Heating suggestions

[Gigrantor]

Good Evening Everyone!

I'm in the last stages of building my small tank system. It consists of three 20-gallon tanks that are all on the same homemade sump system. The sump itself is around 25-30 gallons of water. The problem I am currently running into is heating because the system resides in my basement, where ambient temperature is ~66 degrees in the dead of winter.  I bought these tanks second hand and they came with 60 watt heaters. However, I have quickly learned these are not going to cut it.  I'm looking for some insight or advice to what the most efficient way to heat the system is. Do I just upgrade the heaters to something much more robust? If so, what size? Heat the sump as well so the tank heaters are not overwhelmed? Should I heat the room instead? This hardly seems worth it for 3 tanks compared to how big the basement space is. 

Thanks in advance, 

Grant

Iowa

[Cory]

How do you know the heaters won't cut it? If you had 3 of them, that's 180 watts. Should be more than enough. Combine that with the watts your return pump is using, which produces heat, and the lights you're using. Typically you'd only know if it wasn't enough by getting the tanks up to temp and then seeing if they maintain it. People most often tend to use way too many watts for heaters.  Glass tops would go a long way to cutting down power usage. Keep in mind, watts going in, vs heat leaving, Prevent the heat leaving and it takes not nearly as much power.

 

As for heating the room. It won't make sense from a money standpoint, but it is safer for fish as if the heater breaks it would takes days, weeks or possibly never overheat the tanks.

[RealAlan]

What temperature are you trying to maintain it at?  

[RealAlan]

[Gigrantor]

I'm trying to maintain upper 70's. That makes sense, Cory. In my preliminary testing I wasn't covering the tanks, nor did I have the light on them. I was assuming the heating capability wasn't enough because it took about 24 hours to warm 5 degrees. I will give it a shot fully set up and report back!

[RealAlan]

My 300W heater on my 55 gallon tank has been struggling to maintain my tank at 87F the room it is in gets down to 66F at night and stays ~70F during the day.  The tank backs up to an outside wall, so I just added some insulation boards behind the tank, it has helped a little.  And I do have a glass lid with two LED light strips on it all under a hood.  

In the morning the tank can get down to 83F and it takes almost half the day to get up to 87F.  I think I should have opted for 2 x 200W heaters.  

I have the Fluval E-300 on it.  

FYI it is a discus tank with young discus. 

[Gigrantor]

Yeah I don't need mine quite that warm. However, some of the suggestions I've seen while researching are to use multiple, smaller heaters throughout the tank. Doesn't really apply to my system, but it may be the key to your success!

[RealAlan]

I would think that a 100W heater in each of your 20s and the sump would keep a consistent temperature, it would not let any of the zones to get below temp and throw them out of wack.  You've got a total of 85-90 gallons however you are not trying to heat it as much only 10f-11F.  And yes covering the tanks help and depending on how you light the tanks can help too.  And like Cory said heating the room would be more costly.