Insulating the tank.

Hi to all the forum dwellers.

I noted last night that the heater in my tank is working overtime to keep the water at 23'C.
Now that to me means loss of energy (heat) on a large scale. I know that the winter months will bring the worst out of a electric bill, but I will want to minimize the loss of heat from the tank.

What measures can I take?
One thing I am going to try is to move the heater away from the glass sides of the tank. In other words, keep it in the middle of the tank, (still at the back of the tank)

To insulate the pipes of the tank. I know that newspapers would be the ultimate DIY cheap way of doing it, but are there an alternative means of insulating the tank.

One side of the tank never sees the world. The back side. What form of insulation can I put on the back?

Any advice will help at this stage. It's not funny to have a R300 - R500 increase in an electric bill from one month to the other month.

 

What size is your tank and what heater(s) do you have in it? Is the base insulated? Roughly what temperature is the room?

 

Polystyrene on the back or even the sides of the tank will insulate nicely. Perhaps insulation tape on the tubing.

 

make sure know doors and windows are left open around the tank. this helps alot. also, what size tank and heater.

 

Had a silly thought, cover it at night like you would a bird cage?

 

I use to do that with my grow out discus tank at my old house. Works very well.

 

250l tank with a 300 watt heater.
Thinking of getting another heater. Watch said 18'C yesterday

 

A second heater will go along way.

 

300W in a 250l should just be okay (assuming nothing too unusual in the tank like a large tickle filter or something). Or maybe the heater doesn't really quite do 300W? Is it old, or a cheap make?

I would suggest you insulate like suggested above and put in a 2nd heater to make sure. Use a decent make like Jager.

 

Base I think is not insulated. Standing on a wood cabinet. Will put some insulating material down on the move next week.

 

I am getting one next week. Getting 5 Discus kids for the tank from my brother.

 

Nope, no funny things in the tank. Just worried about the heater placement as well. Not sure in a corner is the best anymore. Area for water contact is way less and heating up two sides of the glass where the heat dissipates into the room.... The engineer in my might be a pain now...

 

See Blanket over tank

and Insulating the fishroom - Page 2 for pics

 

i think that the sagex does an excellent job insulating a tank. you can also try and get hold of the rubber like material they use to insulate the pipes of the air-conditioners in offices.
here is an 800litre with 1x300W heater and it was a constant 26deg.