Large tanks in basements.

[freak78]

Well one thing I've learned is it takes quite a bit of wattage to treat ich on a large tank in a cool basement. So my new 220g developed ich, I have a titanium 800w heater to heat it which I keep it around 77 to 78 degrees. Now my basement is 55 degrees currently so the 800w heater can keep that temp. Now that I have an ich outbreak I use the heat method and have had great success with it. I need 86 to 87 degrees. I've had to add another 300w heater to achieve that temp and maintain it. So I wonder what my next electric bill is gonna look like.

 

[robham777]

I feel your pain. I have 10x300 watt heaters plus two space heaters running for my garage tanks.

 

[cichlidfish]

I've been thinking of setting up tanks in my basement. I have no heat down there. However I have been thinking of adding insulation at least. Not sure how much of a difference it would make.

 

[monkeybike]

My basement 180 runs 3x300 watt, ambient temp is mid 60's

 

[Drx6x]

yet another reason to love north american natives

 

[FreshyFresh]

Yep. Takes a lot of wattage to heat water more than 10-15degF above ambient.

 

[fishnatics]

My basement is finished and I run 2 300 watt heaters for my 135 gallon to keep it at 77 degrees. My basement room temp is 68 degrees. Monthly whole house electric bill is around $65

 

[Fisher...]

I have a ton of tanks in my heated, finished basement but it still doesn't get much warmer then 60-62 in the winter here. ( Minnesota) I find it's cheaper for me to run a radiator type space heater and heat the basement fish room rather then letting all of my 100-500 heaters go blasting full bore all the time, they still turn on from time to time but they don't run non-stop like they used to. Keeps the rest of the house a little warmer as well.

 

[Lepisosteus]

May be an obvious question but are all of you running well fitted lids on your tanks? I used to have a 220 outside in an unheated poorly insulated storage shop and I only ran 2 300 watt heaters and temp of -20 outside are not uncommon. The shop only really protected from the wind as the doors were not flush with the ground and the one was above it by a foot so snow would often blow inside (this shop connected to our boat house). Shop was not concrete ground only gravel. The difference that a few nicely fitted acrylic lids made on my tank was crazy. I maintained a 78 degree water temperature all through winter and the heaters did not constantly run. I did however on really cold nights throw a few towels to cover the sides of the tanks so insulating around the tanks will do wonders as well.

 

[fishfanatic80]

I agree with running a space heater or using lids on the aquarium to keep the heat in. That lids make a huge difference but personally I hate using lids for the aesthetics. Lids take away the beauty of seeing the surface agitation