Heating 80G tank without heater?

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A

AdzyHany

Gambusia
MFK Member
May 5, 2011
133
2
16
35
peterborough, Ontario, Canada
I'm looking at acrylic coffee table aquariums (48x24x16) and I'm wondering if it could be heated from below the tank to avoid any wires running down the side of the tank. I was thinking of lighting it with a bunch of incandescent bulbs? would it be able to be controlled? any other way of heating it from below? Also what would be my options from filtering it by drilling the bottom? I'd like the keep the stand around 6" high. It would be nice to heat and filter with as little showing in the tank. If its not possible, I could live with a box in the center that I could hide with some fake plants or something. the bottom will be covered with marbles or glass beads. And if its not too much to ask, it would be nice to run the air pump lines through the bottom as well lol.
 
AdzyHany said:
I'm looking at acrylic coffee table aquariums (48x24x16) and I'm wondering if it could be heated from below the tank to avoid any wires running down the side of the tank. I was thinking of lighting it with a bunch of incandescent bulbs? would it be able to be controlled? any other way of heating it from below? Also what would be my options from filtering it by drilling the bottom? I'd like the keep the stand around 6" high. It would be nice to heat and filter with as little showing in the tank. If its not possible, I could live with a box in the center that I could hide with some fake plants or something. the bottom will be covered with marbles or glass beads. And if its not too much to ask, it would be nice to run the air pump lines through the bottom as well lol.
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Incadescent is terribly inefficient as a heating source, especially for water, and the only way to control it is turning it off. Really impratical and a lot more expensive.
An In-line heater is what I would use: http://www.kensfish.com/aquarium-su...s/hydor-200watt-inline-heater-1-2-in-out.html connect this to a canister and everything goes under the tank
 
I would also be concerned about cracking the glass if you are trying to heat it from the bottom. Xraycer has a great idea with the inline heater. You may be able to rig some sort of sump under the tank but I'm not sure how you would do that with only 6 inches. Maintenance would be near impossible.
 
could probably run a sump using cat litter trays, you will have to have a wier either in the centre or a corner though, could run the return in the wier aswell but will need two holes drilled. air lines could oxygenate either up through the wier into the tank or in the sump system. only other option is boxing the corners out like table legs and hiding the pipes in these.... i thought maybe taping reptile heat mats to the bottom for heat, would that work?? but if you are going sump heat in there. ive kept crested geckos with heat mats taped to the side of the tank...

sounds like a fun project anyway, good luck bud...
 
corn fed said:
I would also be concerned about cracking the glass if you are trying to heat it from the bottom. Xraycer has a great idea with the inline heater. You may be able to rig some sort of sump under the tank but I'm not sure how you would do that with only 6 inches. Maintenance would be near impossible.
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There's always the option of drilling through the room floor and have filtration system in the room below
 
justarn said:
could probably run a sump using cat litter trays, you will have to have a wier either in the centre or a corner though, could run the return in the wier aswell but will need two holes drilled. air lines could oxygenate either up through the wier into the tank or in the sump system. only other option is boxing the corners out like table legs and hiding the pipes in these.... i thought maybe taping reptile heat mats to the bottom for heat, would that work?? but if you are going sump heat in there. ive kept crested geckos with heat mats taped to the side of the tank...

sounds like a fun project anyway, good luck bud...
Click to expand...

Haha I was thinking of the same thing, but maintence would be such a PITA
 
But how much heat would actually make it through...? Could add or remove mats as needed. The litter trays could just slide out if the feeds were situated riggt no? Maybe in a drawer?

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