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Re: BIG Tank Heating Cables?



"Colin Gorton" <mr_apisto at graffiti_net> wrote:
<snip>
>Just before Christmas I was offered, at a ridiculous price ($240), a 1000 
>gallon
> tank, glass construction, measuring 3.5x1.0x0.65metres 11.5ft x 3.3ft x 2ft, 
>na
>turally I took up the offer as I had the space for it!
>Some problems occurr with a tank this size and the biggest headache I've found 
>i
>s heating the thing!
>Obviously using normal heaters is going to be expensive in both original price 
>a
>nd electricity consumed, how many Jäeger heaters would I need to use 
>(hypothetic
>al question, no need to answer as it's not going to happen.
>I then thought about using a gas heat exchanger but the problem there is the 
>cos
>t of gas burners.
>As a result I've turned to substrate heating cables as the only viable, 
>efficien
>t option. I was thinking of three cables, each of 10metres (33feet) long. From 
m
>y calculations, though, this would leave me using a 240volt supply (3amps, 3mm 
>c
>ables) without any protection from step-downs or whatever, this leaves me a bit 
>worried, would it be safe and if not what would you suggest? Perhaps 10 cables 
>o
>f 3.5metres each?
<snip>

IME substrate heating cables are the most efficient way to heat a large tank.
I have a controlerless 200 Watt Azoo cable (120 Volt) on a 120 gallon and it 
may pump the tank up to the mid 80's if not switched on-off periodically by 
a 48 prong mechanical timer that effectively drops the wattage to 100 Watts. 
The tank is in the basement where the temps at this time of the year are 
around the lower 70's. The tank is at a stable 77 all the time. This is way 
less  power than the recommended 3-5 Watt/gal for submersible heaters.

- Ivo Busko
  Baltimore, MD

  "Buy a fish, Save a tree !"
  Project Piaba: http://www.angelfire.com/pq/piaba/