Polyethelene (sp) Water Tank -heater?

[scottthomas]

I just purchased a 225 gal polyethelene plastic storage tank-leg type. (New for only $100 on Craigs List) Is it safe to put a heater in it? How much wattage will I need to warm water for WC? any ideas? Should I isluate it?

The room temp stays about 80 degrees with all my fish tanks in there.
Thanks

Scott

[Darrell Ward]

I'm doing a similar setup in my new fishroom with a 525 gal. tank. I plan to wrap in insulation, and use a bulkhead heater adapter from JEHMCO with a 500 watt heater. With the bulkhead adaptor, only the heater tube will be inside the tank, and with the 500 watt heater and insulated tank, the heater won't run all the time.

[Chad Hughes]

What I use to heat these tanks is a bucket heater. They are 1000 watts and pretty cheap, about $60. I use it with a temperature controller from Jehmco. Works great! I can heat 300 gallons of water from 72 to 86 in about an hour. I tried using regular aquarium heaters but they take way too long and really don't achieve the correct temperature. I attached a picture of it.

Hope that helps!

[scottthomas]

Chad,
That is certainly inexpensive and Im sure it is probably what I need to do. How large is the heater? Will it fit inside mt tank that has only a 6 inch opening in the top? or does it work that way?

Scott

[scottthomas]

Darrell,
With the bulk head heater idea I presume that you cut a hole in the water tank at a low level and then the installed heater tube only touches the water? Is that correct because I am concerned about the heater getting too hot for the polyethelene if it is just sitting on the bottom or not heating 225 gallons to temp. Maybe it wont melt but I have no idea. My first Fishroom! About 1000 gallons- maybe I am aiming too high, having little experience designing plumbing, air, wc, etc. but I am going to try

Scott

[Darrell Ward]

Darrell,
With the bulk head heater idea I presume that you cut a hole in the water tank at a low level and then the installed heater tube only touches the water? Is that correct because I am concerned about the heater getting too hot for the polyethelene if it is just sitting on the bottom or not heating 225 gallons to temp. Maybe it wont melt but I have no idea. My first Fishroom! About 1000 gallons- maybe I am aiming too high, having little experience designing plumbing, air, wc, etc. but I am going to try

Scott

Yes, It's really easy with a hole saw bit for a drill. Drill the hole. Install the bulkhead heater attachment, and install the heater. This keeps the heater tube from touching anything but the water. If your tank is insulated, have circulation in the tank, and if you don't drain the tank completely every time you do a water change, you should be able to keep it heated enough to do water changes with 500 watts in a heated fish room. 225 gallons is not a great deal of water. Heck, I have an aquarium that's 240 gallons!

[scottthomas]

Thanks for the reply. You are right, 225 gal seems small potatoes when I will need to eventually change water for 1000 gals worth of tanks. But I couldnt pass up the price . In the future I may have to think of some way to incorporate another storage tank of some kind. However, I had to build the room around the one I have now. It wont fit out the door later if I dont like it lol.

Scott

[Darrell Ward]

Next time you may have to get one of those flat, tall, "doorway" tanks, that are designed to fit thru doorways.

[Chad Hughes]

Chad,
That is certainly inexpensive and Im sure it is probably what I need to do. How large is the heater? Will it fit inside mt tank that has only a 6 inch opening in the top? or does it work that way?

Scott

This particular heater would need at least a 7" bung. It may not work for you. There may be smaller heaters out there.

By the way, in a heated fish room, I would not insulate the tank. Unless you live in a very warm area, your water will come in cooler than the room. You'll want that cool water to be heated by the ambient temperature. If the tank is insulated, the water will stay cooler than if it wasn't insulated. Insulation would be best for rooms that are cooler than the tank water.

Best wishes!

[scottthomas]

Smart thinking! You are right. It would just take longer for the water to heat. I am thinking- probably best to just run the cold water line into the strorage tank anyway. PS I could just cut the hole larger to fit a heater like yours I guess.

Thanks for the input. Much appreciated.

Scott

[Chad Hughes]

Smart thinking! You are right. It would just take longer for the water to heat. I am thinking- probably best to just run the cold water line into the strorage tank anyway. PS I could just cut the hole larger to fit a heater like yours I guess.

Thanks for the input. Much appreciated.

Scott

Cutting a larger hole would work. Look around and see if you can find a larger bung fitting as well, maybe a screw on type. My tank has a 12" bung with a 5" vented bung inside of it. I like to keep lids on things. Dust, dirt, bugs, you name it can get in to your holding tank. I've seen people get cockroaches that were carrying pesticieds die in their tanks and them have problems with the fish. Go figure! LOL!

Anyway, for your water line, I tap off my household lines and run ALL tap water through a carbon block filter prior to getting to the storage tank. IMO it takes a any of the "unpredictable" stuff that may come through your water main. All I do is use and "add on" 10" carbon block cartridge with 1/4" RO tubing to the tank with a float valve. When I do water changes, the tank refills itself from the tap and shuts off when it's full.

Hope that helps!

[discusmoose]

I have been keeping a 150 lb Alligator snapping turtle in a 350 gal poly cattle tank , with a sub . heater( hagen) about 6 winters now in my basement. no problems.
I also have a150 gal mix tank for water changes with a heater in it (instant ocean sub.) no prob.
Doc "B"

[Skip]

What I use to heat these tanks is a bucket heater. They are 1000 watts and pretty cheap, about $60. I use it with a temperature controller from Jehmco. Works great! I can heat 300 gallons of water from 72 to 86 in about an hour. I tried using regular aquarium heaters but they take way too long and really don't achieve the correct temperature. I attached a picture of it.

Hope that helps!

i was just googling this.. aren't these just for 5 gallons? so the corrosion DOESN"T hurt anything?

[nc0gnet0]

http://www.homedepot.com/Appliances-...atalogId=10053

I use one of these with a submersible pump and a digital temperature controller...works like a charm. Don't get fooled into thinking using a smaller wattage heater will save you money, the opposite is true. I am not pushing this particular heater model, any small point of use or RV electric heater will do, watch craigslist and check your local salvage company (they usually have several second hand ones) to see what they have. Replacement elements are cheap, and I use an ebay temperature controller that only cost $20 bucks that controlls the whole thing.

[nc0gnet0]

By the way, in a heated fish room, I would not insulate the tank. Unless you live in a very warm area, your water will come in cooler than the room. You'll want that cool water to be heated by the ambient temperature. If the tank is insulated, the water will stay cooler than if it wasn't insulated. Insulation would be best for rooms that are cooler than the tank water.

Agreed, insulate the room, not the tank. Following Murphy's law, eventually that tank insulation will get wet, rendering it useless. And if you need to degass the water in the holding tank, your going to need to vent it anyways, making any insulation on the tank practically useless. The only drawback is a 225 tank of cool water will actually cool the room, making the aquarium heaters work just tad bit more.