Energy Efficient Fishkeeping
- Thread starter Naughts
- Start date
Oblio
Fish Herder
Heating costs are due to the replacement of thermal energy due to heat transfer from high temperature to low temperature. This can be reduced by decreasing the thermal conductivity (insulation, including tank lids). Another way to reduce the rate of heat transfer is to reduce the temperature differential between hot and cold. Research to see the proper temperature range for your fish and set your thermostat so it is as close as possible to your room temp and within the fish temp range. If your room temp is within the fish range, set the thermostat low enough just to heat if you lose room heat. If your room heat is stable, and you set the tank temp to below room temp, you will rarely use the heater. e.g. if your room is usually at 68 F and fish thrive at 70-80, set thermostat to 70. If you keep your room at 72, set the thermostat to 68. Also, use an accurate thermometer to set your tank temp, do not rely on the thermostat reading, you may have a hotter tank than you think, wasting energy and potentially stressing your fish.
I don't heat the rooms for the fish. For the last couple of weeks I've just put the central heating on for an hour a day. The room thermometers show a big range over 24 hours (Spring in the Northern hemisphere), one example is room temps fluctuating 55-73F and the community of fish in that room need 75-80F. So get that tank to maintain at 75F?
Heaters are not designed for extreme variation between room and tank.
You can attach styrofoam to tank backs and sides, with tight covers, choose species that thrive at around 20c (my love of killies began practically there), double check the temp requirements of your fish (I've noted them creeping up in online advice for a number of species - check more scientific sites like fishbase.org, that base temps on reports from where fish are caught). Looking at LED use and timing devices is a good approach. My energy costs for a large fish set up dropped incredibly after I went entirely LED.
You can run away from high temp discus.
I heat rooms with fish, but they have doors. They are warmer than the rest of the house. I've lost too many tanks to heater problems.
But really, join your local killie cult and get beautiful Aphyosemions that thrive with inexpensive filtration and 19-22 temps...
You can attach styrofoam to tank backs and sides, with tight covers, choose species that thrive at around 20c (my love of killies began practically there), double check the temp requirements of your fish (I've noted them creeping up in online advice for a number of species - check more scientific sites like fishbase.org, that base temps on reports from where fish are caught). Looking at LED use and timing devices is a good approach. My energy costs for a large fish set up dropped incredibly after I went entirely LED.
You can run away from high temp discus.
I heat rooms with fish, but they have doors. They are warmer than the rest of the house. I've lost too many tanks to heater problems.
But really, join your local killie cult and get beautiful Aphyosemions that thrive with inexpensive filtration and 19-22 temps...
Oblio
Fish Herder
In a non-controlled room, the best you can do is set to 75F using a calibrated thermometer.
StripySnailGirl04
Fish Addict
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2022
- Messages
- 945
- Reaction score
- 548
Wait WHAT???
UK prices are jumping 53% next week???
UK prices are jumping 53% next week???
The energy regulator sets a price cap on fuel and it's changed every 6 months. Because wholesale prices and other things have gone up a lot in the last 6 months, the cap is being raised by around 50% from 1 April.
IKR!!
Insulate the base, back and sides of the tank with 1 to 2 inch thick polystyrene foam sheets. Just tape them to the outside of the tank.
Have a coverglass on the tank. Use 4, 5 or 6mm thick glass for the covers because they are less likely to chip or crack than thinner glass, and the thicker glass holds heat better. Most coverglass sold at pet shops are 2 or 3mm thick so you might need to order thicker coverglass in or talk to a glazier.
Have coverglass well fitted so virtually the entire top of the tank is covered. A lot of shops have big corners cut out for aiirlines and heater cabless, etc. Most of these corners don't need to be as big as they are. I used to cut corners off that were less than 1 inch at the widest part and most were about 1/2 inch.
----------------------
Use big light units to cover several tanks. I had a number of tanks next to each other and ran 4 foot light units over them. I used fewer power points and had better lighting over the tanks compared to running smaller lights on individual tanks.
You can also run a couple of fluorescent or LED lights in the room and not have lights on the tanks. However, if you are growing live plants in the tank, then they will need a light above the tank.
