I am looking to find the most economical water heater for large tanks of the 1000g + size, what do you use on you 1000g tanks, or there abouts.
I have been thinking of doing the same before winter kicks in. My tanks are in the basement, though the furnace is down there, the basement is quite spacious and very open.i used to rely on multiple heaters instead of one heater if that helps. if you have the space around your tank i bought some sheets of insulation foam, and just cut pieces to fit the sides and back of the tank and taped it. this helps the tank keep its warmth somewhat. better than exposed to cold air, my tanks are in my basement so anything that helps is needed.
Thanks...I have a 29g in my basement with cichlid fry in it. The basement gets cold in my building. Sometimes as cold as 50*f. I insulated the bottom and all the sides except the front. It had a tight fitting plastic top also. The 100w heater went from being on non stop to what I would consider a normal amount
Thanks for the reply to answerJust some ideas to consider:
1) What fish are you keeping? That will tell us what temperature the tank needs to be.
2) What ambient temperature will you keep in the room where you keep the tank? That will tell us how much (if any) additional heat is needed.
3) What is the cost of electricity (in kwh is fine) and the cost of natural gas (in therms should be fine) where you live?
4) Do you already have a spot for the tank or are you going to build a place? If so, does it already have heat? If so, what kind of heat is it? (e.g., space heaters, hot water pipes, central air)
5) If you are going to build a place, will it be part of the house or separate?