Water Heaters - How can i heat 2,700 gallons?
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goingpostal111
12-12-05, 07:25 AM
I need some advice, I have taken my old cistern and transformed it into 2 11x11 rooms, devided by a 4 foot half wall. I am going to make a fish tank out of one side and the calculator i found on the internet says a 11 x 11 x 3ft deep "aquarium" would be roughly 2,700 gallons. the room temp in the dead of winter is 50 degrees. with (3) 100w heat lamps the temp is 57degrees. i need to make the filled tank around 70 degrees. what would be the most effective way to do this?
fixitron
12-12-05, 07:39 AM
I would start by looking at a heat loss calculation to determine how quickly you would lose heat to the walls. Are you insulating them at all?
I would then look at your boiler and consider adding another zone, using X feet of finned radiation in the water. There should be enough radiation to keep up with heat losses and also heat the water up in maybe 12 hours or so.
I would then look at your boiler and consider adding another zone, using X feet of finned radiation in the water. There should be enough radiation to keep up with heat losses and also heat the water up in maybe 12 hours or so.
AnnKH
12-16-05, 12:41 PM
What kind of fish are you planning to put in there? If you are getting goldfish, you may not need to heat the water at all - just dont feed the fish when it's cold.
People in warmer climates (where ponds don't freeze solid) keep their goldfish out all winter.
People in warmer climates (where ponds don't freeze solid) keep their goldfish out all winter.
Pendragon
12-17-05, 08:39 PM
I need some advice, I have taken my old cistern and transformed it into 2 11x11 rooms, devided by a 4 foot half wall. I am going to make a fish tank out of one side and the calculator i found on the internet says a 11 x 11 x 3ft deep "aquarium" would be roughly 2,700 gallons. the room temp in the dead of winter is 50 degrees. with (3) 100w heat lamps the temp is 57degrees. i need to make the filled tank around 70 degrees. what would be the most effective way to do this?
I can't think of any way to heat that much water, which that much surface area without spending a small fortune each month.
You need something like a small pool heater with it's own pump running 24/7, fish can tolerate their own tempuratures, but they can't tolerate constant flucuations in temp, or 'hot spots' in the water.
Figure on $100+ a month just to keep it warm.
Your local large aquarium shop can best advise you on how to maintain that much water.
I can't think of any way to heat that much water, which that much surface area without spending a small fortune each month.
You need something like a small pool heater with it's own pump running 24/7, fish can tolerate their own tempuratures, but they can't tolerate constant flucuations in temp, or 'hot spots' in the water.
Figure on $100+ a month just to keep it warm.
Your local large aquarium shop can best advise you on how to maintain that much water.