I'm wondering if it's somehow possible to use a bulkhead to insert a heater into a large water tank. I've got a couple of 300g water tanks I use for RODI storage and currently I heat them (prior to water changes) by dangling a few 300w Eheim heaters into each. It would be nicer/neater to drill holes near the bottoms of the tanks and insert heaters through bulkheads. Having a hard time finding anything like this but it seems like it should be doable. Anyone?
Inserting Heaters through Bulkheads?
- Thread starter The Mule
- Start date
Not that I'm a huge fan of the king of diy (because everything I've tried is mediocre) but he made a external filter return that housed a heater. I've used that design and it works. Look that up. It uses uniseal bulk heads, I think 3/4". I'm unsure though if it would hold that much pressure being at the bottom of a 300g tote. I used the design on a return manifold for 2 tanks off one sump using 3 heaters and a very large return pump. It held fine.
Thanks, twentyleagues. I thought about using a uniseal, but figured a bulkhead might be a bit more secure. The storage tanks are cylindrical, but they do have flat panels near the bottom which appear to be designed for bulkheads to be installed. I have one bulkhead down there on each tank that runs to a large pump that either mixes water within the tanks or sends it to the aquarium. I was thinking I could install another set of bulkheads and use for heater installation. I believe I read somewhere that you can use a bulkhead and a compression fitting to somehow secure a heater in this fashion?
The uniseals hold nice and tight on to the heater. I thought I was going to break the heaters installing them. I'm not sure how a regular bulk head would seal on to the heater I'd like to see what you come up with if you go that route.
I believe the compression fitting has a seal within, which is essentially the same thing as a uniseal. Maybe I'm making this more complicated than it needs to be. Pop a few uniseals in the side of the tank, insert heaters and be done with it... Hmmm...
Why not drill a hole large enough for the heater(s) plug(s) in the top of the container? No worries about leaks this way.
Yeah I'm never a fan of more holes in tanks so I'd stick with the dangling heaters or maybe zip-tie them to some PVC pipe and secure that to the top instead.
My second choice would be an external/inline heater plumbed with a recirculation pump so that you can inspect and replace heaters without draining the entire tank. If you go this route, I have used Heyco 1" NPT cord grips (https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Heyco/8437?qs=w%2B6LKBEmuY1ONMDuemVfoA==) with the glass Eheim heaters successfully many times.
My second choice would be an external/inline heater plumbed with a recirculation pump so that you can inspect and replace heaters without draining the entire tank. If you go this route, I have used Heyco 1" NPT cord grips (https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Heyco/8437?qs=w%2B6LKBEmuY1ONMDuemVfoA==) with the glass Eheim heaters successfully many times.
Those are good points, for sure. The storage tanks are 80" tall, so in order to reach all the way up and then down to the bottom of the tank requires the heaters to be on extension cords, but I guess that's ok. I was going for a sleeker look I suppose. But the dangling heaters may be here to stay! 