----------------------
If you have lots of fish tanks, put them in the same room so they lose heat in the same room. The water holds heat better than air and if you have a number of tanks near each other, they help to warm the air around themselves and the other tanks. This reduces heating costs compared to having one tank in each room..
If you have a door on the room the tanks are in, try to keep it closed when the weather is cooler.
Close the windows and curtains too if it's cold outside. Most places in the USA and UK have double or triple glazed windows now so heat loss through windows is not much of an issue. But in places like Australia, the government is unwilling to enact laws about houses being made energy efficient. Yes they must have insulation in the roof and around the hot water pipe, but that is it. ANd lots of new places don't have insulation even though they are meant too. And nobody in the government seems to care about that. What's the point of having building codes and laws if nobody enforces them?
Australia, the backwards country where common sense is sadly lacking in our political puppets, I mean leaders.
If you don't have double glazed windows, get a sheet of 4 inch thick polystyrene foam and cut that to fit in the window. Put it in the window at night and take it out during the day, assuming the weather is warm enough.
----------------------
If you have lots of tanks, maybe build a dedicated fish room with skylights and insulation in the roof, walls and floor. There are rubber matts made from recycled car tyres and these are readily available now. They come in a couple of different thicknesses and a range of colours. They are water proof, easy to lay down, can be taken outside and hosed off, and last forever. We put these in our games room, which had a concrete flood, and by the time we had done half the floor, there was a noticeable difference in the room temperature.
If you use the rubber matts made from recycled tyres, get the thicker matts (about 1 inch thick) and lay them out first and leave them for 24 hours so they can shrink back to normal size. Then cut them to fit. The matts squash out when stacked in the shop and they can shrink an inch after they have been put down individually. If you lay them and cut them straight away, you will have big gaps around them the following day. So lay them out, wait 24 hours, then push them together and cut them to fit.
----------------------
I set the heaters on most of my tanks at 18C. In spring and summer the water temperature would naturally rise up to and above 30C. In winter the temperature would drop to 18C. This variation in temperature was fine for the fish because it happened slowly over a course of months. It also gave fish like barbs, tetras and catfish a cooling off period, and in spring they would colour up and breed like crazy rabbits.
Have a coverglass on the tank. Use 4, 5 or 6mm thick glass for the covers because they are less likely to chip or crack than thinner glass, and the thicker glass holds heat better. Most coverglass sold at pet shops are 2 or 3mm thick so you might need to order thicker coverglass in or talk to a glazier.
Have coverglass well fitted so virtually the entire top of the tank is covered. A lot of shops have big corners cut out for aiirlines and heater cabless, etc. Most of these corners don't need to be as big as they are. I used to cut corners off that were less than 1 inch at the widest part and most were about 1/2 inch.
----------------------
Use big light units to cover several tanks. I had a number of tanks next to each other and ran 4 foot light units over them. I used fewer power points and had better lighting over the tanks compared to running smaller lights on individual tanks.
You can also run a couple of fluorescent or LED lights in the room and not have lights on the tanks. However, if you are growing live plants in the tank, then they will need a light above the tank.
----------------------
If you have lots of fish tanks, put them in the same room so they lose heat in the same room. The water holds heat better than air and if you have a number of tanks near each other, they help to warm the air around themselves and the other tanks. This reduces heating costs compared to having one tank in each room..
If you have a door on the room the tanks are in, try to keep it closed when the weather is cooler.
Close the windows and curtains too if it's cold outside. Most places in the USA and UK have double or triple glazed windows now so heat loss through windows is not much of an issue. But in places like Australia, the government is unwilling to enact laws about houses being made energy efficient. Yes they must have insulation in the roof and around the hot water pipe, but that is it. ANd lots of new places don't have insulation even though they are meant too. And nobody in the government seems to care about that. What's the point of having building codes and laws if nobody enforces them?
Australia, the backwards country where common sense is sadly lacking in our political puppets, I mean leaders.
If you don't have double glazed windows, get a sheet of 4 inch thick polystyrene foam and cut that to fit in the window. Put it in the window at night and take it out during the day, assuming the weather is warm enough.
----------------------
If you have lots of tanks, maybe build a dedicated fish room with skylights and insulation in the roof, walls and floor. There are rubber matts made from recycled car tyres and these are readily available now. They come in a couple of different thicknesses and a range of colours. They are water proof, easy to lay down, can be taken outside and hosed off, and last forever. We put these in our games room, which had a concrete flood, and by the time we had done half the floor, there was a noticeable difference in the room temperature.
