1500 gal fbg tank, new setup for my monsters!!

[thebiggerthebetter]

Have you looked into pool / hot tub heaters?

You can heat it in great many ways and all in all they will cost about the same in electricity charges. The only real and doable savings I think lie in insulation.

How have you protected the outlets where the pumps draw in the water from sucking up a fish, dead or alive against the opening? The pull is very strong. A bottom drain grate / strainer could do it but not a flat one but a dome one.

Also, your pumps don't need to lift the water 6' in the air, as you stated before but only the difference between the water height in your tank and the inlets on the wet-dry filters. But I am sure you know it.

 

[fishtankphil]

Those were the firzt things i looked at but they are exp and are heat pumps unless its the tube style that u put inline with ur return water. As far as the intakez i have strainers on them. 2" on each intake of the pumps. What do u do for urs?

 

[fishtankphil]

Also fiberglass is an insulator as well and the bottom is insulated too. I need a reliable heating source. Either an inline opt like pentair and a few other brands, drop in titanium like i found, 6 kw needs a 220, 30 amp circuit, or heat pump.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

I think you'd be fine or at least try first the usual fish tank heaters. I have 5 one kilowatt titanium ones with controllers. I still think you better insulate the walls and cover the top with plastic, which will save you a lot of $$ on heating.

Yes, I meant the inline electric heaters, 2" pipe in and 2" pipe out. I have had one that was heating our 1000 gal hot tub on Craigslist for a long time. I make no promises but I know it works and it's not old. You could have it for $100 (I am asking $200 on CL). New ones like this one cost $550.

My DIY screens/ covers for 4" drains, first and second generation, are near the bottom of page 9 here: https://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=33968&hilit=grate&start=160

 

[fishtankphil]

How are u doing with the drop in ones? What sized tank are they on and what temp do u hover around at?

 

[fishtankphil]

From what i have learned heat pumps are the most efficient and strongest to maintain temps. The cost a fraction of the cost of an inline style. Even if i do the drop in style that are over $ 1k even if i do multiple 1k ones.

 

[fishtankphil]

I heard the hot tub ones dont stop heating til they reach a certain temp also it needs a thermostat or it has one? Thanks

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

How are u doing with the drop in ones? What sized tank are they on and what temp do u hover around at?

I only used them 2-3 times in the 7 years we have been in FL during the coldest and longest spells in the winter times, when our pavilion and incoming fresh water weren't enough and the temp dropped to 70 F. So I just bumped the water temp up 2-5 degrees in 4 systems - 23,000 gal, 2,000 gal, and two 1500 gal. I plopped the heaters in the sumps, full on on thermostat, until the temp rose to 72-75.

From what i have learned heat pumps are the most efficient and strongest to maintain temps. The cost a fraction of the cost of an inline style. Even if i do the drop in style that are over $ 1k even if i do multiple 1k ones.

You likely know more than I do, as I never researched it that deep. IDK what efficiency means in your statement. In my simple mind, when a heating element is immersed in water, as in the drop-in style heaters, every Joule of heat goes into the water and there are no losses, so it may become all about how efficiently a heater transforms electric energy into heat.

I heard the hot tub ones dont stop heating til they reach a certain temp also it needs a thermostat or it has one? Thanks

That's mine - it has a temp dial:

 

[fishtankphil]

Update on the tank.....i added another return line so now there are 3x 1" returns coming from the filter now. It def needed it. Instead of using bulkheads i went with uniseals. Very easy to install and i dont need to tear apart the filters to install them. Since doing so i increased the amount of water running into the filters. The 15k jebaos went from 50% to now 80 and 90% speed, 90% for the one that has a T for the uv, and the filters seem to be holding well. All of the media is fully suspended and no longer is a portion of it under water. I also took out some of the lava rox and instead went with old fashioned bio balls. It decreased the amount of weight on the eggcrate/pvc tray that holds the media above the water line. I placed some of the lava rocks along the middle of the eggcrate tray and surrounded and covered the remaining space with the bio balls. As well as drilling more and smaller drip holes on the acrylic drip tray. Imo the filters are working super well as i also decreased the drip from 5 to 2 gals per hr. Since doing so the fish have responded very well and their activity/behavior has increased as well. Im looking at turning the 1500 gal over atleast 4 to 5x hr in volume with the new settings i have done on the filters. Im very pleased. Also i added 4x500 watt heaters for the time being. They were very fair priced and seem to be holding the temp consist at 83° with no fluctuating. This will not be my silver bullet as i am still doing some research on my final add for temp control for the cooler months ahead. I haven't added any new fish yet. Keeping it the same so none of the fish get upset and maintain their present course!