Saving Money On Heating!

[Fish Eat Fish]

So next year I will be moving into a house and Im planning on having an indoor pond. Size has not been determined yet but im thinking of using a kiddie pool or stock tank. The basement is cold and not heat efficient. I need to heat the pond but I dont want to raise the electricity bill too much. Im trying to figure out how to heat it the most efficiently. Im thinking if I built and wooden enclosure around the pond and filled the gap with insulation and lifted to tank off the cold floor AND built an insulated lid for it, I should be able to keep it heated fairly cheaply right?

 

[King Edward]

The victorians use to grow pineapples in england before electricity by building a box around them and putting horse crap in the gap instead of insulation. This ferments and keeps the pineapples at tropical temps, no increase in leccy bills. Every now and then they dug some out, put it on the garden and put some fresh crap in. The gap needs to be about 18" though. Got a horse?

 

[estuary]

 

[Fish Eat Fish]

The victorians use to grow pineapples in england before electricity by building a box around them and putting horse crap in the gap instead of insulation. This ferments and keeps the pineapples at tropical temps, no increase in leccy bills. Every now and then they dug some out, put it on the garden and put some fresh crap in. The gap needs to be about 18" though. Got a horse?

ha ha that would smell just great in the basement! No horse but im sure I could figure somthing out.

Seriosuly though guys would the insulation work well?

 

[ethnics]

should work. insulation keeps houses warm. insulated ponds keep ponds warm. even steve keeps tropical fish outdoors without heaters even thru winter time.

insulation does what its supposed to. especially if you build it how its supposed to be.

u needa use some electricity tho to heat it in the first place. but good insulation prevents ur heaters from being needed more often.

 

[Nic]

if you cover it and insultate it very well it will retain the heat and be more efficient

 

[Fish Eat Fish]

what about having it basically sealed? Have the edge of the lid lined with some plastic/rubber and have it insulated (similar to a hottub cover) except for a slot in the center for the lighting. Then I can just lift it off when I want to see the fish. The oxygen absorbtion should be fine if I have an exposed wet/dry I would think.

 

[Nic]

you will want some kind of gass exchange

 

[Fish Eat Fish]

the open top wet/dry should do it dont you think?

 

[King Edward]

An open topped wet/dry attached to a hot pond in a cold basement is a very effective way of cooling the pond.