If you use the rubber matts made from recycled tyres, get the thicker matts (about 1 inch thick) and lay them out first and leave them for 24 hours so they can shrink back to normal size. Then cut them to fit. The matts squash out when stacked in the shop and they can shrink an inch after they have been put down individually. If you lay them and cut them straight away, you will have big gaps around them the following day. So lay them out, wait 24 hours, then push them together and cut them to fit.
----------------------
I set the heaters on most of my tanks at 18C. In spring and summer the water temperature would naturally rise up to and above 30C. In winter the temperature would drop to 18C. This variation in temperature was fine for the fish because it happened slowly over a course of months. It also gave fish like barbs, tetras and catfish a cooling off period, and in spring they would colour up and breed like crazy rabbits.
like others have said, i really think adjusting the aircon to the same or more than your tank (edit will help
will helpAircon?like others have said, i really think adjusting the aircon to the same or more than your tank (edit
D
Deleted member 149562
Guest
I have gas central heating but I have not used it in years, tbh I requested that the gas meter be disconnected from the supply and capped off in 2018. That hasn't stopped the supplier charging me standing charges despite not being under contract with them and they receiving written confirmation from my landlord that I have no gas supply. The supplier did refund 4 years worth of standing charges back in October but weirdly they still charge them currently. I placed that issue into the hands of my solicitor to sort out.
I use an electric convection heater but only when there is actual proper snow on the ground....which has not happened since 2010. The flat temperature rarely goes under 16 degrees all year round, so no need for additional heating for my comfort. If I do feel the chill indoors, I reach for another jumper.
In regard to the aquarium heating.....in the previous 60L aquariums I had one 100w heater in each, set at 25. In late spring/early summer until the early autumn the heaters were kept off since the flat is fully insulated, double glazed etc.
Now that I have a single 200L aquarium, I use a preset heater and have an identical second heater in the aquarium that is turned off unless temperatures really dive. The summer months, as per the old aquariums, I shall turn the other heater off til late summer/early autumn. The aquarium is fitted with a Fluval dual thermometer that monitors the water and the room temperature....very stable 25 in the aquarium and tween 16 and 24 room temperature. The heater is working well, its a 200w Eheim, not had to use the second heater thusfar.
My flat is all electric with a smart meter. My bills have never gone over 250 per quarter since dropping the gas in 2018. The flat is small, one bedroom, one lounge, kitchen and wetroom, and I am here by myself. I was lucky in that I signed up on a new fixed contract last November so fortunately managed to miss the increases. The contract runs out in November 2024 so by then things should have stabilised....hopefully.
My personal situation is such that I do not need to insulate the aquarium or worry too much about the running costs. I know how fortunate I am compared to many other people, especially families.
However......and maybe this should go on the unpopular opinions in life thread.....as someone brought up in the 1970's when strikes and powercuts were an almost weekly event, I do know how to budget my incomings and outgoings properly, I have no credit or store cards cos I see no reason to over extend myself or live beyond my means, I have no TV subscriptions (I have FreeSat which was an initial 50 quid for the box and no further charges and that gives me 200 channels), since becoming registered disabled I have no car either. I really think, and I am not saying everyone is like it, but I truly feel that the root of many of the issues like this are down to people living far beyond their means thanks to easy credit, mortgages and the curse of oneupmanship that exists nowadays....by that I mean the designer clothes, big TV's and flash cars and holidays that are often put before putting food on the table and paying the bills.
I use an electric convection heater but only when there is actual proper snow on the ground....which has not happened since 2010. The flat temperature rarely goes under 16 degrees all year round, so no need for additional heating for my comfort. If I do feel the chill indoors, I reach for another jumper.
In regard to the aquarium heating.....in the previous 60L aquariums I had one 100w heater in each, set at 25. In late spring/early summer until the early autumn the heaters were kept off since the flat is fully insulated, double glazed etc.
Now that I have a single 200L aquarium, I use a preset heater and have an identical second heater in the aquarium that is turned off unless temperatures really dive. The summer months, as per the old aquariums, I shall turn the other heater off til late summer/early autumn. The aquarium is fitted with a Fluval dual thermometer that monitors the water and the room temperature....very stable 25 in the aquarium and tween 16 and 24 room temperature. The heater is working well, its a 200w Eheim, not had to use the second heater thusfar.
