ways to insulate a sump. __________________ Inconveniencing marine life since 1992 "It is my personal belief that reef aquaria should be thriving communities of biodiversity, representative of their wild counterparts, and not merely collections of pretty specimens growing on tidy clean rock shelves covered in purple coralline algae." (Eric Borneman)

12/08/2017, 10:35 AM	#7
nereefpat Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Central Nebraska Posts: 3,190	If the sump is sitting on the floor (cold concrete), that would be worth fixing, imo. You could build a simple box from 2x4s and plywood. __________________ Pat Current Tank Info: 125 in-wall , 40b sump. 6 bulb T5. ASM G2 skimmer. LPS and leathers

12/08/2017, 01:36 PM	#8
ruiny Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Ottawa, Ontario Posts: 536	So the sump is sitting about 2 feet off the floor on a wooden table. My water heater is gas. For me gas is cheap and hydro is expensive. I’m thinking insulation is the place to start. It will help regardless of the heat source. __________________ Go Sens Go Current Tank Info: 93 mixed reef

12/07/2017, 02:34 PM	#2
lapin Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Austin Posts: 801	They make insulation blankets for hot water heaters. You could cut that to fit around the tank. Place a cover over the sump. Use some 2 sided tape and tape another set of glass or acrylic panels around the tank, like a double pained window. Air is a good insulator. Foam wrap the pipes. These might all help or not.

12/07/2017, 06:16 PM	#5
Mark Bianco In Memoriam Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Infinity and Beyond Posts: 2,445	Sort of expensive but you could build some 2 x 2 walls big enough for your needs with a door and insulate the walls and floor. I did this and just ran a small room heater my tank heaters hardly ever turned on...

12/08/2017, 06:24 PM	#9
outy Moved On Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: auburn CA Posts: 4,021	I use a Rubbermaid 100g which holds heat well for my basement set up. The glass tank I had bled heat. I also use the 1/2" pink foam insulation board that sits 1" over my water level. Makes a big difference.

12/08/2017, 08:07 PM	#10
ruiny Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Ottawa, Ontario Posts: 536	I’m going to have a hard time covering the sump. To many pipes and a big slimmer sticking out. I’m thinking more of a curtain to close off the sump room. __________________ Go Sens Go Current Tank Info: 93 mixed reef

12/13/2017, 02:59 PM	#11
Heart of Dixie Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Alabama Posts: 90	I covered mine with the 1/2" pink insulation board from Home Depot. It took a little while but as long as you have a good razor knife, cutting it is easy. They also sell 1" material but I did not need that thick. This keeps the tank around 78.3 degrees during a mid-twenties night in an unheated basement, close to the garage doors. This is about 3 degrees higher than without the cover. The sump sits on a metal desk, the skimmer and return pumps are external.