hot tub heater as aquarium heater

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
D

dimfer

Gambusia
MFK Member
Dec 8, 2005
490
3
16
Canada
had anyone tried using inline hot tub (jacuzzi) heater to heat up indoor monster tanks?

a local guy suggested inline heater for my 1200 gal project. sounds like a good idea, but I am concerned it might kill my arowanas.

suggestions are welcome


approx requirement is 2500 watts

thanks
 
My main concern would be temp. regulation. My hot tub regulates its temperature by injecting very hot streams of water into the tub, something that your fish might not be able to handle if this is how your tub works.

Please explain the heating system of your tub better, it might help for more replies. Hot tubs heat themselves several diff. ways. not sure about inline tubs thou...???
 
I think it would work fine, just use a high gph pump and a precise controller. Have you considered a gas heater, maybe a water heater from a RV jetted for natural gas, or a smaller house hold water heater. I have a 1000 watter in my 550 and it really sucks the power back, 2500 watts on 1200 gal would draw alot of power. You could try to phone a plumbing and heating shop, thay may have some Ideas, or I'm sure someone else here has the perfect solution.

Do you still have the comm going? If you do, please share some pics:popcorn: . I could only imagine what they look like now:naughty: .


Good Luck,
 
The common size plumbing for an inline spa heater is two inches. They are also available in 1.5 inches. You will need the thermostat from the spa also. Some are part of the controller, but some of the older ones are manual. You want the manual kind.

If you can plumb the water outside, you can get a gas heater for spa's. That will be much more efficient. Also, if your house is heated with a boiler, you can get a heat exchanger installed (used for hot water heaters) and have it plumbed to the fish tank. It will be a big job and you may want to leave it to a plumber, but it will be much cheaper in the long run compared to heating it with electricity.
 
thanks for all the replies.

I talked to a few hot tub dealers/manufacturers yesterday. I was told that this could be done, but the concern now is the corrosion of the heating filaments. Even with the teflon coated ones, operating below ph of 7 means that I might have to replace them every 3 months.

And yes, like what John said, temperature can be controlled by an external controller in conjunction with the inline heater's thermostat.

I think I found the item I am looking for at Aquamerik's.

again, thanks fellows, you are super :headbang2
 
I heat my the water in my sump with a 5Kw jacuzzi heater before it goes to the fish.
 
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