Best type of heater for fish room

[TyH]

Hello all!

I know there have been conversations about this on the forum before, but I haven’t found anything that talks to the comparison of different heating types for a fish room.

I’m  just about finished building my first fish room. (will post pics when 100% completed) I’ve been trying to decide which type of heat source to use for the room instead of heating each tank individually. Did a cost comparison after running out of outlets😂. I decided to go with a 1000 watt ceramic heater with built in fan, thermostat, and all the bells and whistles. But am starting to second guess myself on if I made the best choice.

I’m trying to find out which is the better choice between oil, ceramic, and infrared heating elements. Which is safest, more efficient, least maintenance, which will evaporate the least amount of water, etc.

[lefty o]

for long term use, id lean towards oil filled, or infrared.

[TyH]

Why those two over ceramic?

[lefty o]

for me, real or perceived less chance of fire from an unattended heater.

[CT_]

there's no free lunch from thermodynamics, but the good news is heaters are 100% efficient since you're maximizing entropy 😉

 

An oil filled heater with a fan blowing to circulate air is probably a good option.  More air circulation will make evaporation happen faster though.  Another good option is a dehumidifier.  they make a good amount of heat, and if you need that heat then the dehumidification is "free".  You can get above unity efficacy with a heat pump if you want to get fancy.

[Tihshho]

On 4/18/2022 at 3:14 PM, CT_ said:

Another good option is a dehumidifier.  they make a good amount of heat, and if you need that heat then the dehumidification is "free".  You can get above unity efficacy with a heat pump if you want to get fancy.

This is a great option! The only issue is that depending on the room size this may or may not be enough. I run a dehumidifier in my fishroom and it's not enough to be a heatsource for the room. The other thing to remember if you find out this is enough for you, is to make sure you plumb your drain from the dehumidifier to a drain. If you don't, when your reservoir gets full and the unit kicks off, so does your heat.

[CT_]

On 4/18/2022 at 1:03 PM, Tihshho said:

This is a great option! The only issue is that depending on the room size this may or may not be enough. I run a dehumidifier in my fishroom and it's not enough to be a heatsource for the room. The other thing to remember if you find out this is enough for you, is to make sure you plumb your drain from the dehumidifier to a drain. If you don't, when your reservoir gets full and the unit kicks off, so does your heat.

You could also add a humidifier so they fight each other until it's hot enough. 

[Atitagain]

On 4/18/2022 at 4:03 PM, Tihshho said:

This is a great option! The only issue is that depending on the room size this may or may not be enough. I run a dehumidifier in my fishroom and it's not enough to be a heatsource for the room. The other thing to remember if you find out this is enough for you, is to make sure you plumb your drain from the dehumidifier to a drain. If you don't, when your reservoir gets full and the unit kicks off, so does your heat.

 

On 4/18/2022 at 3:14 PM, CT_ said:

Another good option is a dehumidifier.  they make a good amount of heat, and if you need that heat then the dehumidification is "free

What size of dehumidifier is needed to start producing enough heat to maintain a room? I only have a 35oz so it’s obviously not gonna make much of a different difference. My room is around 150 square feet would a 22 pint be enough? Or would I need to get to the 70 pint size to maintain 80-ish degrees F?

could it be to much and if it’s not running because it’s keeping up so well, will it heat the room?

[Tihshho]

It's hard to say. Depends on your room, if you have other access for air in the house/outside to get in and your insulation. I have a 70 Pint unit and it doesn't keep up in a room that's 20x8 for the overall temps. That said I have a concrete floor and an exterior concrete wall in that room, but I don't have venting going in there from my HVAC. 

[Atitagain]

@Tihshho thanks, I’ve been thinking of converting to heat my room instead of each tank. Running a space heater seems a little risky. I will probably get a 70 pint unit and see how it goes. I need to upgrade anyway so we will see.

[TonyVideo]

Save and filter the dehumidified water and use it to top off your tanks. Get a rain barrel to store the water and put a filter in it. Put the dehumidifier above the barrel so it can drain into it on a shelf.

[lefty o]

On 4/19/2022 at 9:25 AM, TonyVideo said:

Save and filter the dehumidified water and use it to top off your tanks. Get a rain barrel to store the water and put a filter in it. Put the dehumidifier above the barrel so it can drain into it on a shelf.

no, i wouldnt. you can get bad things coming off the coils of a dehumidifier.

[Tihshho]

On 4/19/2022 at 10:35 AM, lefty o said:

no, i wouldnt. you can get bad things coming off the coils of a dehumidifier.

Agreed, the water from a dehumidifier isn't a 'source' for the aquarium. Plumb it directly to a drain. It's effluent bi product.

[TonyVideo]

On 4/19/2022 at 10:35 AM, lefty o said:

no, i wouldnt. you can get bad things coming off the coils of a dehumidifier.

That is why you would use a filter. If you pay for city water this would save you some money.

 

On 4/19/2022 at 10:49 AM, Tihshho said:

Agreed, the water from a dehumidifier isn't a 'source' for the aquarium. Plumb it directly to a drain. It's effluent bi product.

Dehumidified water is zero everything, if anything is left it would be filtered out. It comes from the air and from your tanks anyway.

[Tihshho]

Not exactly, the water has to collect on a condenser. The condensor generally is copper or a highly thermoconductive metal. As the water condenses the water then drips into the collection chamber. This isn't the same as distilation or RO. Based on how the water is collected there are particulates that are reintroduced to the water. On top of that, if you've ever looked in a dehumidifer collection reservoir things grow in there based on airborn yeast and pathogens that get pulled in during the air passing over the condenser. If you were to collect the water, pass it through an RO/DI then sure this is a 'source'. But based on the amount of water being pulled out its not enough to make or break a water bill.