Heating your aging barrel, ever melt the plastic?

[CobaltBerry]

Sorry if this has been covered before, I had trouble finding it. Does anyone ever worry about the heater in their aging barrel melting the plastic? I just picked up a 44gal Brute, and will be setting it up tonight. I would assume the water would dissipate the heat before it could get that hot, just wondering.

On a related but separate note, my Discus seem to have trouble breathing after a large water change (over 40%) and I assume aging the water with strong aeration will help if not fix that. I have a deep private well (Ohio limestone) and it only seems to be an issue in the winter. Anything you think I'm missing? Thanks a lot for the help!

[daffyfish]

I just use a couple pieces of scrap glass. One on the bottom of the container. And one to attach the heater to. Don't know if it is necessary or not. But, it eases my mind. Looking forward to other ideas.

[Keith Perkins]

I have had a heater leave indentations in the bottom of a 44 gallon brute, so I don't leave mine laying on the bottom anymore.

Aging may help your problem and it's likely to reduce your TDS some.

[DonMD]

I always suspend my heaters in the water barrel. I have a 1/2 inch copper pipe laying across the top, and I lay the electrical cord over the heater, then with a zip tie, gather the cord just underneath the pipe so that it holds the heater suspended exactly where I want it, close but not touching the bottom. I just have to remember to turn off the heater if I empty the barrel!

[CobaltBerry]

I always suspend my heaters in the water barrel. I have a 1/2 inch copper pipe laying across the top, and I lay the electrical cord over the heater, then with a zip tie, gather the cord just underneath the pipe so that it holds the heater suspended exactly where I want it, close but not touching the bottom. I just have to remember to turn off the heater if I empty the barrel!

That's a good idea Don. I mounted a piece of PVC into the lid so I can snake the cables out with the lid on. I'll just clip the cable to that pipe:

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-WAy0XXXZXDk/UyohZ8iAJWI/AAAAAAAABD0/AMNfT7suCVk/w1303-h977-no/IMG_20140319_185516_976.jpg

[Nick Klimkowski]

Make sure your aging barrel has an opening so that evaporation can take place. You do not want it to be sealed air tight.

[zachrabbit15]

I use 3 55g food grade barrels to age mine. Each barrel has a 300w Aquatop, they are cheep heaters that I will only use in my aging system. I siliconed a piece of glass to the bottom of each barrel and use the suction cups to hold the heaters in place on the glass. Each barrel also has a circulation pump so the water is always moving.

[CobaltBerry]

Make sure your aging barrel has an opening so that evaporation can take place. You do not want it to be sealed air tight.

Nick,
The lid has 1 1/2" PVC pipe fitted into it. Do you think that will be enough? I wanted to keep as much heat in as possible, so the wife doesn't kill me (or the fish) when the electric bill comes. Next step is to wrap the container in insulation.

[Nick Klimkowski]

It will probable be ok, with mine I just keep the lids off however.

[DonMD]

Nick,
The lid has 1 1/2" PVC pipe fitted into it. Do you think that will be enough?

That's plenty.

[BODYDUB]

I always suspend my heaters in the water barrel. I have a 1/2 inch copper pipe laying across the top, and I lay the electrical cord over the heater, then with a zip tie, gather the cord just underneath the pipe so that it holds the heater suspended exactly where I want it, close but not touching the bottom. I just have to remember to turn off the heater if I empty the barrel!

Same here. I use one of my w/c hose clamps to keep it off the bottom............

[MendoMan]

Make sure your aging barrel has an opening so that evaporation can take place. You do not want it to be sealed air tight.

Enlighten me. I can't see where preventing evaporation would be a bad thing. I know from saltwater experience that evaporation concentrates salts and minerals which is something I think you would want to avoid.

[CobaltBerry]

Quick update. I've used the aged water twice now, and my discus seem 10x happier after the water change! I wish I hadn't been so stubborn and done this sooner.

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk

[DonMD]

Quick update. I've used the aged water twice now, and my discus seem 10x happier after the water change! I wish I hadn't been so stubborn and done this sooner.

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk

Ah, we get so soon old, and so late smart . . . LOL.

[Ccraine]

I keep my heater in a glass vase in the barrel. That way if I forget and drain without unplugging I do not crack the heater.

[CobaltBerry]

I keep my heater in a glass vase in the barrel. That way if I forget and drain without unplugging I do not crack the heater.

That's a novel idea for sure! Might have to see what's around the house... Since my pump and heater share the same outlet, I don't have to worry much about forgetting it :).

[rickztahone]

I keep my heater in a glass vase in the barrel. That way if I forget and drain without unplugging I do not crack the heater.

Clever idea indeed. Do you silicone the vase to the bottom of the aging barrel?

[Ccraine]

No it's heavy enough to stay I have 2 that have a thick bottom an straight sides

[Bud Smith]

I have 2 three hundred watt heaters in each of my brute aging tanks - never a problem - but I do not keep my tanks covered

[MendoMan]

I have a Brute 40+ gallon and I use the heater holder that comes with the heater. Never a problem, as long as there a small space between the heater and the container it won't melt the container. I don't think it would even it was touching, it is surrounded by water.

[dleblanc]

These are all great ideas - I think I'll use some of them in my aging barrel. Something else that I do is keep an air stone in it to ensure that the oxygen level doesn't fluctuate when I do a water change.