Need ideas on how to heat my saltwater mixing station........

kiefers

kiefers

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by acrylic51 http:///t/394288/need-ideas-on-how-to-heat-my-saltwater-mixing-station#post_3509445
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kiefers http:///t/394288/need-ideas-on-how-to-heat-my-saltwater-mixing-station#post_3509437
where do you plan on putting mixing vat?
I see your in PA so in the garage would keep the water cool more than likely, but in the house would be another story. The water would still me warmer than if it were in the garage in the winters and the water would be fine in the summers. Is that clear as mud? Lol
I beleive I need to go to bed.
Location location loction
I guess I never posted any pics of my mixing station......I probably didn't I've been way to lazy with the camera as of late.....Yes in Pa, and right now the highs are 10-15 degrees during the day time.....No the water vats are actually located in my laundry room which is on the back wall of my fishroom....
I did see the photo, sorry, I assumed it was a temporary spot or something. So if it's in the house.........shouldn't the water be at room temp?
yes, well aware of the cold snap we have been expeiencing as of late. In Indiana and it has been in the high 7's here. I have all my water stored in the garage and put it in the my 45 gallon trash bin, then bring the water in the house with a heater over night until it gets warmed up. Then I check the salinty and ph and proceed from there.
I would like to have it heated in the garage but unable to justify it for only 5 months. (I'm one cheap bastard)
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
The smallest; cheapest units I've seen is roughly $200......240v, which isn't a big deal since I have a 240 line that's just hanging that I had used for my 1hp chiller back in the day.......
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
The smallest; cheapest units I've seen is roughly $200......240v, which isn't a big deal since I have a 240 line that's just hanging that I had used for my 1hp chiller back in the day.......
In my head I dont see why it couldn't work. $200 is about the starting point of most of the units I've looked at. My only concern would be the copper elements and brass heat exchanger. But I dont know if that alone would be enough to really worry about or not.
I think some of the gas units can be found with stainless steal heat exchangers.
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
It's a Titanium heater only about $25?
They are cheaper individually. But I think he's going to automate his water changes. Heating all of that extra water while its on stand by would seem like a waste to me vs heating only the water thats actually used for water changes at any given point of time since it's instant and only heats when its called for?
 
zman1

zman1

Active Member
There could be a very easy solution provided you cure water for days. I have always used a submersible pump to circulate the change water. It will transfer heat to the water.
 
zman1

zman1

Active Member
I should specify that I use an old MagDrive 950 is 32 gal TC. If I were using a maxijet 1200 not sure you would get the same results :)
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by zman1 http:///t/394288/need-ideas-on-how-to-heat-my-saltwater-mixing-station/20#post_3509535
There could be a very easy solution provided you cure water for days. I have always used a submersible pump to circulate the change water. It will transfer heat to the water.
I'd honestly have to check the temp of the vat water with it running....I was trying to avoid any cords dangling out of the top of the units, to keep them as sealed as possible. The units are plumbed with a Blueline pump currently, and I know there is some heat transfer, but honestly I can't even imagine it's enough to match the DT temp......I've been running the vats and collecting RO water using in my rock vat and the water is very cool with a decent size pump turning the water volume.....My family room stays about 62 all year.....So water isn't going to be much warmer than that.....
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Quills http:///t/394288/need-ideas-on-how-to-heat-my-saltwater-mixing-station/20#post_3509527
In my head I dont see why it couldn't work. $200 is about the starting point of most of the units I've looked at. My only concern would be the copper elements and brass heat exchanger. But I dont know if that alone would be enough to really worry about or not.
I think some of the gas units can be found with stainless steal heat exchangers.
Yeah the 1 I seen for $200 was stainless from the description......
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bang Guy http:///t/394288/need-ideas-on-how-to-heat-my-saltwater-mixing-station/20#post_3509530
It's a Titanium heater only about $25?
Hmmmm I'm following you Bang.....$25 for a titanium heating element is cheap where are they at.....300w are roughly $40....Then a controller on top of that....
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Quills http:///t/394288/need-ideas-on-how-to-heat-my-saltwater-mixing-station/20#post_3509531
They are cheaper individually. But I think he's going to automate his water changes. Heating all of that extra water while its on stand by would seem like a waste to me vs heating only the water thats actually used for water changes at any given point of time since it's instant and only heats when its called for?
Correct.....I'm not saying I'm always going to have 180 gallons of premixed water on hand, but with the continuous water changes it would only make sense to have the entire vat heated....Maybe though on the grander scale the small change might not be significant at all.......
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by acrylic51 http:///t/394288/need-ideas-on-how-to-heat-my-saltwater-mixing-station/20#post_3509559
I'm not saying I'm always going to have 180 gallons of premixed water on hand, but with the continuous water changes it would only make sense to have the entire vat heated....Maybe though on the grander scale the small change might not be significant at all.......

I guess it depends on the situation. For me, it's never been an huge issue because I would mix up water in a brute next to the tank the day/night before I did water changes so by then the water was already room temp + a degree or two from the heat generated by the mixing pump. So the modest differences in temperature seemed pretty mute to me unless I were to do anything larger than a 20% change.
But in some situations, like if your mixing station is in your basement and you live up north then your basement is probably a lot cooler than our house is almost all year round. So you might have a greater need for heat. But even that I think can always be worked around depending on how you schedule it. If you're doing small, continuous water changes on a regular basis I think it would be much less of a worry than someone who changes 40% of their water once a month.
I'm a bit bias, I just like the idea of having warm water on demand and not wasting energy if I don't need to. :)
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
I think I could sell the On Demand Heater to my wife if she actually benefited from it, but she knows me better than that.......
 
kiefers

kiefers

Active Member
Totally agree.Limitations and line drawing. Funny thing is...... she has a tank too and a rather huge wishlist herself. See how that works?
 
gemmy

gemmy

Active Member
Since you plan on doing daily water changes, how big are the water changes going to be? I've been reading some info that some temperature variation might be beneficial to our tanks. After all, the ocean does not stay the same temperature. I think the amount of water into the system for the daily water change won't affect the DT too much. The only way to be sure is to test the theory out over a cold week and monitor the mixing vat versus the DT.
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Very true Gemmy, but the changes are so gradual.....I'm thinking it might not be noticeable as slow and small the amount would be, but bigger water changes....Another story.....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top