heating 20 tanks

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Originally Posted by random-cichlid

ok i just measured room it is pretty close to 5.7L x 2.9W x 2.8H
One side is already insulated and the roof is also insulated
I need some ideas on what i should use for insulation i want to go the cheapest way but still being efficient at the same time and im not to sure about how i shall heat the room whether it be a reverse system ac or a electric radiator what does the majority use

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if your doing it on the cheap think thermal mass, the more tanks you have and the tighter you cram them together the warmer the room stays.

as Kath said batts are good but work better if you integrate them with other materials, ie a layer of foil insulation, then batts then more foil and maybe a plywood sheet or styrofoam to finish it up on the inside. such a system has almost 0 loss.

A radiator heater will give you 1 watt of heat for 1 watt of power (resistance heating an electric heater that converts electricity into heat).

An AC will give you up to 4w of heat for every 1watt of power, as all your doing is moving kinetic energy from the air outside into the air inside the fish room (on most domestic units this only works if the outside temp is above -12 degree celcius).

Seriously if its a new room, to set it up right will save you a fortune over the year especially with power prices on the up and up you'd be crazy not too.

over the years Ive seen some very interesting ways breeders heat there rooms,slow combustion convection wood heaters seems to be the most popular if you have access to cheap wood.the wood heater helps to dissipate the moister some what cutting down on mould.I have seen up to 400 tanks heated this way,works in Qld anyway,I don't think it could do that many in n.s.w.
Insulation is a must.
I have used reverse cycle air which gave me the most expensive electricity bill i ever had,other people may have success elsewhere but here 3 people i know have ripped out the air con. me being one of them.
you can cover the roof with black plastic,than run lines of black Polly pipe from one end to the other,back and forth until you cover the roof than slowly pump water from the sump through the system.on a sunny day the returning water can be very hot heating many tanks,I have used this method combined with aquarium heaters as a backup for stormy weather with great success.
I saw one guy who glued sheets of Styrofoam to the sides and back of the tank,on the top of the tanks he did the same to each piece of glass.Of a night he placed numbered sheets for each tank on the front for a good fit.turning his tanks basically into eskies.He heated a large number of tanks with a 300watt heater,I tried this method it really works.
Anyway hopefully one of these ideas may help you.good luck.