Heat the room or the tank?

Yevoc · Aug 9, 2020

Howdy,
I am in the process of upgrading to my largest tank ever, including a sump in the adjacent fish room (in my tank thread if interested).

While still planning a smaller heater in the system. I am wondering if heating the small fish room 7x8' will be more stable than oversizing heaters.

The fishroom does not have it's own HVAC vent. I see this as a good and bad thing. I CAN do whatever I want with the room however I will HAVE to do something.

It both rooms are in the basement and fairly stable however the fishroom is cold in the winter as is.

Options as I see it.

1) Heat the fishroom to tank temp. I have an electric heater that I was planning to use. Radiator type. The room will have to be heated during the winter. Also wondering if I can in this case get away with no heater in the QT and future frag tank. Seems like it would cause the least evaporation/humidity issues.

2) Over board on in tank heaters. Basically enough wattage in the water to over come a room temp in the 60s during the winter. This doesn't super appeal to me as it is leaning on aquarium heaters and they are all trash. Also guessing the evaporation would be worse.

3) Normal room temp from the room heater normal amount of aquarium heater.

I am looking for feedback from the fishroom crowd on what they did?

Suggestions and comments welcome.

fishguy242 · Aug 9, 2020

hi ,i think option 3 is best bet try to keep room as temperate as possible,use tank heaters as needed,back up on really cold nights

Gablami · Aug 9, 2020

How expensive is your electricity where you live? You will use a lot more electricity heating the room than heating the tank. Also, if you’re only heating the fishroom/sump, and your large display is in another room that is in the 60s, I doubt you’ll be able to keep tank temps up.

bluey · Aug 9, 2020

I think you'd be better off getting another heater or 4 if you're worried. You'd have to heat that room significantly higher. And with insulation and heating bill etc etc etc. Just don't see it being better

vetteguy53081 · Aug 9, 2020

Tank. The small wattage that even a 509wt heater will use if far more less than a huge gas bill to deal with

MJ in Boise · Aug 9, 2020

Electric radiator type heaters can use a lot of power. Might consider checking circuits in that room to ensure the radiator heater is on a separate circuit, or that the breaker is rated to take the load of both the tank equipment and the radiator heater. I believe the one I have is 1500watts. Can add quite a few heaters to a tank instead. My frag system is in a bonus room that hits the mid 60s in the winter. 300 gallons. 0 issues keeping it at 79 degrees with 800 watts of eheim heaters.

attiland · Aug 9, 2020

Heat the tank and maybe insulate the tank if the the temperature difference is more than 15 between the air an the tank.
when you have to work in that room For long a fan heater will do.