Diy coal or fire pit heater for 8x3x2.5

[turtles]

Okay so ive built my tank but power isnt cheap for heaters 2 or 3x 300w ehiems will cost abit to much to run atm so
I wanna build a copper or fish safe metal container i can heat wiyh coals.or wood using a thermometer amd pressure.release valve to controlntemp run it to my filter so it puts 28°c water ona 200lph pump to heat the tank and a spare 300w jager to be a back up i really only meed cheap heating in winter
Reackon this could work ??×21

 

[Willyy]

think long term. I think it will be cheaper in the end to just get the electric heaters. Coal and fire is so much less efficient. It also sounds like a time bomb to me. Are you going to keep it burning 24/7? What happens if it goes out, temp in tank drops? Also how exactly are you going to do it? Run copper pipe from the heat source and pump water thru it?

 

[Leebtattoos]

I’d look into propane

 

[elting44]

Unless I am missing something, it sounds like a lot of variables that could end poorly in my opinion. I am sure it can be done, but I have to imagine it will offer less stress and work in the long run to use electric heaters.

And having to maintain your fuel in your furnace is just another thing to have to keep on top of.

 

[Lepisosteus]

Sounds like way to much effort to heat a 450 gallon tank. Drop 3 300watts in there. As long as your room temps are not 60 the heaters will only be on maybe 3 hours a day. So 30 cents a day roughly

 

[davemal]

use electric an insulate your tank. thick polystyrene sheets on the sides you don't view and the top will cut heating costs

 

[turtles]

I would need 3 300watts
Works out so be 1100 every 3months

The plan is have a main chamber in a brix box to heat with either propane or coal to approx 60degre c via vent and height
The main chamber for correct temp will have a vent and be on top up barrel acted also as my drip system allways fill the heater amd evemtually running out the back of the tank via a drain anyway main tank will run into a secoundary tank to cool a little and run it on a thermo stat and pump water into my sump to maintain temp
Gas is alot cheaper then electricty here
Thoughts?

 

[turtles]

For got to mention tanks are in garage

 

[AusC]

If gas is cheap, how about an on demand spa heater? Designed for recirculating flows with auto start and auto stop based on temperature.

 

[davemal]

You could heat the garage space with coal or wood will reduce how much the electric heaters need to work. What insulation do u have on the tank ? Keep the room warm heaters will work less