luv_my_fish Posted February 17, 2009 Report Share Posted February 17, 2009 Hey Hey! Question... How do you guys heat your fishroom? Seeing as though the weather has gone haywire lately, and after realising summer is almost over, I can't rely on natural heat anymore. None of my betta tanks are heated, except the 2ft sorority tank. I've noticed alot of my fish are getting sluggish and I know it's because their water is ice cold. I have even lost 2 fish due to it. So how do you guys heat your rooms? :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
splendidbetta Posted February 17, 2009 Report Share Posted February 17, 2009 Submersible heaters. I also have a reptile heating cord for bottled fish that I haven't tried yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luv_my_fish Posted February 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2009 The tanks I have aren't big enough for heaters. I have 6x6x6 inch cubes and 6x6x8 inch tanks for the males I also have heaps of plastic containers for the fry. I looked into the reptile heating pads and that, but wasn't sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckie Posted February 17, 2009 Report Share Posted February 17, 2009 I haven't used the reptile pads but like the idea. I use an oil column heater, and just heat the room. It's 32* in there right now I don't know how cost-effective it is, but it works and that's where my interest lies! I only ever need to keep it on low as it has a thermostat and the temp stays pretty constant. Most of summer, I don't heat at all - in fact I leave lights off and the door open many days, to stop it getting too warm! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koriana Posted February 17, 2009 Report Share Posted February 17, 2009 thats a good suggestion Lilli I wonder if it works out better to heat the room or each tank hmm lol kylie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luv_my_fish Posted February 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2009 I'm going to have to find a solution soon because my fish are obviously unhappy :rofl: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axoloto Posted February 17, 2009 Report Share Posted February 17, 2009 Some people use a large tank or tub, half filled with water,a pump (to circulate the warm water around the jars) and a single submersible heater. The jars are then placed in the heated water. I just heat the room. I find this the easiest way because it keeps the aged water at the perfect temperature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckie Posted February 17, 2009 Report Share Posted February 17, 2009 heating the room means there isn't cold air above the water when the fry are filling their swim bladder etc, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bettarazzi Posted February 17, 2009 Report Share Posted February 17, 2009 All of my fish are set up so that I can use submersible heaters or reptile heating cords at the moment. I have heated the whole room in the past but I've swapped to heating the tanks because I've got a lot of tanks and it takes a lot of energy to heat them all by heating the room. I was actually finding a lot of jars not benefitting from the heated room and still remaining cold. And the room is also supposed to be my study but it gets so hot in there I can't work in it. In order to work out which was more cost efficient I simply added up the wattage of all the submersible heaters and reptile cords and it was still a lot less than the column heater I was using. You can use a timer to control the heat for reptile pads and cords that don't have thermostats. You just monitor the temp over a day or so and turn the timer on and off as appropriate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luv_my_fish Posted February 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2009 Thanks for your replies guys! I'm going to have to look into the reptile cords/pads Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brettc777 Posted February 18, 2009 Report Share Posted February 18, 2009 In order to work out which was more cost efficient I simply added up the wattage of all the submersible heaters and reptile cords and it was still a lot less than the column heater I was using. So your up to 60 cords into one power point now? :rofl: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wickedfish Posted February 18, 2009 Report Share Posted February 18, 2009 I'm just in the process of setting up my fish room as I have 30 or so breeding tubs and 200 cut down coke bottles for the boys. We made up some troughs lined with styro and clear plastic sheeting, half filled with water and use submersible heaters with a pump to circulate. Will be looking at reverse cycle air conditioning in coming weeks as winter isn't too far off and by then should have 100's of fighters for sale. Currently breeding blue, red and cambo veils, red and cambo crowns, blue and red doubletails, red and mustard gas delta's, as well as a selection of half moons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luv_my_fish Posted February 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2009 Wicked - I have thought about doing somethying like that, but how can you make it look 'presentable'. My boyfriend pretty much hates my fishroom as it is. He would freak if he saw tubs lying around everywhere. He says aslong as it looks tidy, he will continue to let me use our spare room for my fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koriana Posted February 18, 2009 Report Share Posted February 18, 2009 LOL i shouldnt say it but keep the