southcoastbrad Posted May 4, 2014 Share Posted May 4, 2014 Just wondering if anyone can advise me on a brand of heater to heat 3000 litres, I've looked around and found some 'intelligent' heaters rating at 1000 watts but they all seem to be chinese brands and am not so sure because ive never heard of them before, any advice would help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buccal Posted May 4, 2014 Share Posted May 4, 2014 Hi mate, have your cover lids fitted firmly.I have a 2600 liter display.4 x the biggest size jagars Definetely does the job, so for you I'd say go 5.If your house as heating,,, then they won't come on as often.Make sure to calibrate these heaters.Otherwise inline heaters rated at 2kw and above which are generally commercial type application.The elecro 2kw titanium aqua heater with a flow rate of 1000-17000 liters per hour would serve your requirements in a more proffessional manor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southcoastbrad Posted May 4, 2014 Author Share Posted May 4, 2014 Thanks buccal, ive got a clepco 4kw industrial aquarium heater but its overkill and I'll probably use that for the fish room. Is jagars largest 300 watts?? Ive got a 1000 litre tank in my lounge room and it runs fine off 1 300watt jagar even in this cold weather and that holds at 27°c its just that the big tank is in the garage which isn't insulated and I have 2 300 watt and one 200 watt in the sump and they are all on 35°c and its still wont get above 23°c. I have all lids tight and even put extra glass on top and today put some rubber carpet underlay in there to try andkeep the cold off the concrete floor. Do you think it would heat better with the heaters in the tank rather than the sump??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buccal Posted May 4, 2014 Share Posted May 4, 2014 300watt for jagar yes.4kw clepco should well be fine as they are usually coupled with a more cost effective running heater to accelerate heating when temp drops a little lower than it should,,,,, example: after a water change.In a sense there is no thing as overkill in this as thermostats will always result in your required temp,,, a larger heater will just get you there quicker.I think your problem is insulation and predicament,,, because of this it's likely to escalate running costs.If on the ground, which is a major negative, then 90x30 treated pine laid long ways on flat every 100mm with 50mm polystyrene over top is what's needed under your tank.30-50mm polystyrene wraped around your sump and firmly over top.All tubing running from sump to tank needs sufficient foam plumbers insulation around.Water entering sump and tank still is best agitating surface but don't have air time or water dropping in as this contributes fractionally to cooling.After lights are sitting in correct place on lid fit 40mm+ polystyrene tightly in between to cover all surface area.40mm also on back and sides,,,, just with little removable Dobs of silicone on corners and a few in between.Cut a removable 40mm polystyrene peice for the viewing panel which can be removed when you get home from work and replaced before you go to bed.You will be amazed at efficiency increase following all these suggestions,, it will more than tenfold.I would put both my hangers on the chopping block to bet on. Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ged Posted May 4, 2014 Share Posted May 4, 2014 I totally agree with Buccal's suggestion of insulating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southcoastbrad Posted May 5, 2014 Author Share Posted May 5, 2014 Thankss buccal, I have a whole heap of polystyrene laying around so I'll get to work tonight, I put some on top of the tank and on top of the sump last night and I just checked it this afternoon and even that has brought it up a full °c to 24 so ill do the rest tonight. My only problem with the clepco is that its a 8 or 900 long stainless tube and is too long for the compartments in the sump so I would have to add a separate tank to house it, which also means either another pump or to drill the existing sump and plumb it to the new extra tank, which I suppose could work cause you can never have to much filtration area :-) once again thankyou for your knowledge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southcoastbrad Posted May 5, 2014 Author Share Posted May 5, 2014 Oh yeah, the tank isn't on the ground it sits on a 800 high metal frame, I just meant that it was a bare concrete floor in there so I put the underlay in there to try and stop the cold coming up as easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buccal Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 Ok yeah,, the underlay won't do much at all.The only way to make the slab your freind is to heat and insulate the whole garage.After two weeks the slab will saturate the heat then radiate the heat back out and then stabilize.You'd be better of with your heater in the main tank I'd say,,, but if another tank for extra filtration is needed then a larger size to fit the heater I guess is good to,, even better, as you said more filtration the better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southcoastbrad Posted May 8, 2014 Author Share Posted May 8, 2014 Well I've come up with a solution to the heating problem and while saving power. While I was using 800 watts of power and still losing heat I decided I would try something different, I found an old 60 litre esky and went to work on it, I ended up drilling a couple of holes and plumbing it in to the end of my sump and placing my return pump in it, which free'd up some extra filtration space as well. I put one 300 watt jager in there and set it all in action, oh I set it to 34° and what do you know, my temperature in the tank has risen from 23 to 26° already, I'll see how it goes over the next couple of days, I've also insulated the sump and the tank so there isn't any temperature escaping other than from the glass on the front and sides of the tank. Happy me and happy fish? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buccal Posted May 8, 2014 Share Posted May 8, 2014 Happy wallet and bank account to ,,, you must mention to,,, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luis Posted May 8, 2014 Share Posted May 8, 2014 Nice work. Does setting the temperature that high make a difference, seeing as it's a thermostat? Surely setting it to 27 would work just as well and is less risky, no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buccal Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 Luis, you are right.Most heaters run at a set heating increment (meaning you can't make the heater burn hotter or cooler).If the thermostat hasn't switched to off mode,,, turning the HEAT SET dial up won't increase temp,,, The temp dial is just a setting that the thermostat will switch of heater automatically off once the desired temp is reached.There are though some circumstances,,, but not as dramatic as turning it up to 34'c,,,, where for examples the heater can't keep up and temp drops to rapidly like cold nights or after water changes in winter,,, circumstances where running your temp a few degrees over the desired need will mean that when the excessive drop occurs its got further to drop,, all ready being extra few degrees up.Then the cold spell is usually over by the time the heater can finally catch up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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