Finalizing sump plan - Where to place my heaters?

S

SALT

Premium Member
[Hello All,

Well I was going over the plans on my sump/refugium and I came up with an issue. I think every one can agree that one of the big advantages of having a sump is getting stuff like heaters and skimmers out of the tank. Well when I was going over my set up one last time I put all my equipment in one place and started to mentally put it together. Well when it came to placing the heaters I just naturally assumed that they would go into the return area of the sump but the way I have it designed they will not fit. I was planning on dividing a 40 long tank like so (the inside dimension is 47 /12"),

12" Skimmer - 1" Baffle - 1" Baffle - 14" return - 1" Baffle - 17.5" Refugium.

Well I have 2 Ebo Jager 200 watt heaters that measure 17".

Definitely will not fit in the 14" return section.

What to do? :uhoh:

Put them in the refugium?

Make the refugium smaller and the return bigger?

Put them in the overflow?

As always, all responses will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Stanley T''' - SALT]
 
[No heaters, If you plan your system right you won't need one.

If you do use 2 one at front part of sump one at back.

But, I highly recommend you set up you tank first. depending on your lighting and pump you should be able to regulate a very stable temperature without a heater.]
 
[Well Brian, no heaters is not an option in my house due to the fact that during the heating season we keep our house at 68 degress. This may be very cold for most Texans but I am a transplant and an able to handle it for the saving in electric costs (I do not live near town, so no natural gas lines so everything, inlcuding heat, is electric). That combined with the fan I use to facilitate good evaporation means that if I ran without heaters my tank would be too cold for the inhabitants.]



Edited By SALT on 1108587321
 
[I don't know why Brian keeps telling people that they don't need a heater if they want to set up their system correctly. Frankly, every person's home is different. And if your home or the wall the tank is next to gets cold, it may need to be heated at night when the lights are out.

I don't tell people if you set up your tank correctly, you won't need a chiller. Maybe I can help you avoid that cost, but if you need it, you need it.

Stan, you can put the heaters in your refugium as that is where I have mine. Or you can put them in the tank's overflow chambers if you have the room. I know that Weatherson keeps the heaters in there, so if the sump is turned off his tank won't cool down too much.

Keeping your home at 68F? Same here! :)]
 
[Thanks for the responses, a couple of more questions/thoughts/concerns.

If I put them in the refugium, will there be enough flow to properly heat the tank? I am planning on feeding it with a Durso on my 3/4" bulk head in the over flow (the 1" will be going to my skimmer section).

If I put them in the overflow I will not be able to see if they are cycling on and off. The corner of my tank with the overflow will be next to a large cabinet so it will be impossible to see. Also if the return pump from the sump shuts down then there would be no flow around the heaters. I guess that is no different than if they were in the sump and the return pump was off.

I guess they will fit but it will be tight with two durso's in the overflow chamber. Is any one aware of a minimum suggested clearance for heater?

Since I am using durso's how will the heaters efficiency be affected by the how the water flows. Will the heating elements be too low to be effective? I mean the water comes in over the box edge and then seems to go right out the inverted 90 on the Dusro. With the heaters being 17" long the element or part that actually does the heating is pretty deep in the box. Will it get enough flow to heat the tank?

OK, am I over thinking this? ???]



Edited By SALT on 1108655737
 
@Rick wrote:
[Mine are in the overflows said:
[That is the exact reason I tell people you can plan a set up that doesn't incorporate heaters. Stanley, I keep mine at 68 in the winter also. My tank flux a little bit but it's always in the green!

I regulate my lights and flow and the temp is always in acceptable parameters.

Marc, heaters are like powerheads both can be dangerous. They are a combination that even pros don't need. How effective do you think those little $18 heater are when you home system cost several thousand.

I've heard of cracked heaters and heaters that don't work wehn they need to and overworking. I belive you yourself said something about you heater going hay wire and overheating your tank. I removed mine over a year ago. I sold one to Marc. I haven't used them in at least 18 months. My tanks temperature is more stable without than it ever was with.]
Click to expand...
 
[Brian, my tank has gotten so cold that some of my corals sloughed off tissue. If I had not acted quickly, I would have lost my green slimer. Tank temperature was around 83F that week, and that night it was 76F. 7 degree plummet requires protection. My heaters are set to 79.5 now, and the tank can't drop any lower.

Due to the volume of my water, the 500w of heat can't cook my tank either. If they were to stick on, the Aqua Controller is set up to kill the power to them. If the tank continues to rise anyway, the AQ II will turn off my lights as well.

Stan, if you have the heaters in the overflow boxes and the return pump is off, they will turn on when that 5g of water gets too cool. As the heat in that water is absorbed by the larger volume of the display area, it will cool off. The heater will warm up that water, and continue to give heat to the rest of your tank. Yes, the overflow area might be warmer, but that doesn't matter as it is usually filled with aptasia anyway. ;)

Even though the water falls a short distance and then into the 90 degree fitting of your durso, the water is moving deeply in the box. Try pumping some airbubbles into that area to observe the flow. Or pour in some phytoplankton perhaps. I see all kinds of stuff ebbing and flowing in my overflow boxes.

I don't see the need to watch the heater turn on and off, and frankly don't even check them unless the tank is getting too cool. Only at that point do I start looking for the little orange light to give me a sense of security. If you prefer to just keep them in the refugium, you'll be fine. The water going through it will be slower, but not crawling. It will warm the water that mixes with your system constantly. It is very important that you remember to move your heaters up to the display if your return pump ever breaks. Some have forgotten the heater was down below, and the main tank chilled excessively.

I have no opposition to heaters, but do try to advise people to think it through so as to keep their tanks safe. During the summer months, it might be a good time to just leave them unplugged, or use that time to clean and inspect them for any signs of damage.]
 
[OK, it looks like I will check out the overflow as the solution. I like this because it does keep the heaters in the main tank and I can keep my fuge the size I wanted. If it does not work out I guess I can always move them to the fuge. Just ordered my glass baffles and I will be picking them up on the way home and hopefully silicone them in over the week end.]
 
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