Advice? Tank Build! Advice on basement sump and heat

I run 2 heaters in my basement sump. But I run metal halides over the display so heater only runs late night.

 

Something you might consider for the current 75 is getting a bigger 300 watt heater or so. This way you get the correct temp you want and it might only be on for half the time the 200 watt is on, which could save in the long run.

Of course to make the entire system more energy efficient it would be significantly better to run leds instead of t5 or halide. This might make up for having the heater your tank needs

Another thing would be to seal off as many open areas of the sump/ dt as possible in order for your water to retain the heat in the tank longer.

My last and final advice is to stand next to your tank 24/7 and rub the glass the whole time. This will create friction between your hand and the glass, generating heat into the water.. a flawless plan

I've never personally seen anyone plumbed to their water heater but it seams sketchy to me. Of course I don't know how it would work so maybe I shouldn't say anything.

But if I'm wrong anywhere here please feel free to correct me as I am constantly learning as well.

 

I bought a set up for a water heater. It has a titanium tubing that goes into the water, then had PEX going back to the water heater. I plan on changing the source though. Im planning on get getting a wall mounted electric water heater and put it on a closed loop.

 

I have a 300 watt heater set at 78.1 and a 500 watt heater set at 77.9. Both are controlled by my apex.

 

yeah, sounds like a titanium heat exchanger might be your best bet, I've been thinking about going that route with my tank, its a 180 thats in the basement and it stays about 62 down there too

 

Honestly, I would get them running and see what the temp is.

If it runs in the mid 70's, be happy and let it run

 

Can always go solar, might be the way I go for mine.

 

If it is only a 35 gallon sump why not just put it under one of the tanks on the 1st floor? I have a 35 under my 180 and it only takes up half the space under the tank. I will be plumbing this tank into a basement sump at some point and time but for a 300 gallon sump. I never have temp issues.

 

Running a fish tank takes a lot of energy. Pumps, lights, heaters, etc. Most of that energy is converted to heat when it is put to work. So most of the power your equipment uses will go into your tank or area around it in the form of heat. One thing you can do to put the heat in the tank is to choose submersible pumps instead of external. You may also be able to insulate to reduce heat loss in a cold space.

 

I do use a titanium heat exchanger on my system, but to cool it. I have enough "heaters" so I don't have to worry about low temps. I take advantage of my ground source geothermal heat pump and pump cool water from the well loop through the heat exchanger. The setup does take a controller, pumps, and a heat exchanger...which wasn't cheap. The initial cost was offset because I already had a controller (Reefkeeper/Apex/etc) and I didn't have to buy a chiller. It might be harder to justify the cost of a heat exchanger versus a couple heaters.

 

Im planning on doing a closed loop so it will so there be water going from the wall mount to the titanium tubing in the sump. I haven't used it yet, it came with a set up I bought. He had a total water volume of 700 gallons in his system. It was set up off his water heater and would raise the temp of the water about 3 degrees an hour.

 

The other thing to keep in mind is that a heat exchanger can only move energy from one place to another--from a hot water heater to your tank. Some heat will be lost in the hot water heater and through the pipes and the heat exchanger itself. If your hot water heater is electric and it is on the same rate scale as the rest of your electric bill then it will cost you more to heat your tank in the end. If it's on a lower cost/killowatt rate, or if its gas, solar, etc., then there could be some savings.

 

You can kill 2 birds with one stone.

Are you planning on running a dehumidifier? I have one in a room in the basement and it keeps it actually warm with no other heat source. The dehumidifier actually blows out considerable heat. Vent the exhaust of the dehumidifier towards your sumps.

Also make sure you are using styrofoam under the sumps to insulate it from the floor. If you are really worried about it, wrap the sumps in some type of insulation.

 

So I hope this is not the type of response that is so far off base that is is useless but have you considered just roughly finishing off the section of the basement that would house the sump/tanks? It could be as simple as some boards and if you feel fancy drywall. You could then save a ton of heat and ambient loss with a small space heater.
(reciprocally it would do well for cooling in times of heat)

I lived in AZ and housed my system in my garage with an in-wall viewing angle. I had to AC the garage and have $1000 a month electric bills. I spent a few hundred bucks to partition off that section of the garage and it wasn't a permit driven thing as it was just basically a platform build.

Just a thought and with the skills of the people here could be done pretty easily.