Heating multiple tanks

[Ozzie73]

I stated on another thread I was curious if heating tanks on a drip, from the drip would be possible. I'm also curious about this flexwatt tape. I've seen it mentioned on a few threads, but without any responses from those have actually tried using it. Has anyone used this successfully on tanks larger than 10g? I'm looking to try shaving wattage where I can without breaking the bank. Thanks in advance for any recommendations, whether informative or criticizing...lol

 

[TwoHedWlf]

You're not going to save any wattage over in tank heaters by just shuffling around where the heating is done, there's not really any more efficient way of getting the heat into the water, 100% of the electricity turned into heat and it all goes into the water. That's unless you switch over to gas or heat pumps.

Better would be insulating the room or the tanks better to decrease heat loss.

 

[Ozzie73]

As hideous as it may sound I'm seriously contemplating wrapping the racks with foam insulation...basically enclosing them. Still weighing options. I'm dismantling in a few weeks and starting the room over. No matter how much you research you always learn new things in this hobby...lol. I've been building my fishroom around my fish instead of my fish around my fishroom. Bass ackwards.

 

[Backfromthedead]

As hideous as it may sound I'm seriously contemplating wrapping the racks with foam insulation...basically enclosing them. Still weighing options. I'm dismantling in a few weeks and starting the room over. No matter how much you research you always learn new things in this hobby...lol. I've been building my fishroom around my fish instead of my fish around my fishroom. Bass ackwards.

In winter, i will wrap my garage tanks in insulating foam to help out the heaters.

 

[Ozzie73]

What's the typical winter garage temps? My basement is probably 72-74ish...I got sidetracked with flowerhorn breeding and they've pretty much hijacked the room and require 82 plus degree tanks. Once I unload them things should be easier but still definitely going to re-do with auto w/c. I am hoping to get ideas for dropping energy consumption to implement before tearing into it.