fish get rid of the boyfriend =) hmmm its hard isnt it, that is going to be my battle i want to be able to show my fish off, but cost effective wise a plastic tub is the best solution, I think when jarring i will use a plastic tub with water and the boys in milk bottles seems the best solution, I can always have some barracks in the lounge room to show off the pride and joy =) I have a couple of 3ft and 4ft tanks I am going to turn into barracks, what do most of you usefor the dividers? perspex with some small holes drilled through to ensure circulation? kylie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wickedfish Posted February 18, 2009 Report Share Posted February 18, 2009 Believe me, I know about the presentable story!!!! Sollution.... I made some stands up with a trough on top and a shelf on bottom for 6 tubs but otherwise I have stuff everywhere. Wait till the boss hears that I want the guest house turned into the fish house. Won't hat be a fun night. Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canfeleq Posted February 18, 2009 Report Share Posted February 18, 2009 LOL i shouldnt say it but keep the fish get rid of the boyfriend =) I have to admit I agree with Kylie. Another way to approach the problem would be a barracks system built into an existing tank, there are several examples on this in the DIY subforum. They would be in shared water but they can be very presentable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killimike Posted February 18, 2009 Report Share Posted February 18, 2009 I don't think he would, but let's hope that he doesn't come on here :wub: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axoloto Posted February 18, 2009 Report Share Posted February 18, 2009 I always say "THE FISH STAY" :wub: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koriana Posted February 18, 2009 Report Share Posted February 18, 2009 LOL, i think a barracks system would solve all problems =) I am going to scoot off and have a look at the DIY section thanks for the tip Rhonda =) I shouldnt have started it but i just cant bear to be told "no" , shamedly have to admit when I am told "no" i tend to go out and get the new animal lol twice as fast pml kylie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JUNGLE Posted February 18, 2009 Report Share Posted February 18, 2009 My apartment is a fishroom so I installed a reverse cycle airconditioner. If you decide to heat the room,this may be relevant. Column heaters and fan heaters actually heat the air! Since glass is an insulator,the room has to get quite warm before the water starts to heat up. Radiators don't really heat the air so much,but heat the objects they are facing almost instantly. You may find this is more efficient,and a wall mounted bathroom strip could be fitted with a thermostat. The radiation from the strip 'excites' the molecules in the water [the radiant heat passes straight thru the glass] as well as any solid objects in its' path. That is why strip heaters are so good in bathrooms....you feel warm as soon as you turn it on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckie Posted February 18, 2009 Report Share Posted February 18, 2009 I have a 6' tank sitting around outside. It needs mending, but if I need to, I am thinking of standing containers in it with a heater and a small filter for water movement, and putting it in my spare bedroom. Mouse will just have to sleep with the fishes when she comes to stay!! LOL!! Only thing is that I will need a stand for it - but it doesn't need to be pretty, and I am sure Jason will help me whack one together. What the hell, the more he does for me, the more he gets to complain, which always makes him happy .... Oh also, if the room is constantly heated, IME so is the water, in which case you don't need the water to 'warm up' as such. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brettc777 Posted February 19, 2009 Report Share Posted February 19, 2009 What annoys me is the humidity in a fishroom in summer when the doors are closed up. I was having a Real estate inspection a few months back and notice the bottom panes of glass on the windows in the fishroom were all moldy! @ Jungle: Would a A/C be about the same amount of energy as a Column Heater? Also, Whats a wall mounted bathroom strip? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canfeleq Posted February 19, 2009 Report Share Posted February 19, 2009 (edited) I shouldnt have started it but i just cant bear to be told "no" , shamedly have to admit when I am told "no" i tend to go out and get the new animal lol twice as fast pml Have to admit I'm the same. Started off with 3 horses, husband said NO MORE!!!.....now have 11 Last year I did the same thing Lilli is considering with a 6 foot tank. It didn't look especially pretty but it worked and it kept my energy bill down. Edited February 19, 2009 by Canfeleq Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckie Posted February 19, 2009 Report Share Posted February 19, 2009 Whats a wall mounted bathroom strip LOL! You are from the North, aren't you! I assume (maybe wrongly) that it's one of those wall-mounted 'orange' radiant heaters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brettc777 Posted February 19, 2009 Report Share Posted February 19, 2009 Still dont know what your talking about! haha Nah I think I know what you mean... is it those contraptions that have two or more orange glowing bars? I would have thought that they would use a lot of power! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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