Heating tank with a partially immersed light bulb or five.

[knifegill]

Alright, I know suggesting this probably earns me a good slap across the face. But what sort of precautions against the shattering and energy loss through light can I take? I suspect pumping the water through a sealed black plastic box into which the bulbs are mounted and filtering the output pretty much solves those hurdles. Now, if I ground the tank, is it electrocution proof? And how high on the bulb should a silicone seal be placed? At the beginning of the glass neck or on the metal somewhere?

 

[epond83]

This seems like an odd way of heating a tank...

How are you going to control the tempature? You need some sort of thermostate to regulate tempature, assuming everything else works,

 

[Heathd]

In order to keep it from shattering the bulb would have to be at room temperature, submerged, and then turned on.

Even so, this is a bad idea, no offense.

 

[MadRussian79]

There are under water lamps for ponds that will heat the water. They are in sealed containers but still put heat into the tank. Might want to try buying them before building your own.

 

[KASK]

There are under water lamps for ponds that will heat the water. They are in sealed containers but still put heat into the tank. Might want to try buying them before building your own.

honestly just spend 40 bucks on some heaters bro dont kill yourself no offense just be safe

 

[Cakilla]

honestly just spend 40 bucks on some heaters bro dont kill yourself no offense just be safe

I agree, it couldn't be good for your fish either if you got your water "charged" with stray voltage...

 

[Heathd]

Yea, the great thing about 120v is that it likes to hold on to you when you ground out. Old fish store I used to work at had some really shotty flourescent hoods that had exposed wiring and would ground out if the lip was wet, which it usually was. It doesnt hurt, but it certainly isnt pleasent.

 

[knifegill]

That's about what I expected to hear, and justly so. Thing is, I don't have 40 bucks for a new heater. I think I'll settle for a ghetto row of 50 watt heaters for now, then. I've just got to get them calibrated in unison. That could be tough, though, as the only indicator for the stealth heaters (the old, good ones!) is to grab them and see if they are on.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[boldtogether]

I saw a guy put an aluminum beer can over an incadescent (top removed) and partially submerged that in the water. The beer can was a Fosters 25oz. Dare I say it, it actually worked very well.
Kids, dont try this.

 

[knifegill]

Now we're talking! I'd use glass jars instead. Keep 'em coming! This...could...work! As long as I plan for every possible flaw and prevent it before it happens, it will work for sure! I could simply cut an acrylic sheet with holes to drop the jars into, then get them a little insulated on top after plopping bulbs down inside. Control the output with a dimmer switch, or by turning on more or less bulbs.

Unless cans would be a better conductor. I wonder what kind to use? Aluminum actually makes a lot of sense...but my spidey sense is itchy on that one.