Winter is coming ....

[Ruud]

(insert Game of Thrones meme here) 

So this is my second winter in this house that has limited central heating. Last winter I woke up to temperatures as low as 13 degrees C ( 55F) in the house some mornings. Needless to say my tanks were suffering and I had to put in additional heaters on the spot to keep the water up to temperature. 

This year I have 2 tanks with L numbers that run into 80F so I am worried. Both tanks have 300W heaters even though they are around 20G each only. Both tanks have double side Poly carbonate lids to keep as much as heat in. 

I am thinking of wrapping the back side and sides with some sort of insulation material like Foam boards or the reflective matting stuff. What would be my best option to keep the heat in? Anybody any experience here? 

 

Thanks
Ruud

[lefty o]

you could definately put some kind of foamboard insulation against the tank. best bet long term is to work on the house insulation. plastic window film is a fast easy, and inexpensive first step. particularily in the room you keep your fish tanks.

[Ruud]

Yup agreed.... I am changing all windows a few at a time as its big money to get everything done at once and working on insulating the garage (under the house) to keep cold out as well (and be a future fish room) and doing lots of other stuff. But for this winter I have to come by with limited help, so thinking putting foam around the tanks, probably put in 300W heaters in all tanks (even though my biggest tank is only a 100L but Fluval 300W heaters are cheaper than 100 or 200W versions), perhaps boarding up the windows in the current fish room with foam as well for the coldest months.

I am not familiar with the plastic window film you are referring too, but would be interested to see a link or something?

Thank you @lefty o

[Ruud]

Actually rethinking and probably going for 150 or 200W heaters for the 18G and 21G as 300W is just too powerful

[Macready]

I've used these in the past: https://www.amazon.com/Frost-King-V73-9H-42-Inch/dp/B000AXSVJ4/ref=asc_df_B000AXSVJ4/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198093463189&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2354910876836631583&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9017216&hvtargid=pla-367513431106&psc=1

Adhesive around the frame, apply plastic, and then use a hair dryer to shrink the plastic so it is taught.  Works great!

I wonder if redundant lower-wattage heaters would be best, instead of one big 300w.

[Biotope Biologist]

Inline heater- dependent on your filtration are more efficient at heating the water as the water is forced to interact with the heater rather than waiting for the water to circulate to the heater. Water is a very good insulator so I imagine your inefficiencies are with the heater and not heat loss to the room. 
 

You are not losing much heat to the ambient air through evaporative cooling either so insulating the lid does very little for you I would imagine. For human comfort you should definitely insulate your house! 😋 I like the house cold- 60 F. But 55 and below is rather uncomfortable 

Edited October 31, 2023 by Biotope Biologist

[Ruud]

Im using HOB so have to rely on regular heaters. I noticed my 100W Eheims were struggling last winter on both a 26 and 20G. Thinking to go either 150 or 200W Fluval heaters for my L numbers to keep them at 80F . 300W are cheaper than 150 and 200W ones but I'm not sure that's a good idea on 20G tanks ...

Yup im working on insulating the house, main problem is the flimsy glass in the rotten wooden windows and insufficient amount of radiators throughout the house, plus construction in Spain isn't very prepared for colder weather. Its all money... and I am doing what I can to improve the house but its a 5 year project. 

[Ruud]

Insulating walls is very difficult to do due to the construction of the house (around a foot thick brick), the 'room' where my tanks are isn't actually a room but a floor on top of the kitchen with direct views into the living room so insulating it would mean insulating the whole kitchen and living room. Yes I am thinking a temp solution as its only cold here for around 3 months (and battling heat with ventilators on top of my water another 2) so thinking of just taping the foam on the sides and back. They are already sitting on foam all year round. 

@Pepere I got blue Polystyrene XPS panels to insulate the garage door - will that be the right stuff for the tanks and for the garage door? I am thinking also to use this panel as an initial vapor barrier for the garage walls, before studding and putting rockwell in front as relative cost effective and easy ways to keep cold out/heat in. 

[Ruud]

Thanks so much for your responses and knowledge @Pepere, really really apreciate it. 

The cold months typically are from November to end of Feb with Jan and Feb the coldest with day temps of around 50-60F and night temps of perhaps low 30s to 50s. But in July and August, the hottest months of the year temp goes up to 100+. Its 'nice' weather here around 9 months a year and houses are constructed to stay cool during the nice months but can be awfully cold in the true cold months. My house is 45 years old and has lots of 6mm single cap windows in rotten wooden frames which produce drafts. I am replacing them for double layered glass windows in Alu frames, a few at a time as money allows. 

I spent around 45 euro on XPS polystyrene foam board, enough to cover the garage door and some more. Thinking isolating the outer walls with that too as an initial barrier layer, then building wood frames in front with rockwell and board on top. Thats quite a project for me but worthwhile doing as the garage is around 600 square foot and situated below the house. 

Edited November 1, 2023 by Ruud

[lefty o]

they make these kits in all kinds of sizes, but its just a clear plastic film you stick around the window, and take a hair dryer, and shrink it tight, and clear. makes a big difference on modern windows, huge difference on old windows.  https://www.amazon.com/3M-Indoor-Window-Insulator-5-Window/dp/B00002NCJI/ref=rvi_sccl_1/130-2953092-5881650?pd_rd_w=iN2cG&content-id=amzn1.sym.f5690a4d-f2bb-45d9-9d1b-736fee412437&pf_rd_p=f5690a4d-f2bb-45d9-9d1b-736fee412437&pf_rd_r=ZJW9S65M4X4CN96EWCZQ&pd_rd_wg=OoHTP&pd_rd_r=128fc226-c5c5-44b3-bb7d-f375994d9aca&pd_rd_i=B00002NCJI&th=1

[Tanked]

On 10/31/2023 at 4:11 PM, EL2 said:

I wonder if redundant lower-wattage heaters would be best, instead of one big 300w.

Redundant heaters are a better idea because if the 300w. fails to shut off you will cook the fish.

[Ruud]

Thanks all! 

[SnapRasta]

in the winter fish can handle lower temps like 72-76.  I personally keep my tanks that have South American cichlids and Central American cichlids at 74 degrees in the winter.  It helps keep my electric bill down and i know they can handle it and do very well in cooler temps.  If you can keep your tanks at least 74 your fish will be fine, the whole " you need to keep fish at 78 degrees" is absolutely not true because they can and sometimes prefer to be in cooler temps.  I know Cory has made a video saying that most fish actualy don't need heaters in their tanks.  It all depends on the species you are keeping.

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 10/31/2023 at 11:59 AM, Ruud said:

(insert Game of Thrones meme here) 

So this is my second winter in this house that has limited central heating. Last winter I woke up to temperatures as low as 13 degrees C ( 55F) in the house some mornings. Needless to say my tanks were suffering and I had to put in additional heaters on the spot to keep the water up to temperature. 

This year I have 2 tanks with L numbers that run into 80F so I am worried. Both tanks have 300W heaters even though they are around 20G each only. Both tanks have double side Poly carbonate lids to keep as much as heat in. 

I am thinking of wrapping the back side and sides with some sort of insulation material like Foam boards or the reflective matting stuff. What would be my best option to keep the heat in? Anybody any experience here? 

 

Thanks
Ruud

I've seen folks use the reflective windshield thingies for cars .