RE: Subject: UG heating

[BlackNet Runner <br at ldl_net>]

Hello,

thanks for the reply.

>>
>> >While reading the current post about substrate heating I thought of
>> >something that would possibly be good to try.  Take a standard
>> >ungergravel filter and put a heater in the stack (may have to
oversize
>> >the stack some) then connect the top to a powerhead and reverse the
>> >flow.  Seems to me that this would a) reverse the flow of water in
the
>> >standard rugf systems, b) heat the substrate first and heat would
'rise'
>> >to the top c) keep the organic crap in the substrate to a minimum.
The
>> >drawbacks that I see are a) the heater may cause damage to the stack

>> >(like melting) the water aggitation may reduce the heat causing the
need
>> >for a larger heater to be used.
>>
>> This is a variation on an already tried and true, inexpensive set
up.  You
>> don't really need powerheads or oversized uplift tubes.  The small
7.5W

Hmm, the reason why I said a powerhead was I am currently using a 201 to
deliver diy co2 to the tank.  Figured that I could just 'add on' and all
I would need is 2 items, the reverse unit and the heater.

>> non-thermostatic heaters fit in normal size uplift tubes without any
>> problem at all.  They create a very slow current in the uplifts (like
heat
>> going up the fireplace chimney) which moves water slowly through the
>> substrate.  This _does_ work... I've measured the temperature
difference in
>> the substrate between tanks with and without this system in the same
room.
>> It obviously doesn't heat the substrate to a temperature HIGHER than
the
>> rest of the tank, but does solve the problem of "cold feet" in a cold
room,
>> which I truly believe is the biggest advantage to substrate heating.
>>

I did not know there was 7.5w heaters.  One concern that did come up was
would the heater cause damage to the tube?

>> There are other simple methods that also help alleviated the
stratification
>> of cold water in the substrate.  But this one does work well.
>> Karen Randall
>> Aquatic Gardeners Association

Any suggested readings, urls, post, etc.. on other simple methods like
this?

Ed

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