My flat is all electric with a smart meter. My bills have never gone over 250 per quarter since dropping the gas in 2018. The flat is small, one bedroom, one lounge, kitchen and wetroom, and I am here by myself. I was lucky in that I signed up on a new fixed contract last November so fortunately managed to miss the increases. The contract runs out in November 2024 so by then things should have stabilised....hopefully.
My personal situation is such that I do not need to insulate the aquarium or worry too much about the running costs. I know how fortunate I am compared to many other people, especially families.
However......and maybe this should go on the unpopular opinions in life thread.....as someone brought up in the 1970's when strikes and powercuts were an almost weekly event, I do know how to budget my incomings and outgoings properly, I have no credit or store cards cos I see no reason to over extend myself or live beyond my means, I have no TV subscriptions (I have FreeSat which was an initial 50 quid for the box and no further charges and that gives me 200 channels), since becoming registered disabled I have no car either. I really think, and I am not saying everyone is like it, but I truly feel that the root of many of the issues like this are down to people living far beyond their means thanks to easy credit, mortgages and the curse of oneupmanship that exists nowadays....by that I mean the designer clothes, big TV's and flash cars and holidays that are often put before putting food on the table and paying the bills.
I know lol. We use the term air conditioning to mean cooling, maybe @Sgooosh uses it to refer to regulation of a constant temperature??
I don't understand how air conditioning could help with energy efficiency as the UK is not a hot country, also it runs on electricity!
One of the things I like about this forum is that it constantly reteaches me something my rock hard head seems to resist - the need to figure out what other posters live with, environment-wise. Where I am, if we turn off the heat from November to April, we skate on our tanks. I think in places with more moderate outside temps, tank temp issues get more serious. We have to heat. And newish constructions must be well insulated.
Building a styro box around the tanks helps. But tanks are supposed to be beautiful...
I just walked across the crunchy frozen grass behind my house, coming back from my detached garage. It has a room with brand new heavy duty insulation, a ceiling and one wall finished as of yesterday (the rest to come Monday). I will have electric heating. The entire room has been designed for winter (with windows I can open all summer - I have to make screens). This is my late midlife crisis luxury, and it will be filled with tanks. But I didn't even think layout for tanks til after I thought energy efficiency and cost.
The point? I'm not sure what you can do with one tank to save energy costs. Keep the fish seasonally at the lower part of their range, cover the obvious, and that's that. When I had my multiple tanks in a basement with individual heaters, it was expensive. I had tanks at 25 in a room at 19. By raising the temp in my last insulated room to 20, and keeping fish that like 19-23 as temps, I have almost halved my energy costs. LEDs make a major contribution too.
If I want to breed fish that like 25, well, there's summer for that. If needs be, I can use one or two heaters, but no more.
I just can't see a way around a warmer room.
Building a styro box around the tanks helps. But tanks are supposed to be beautiful...
I just walked across the crunchy frozen grass behind my house, coming back from my detached garage. It has a room with brand new heavy duty insulation, a ceiling and one wall finished as of yesterday (the rest to come Monday). I will have electric heating. The entire room has been designed for winter (with windows I can open all summer - I have to make screens). This is my late midlife crisis luxury, and it will be filled with tanks. But I didn't even think layout for tanks til after I thought energy efficiency and cost.
The point? I'm not sure what you can do with one tank to save energy costs. Keep the fish seasonally at the lower part of their range, cover the obvious, and that's that. When I had my multiple tanks in a basement with individual heaters, it was expensive. I had tanks at 25 in a room at 19. By raising the temp in my last insulated room to 20, and keeping fish that like 19-23 as temps, I have almost halved my energy costs. LEDs make a major contribution too.
If I want to breed fish that like 25, well, there's summer for that. If needs be, I can use one or two heaters, but no more.
I just can't see a way around a warmer room.
Similar threads
- Deleted member 149562
- Tropical Discussion
Most reactions
-
297 -
219 -
214 -
184 -
174 -
168 -
147 -
142 -
138 -
134 -
118 -
113 -
105 -
95 -
94