Tank placement

Stevoosborn · 01/26/2019, 10:17 PM

In my new apartment I am very limited on places to put my tank my apartment has base board heat and the spot I want to put my tank would have a base bored heater behind in and would Lao be close to the door and I windows do you think the temps would be fine my house temp only goes up to 76 and I would invest in something to try and put under the door to stop so much cold from coming in as I live in New York what’s you fellow reefers opinion in the pic the tank will be where that lizard tank is currently the tank is a 29 gallon with a 10 gallon sump

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CAPT_Dave · 01/27/2019, 09:51 PM

I suggest fashioning a non-flammable insulating cover or shield around the baseboard heater just behind the tank. Connect a couple pieces of plywood together with 90 degree brackets. Line the inside with aluminum foil and some kind of insulator on the outside should do it. Make it so air flows through it from both ends so it doesn't over heat inside the shield. That should dampen any baseboard induced temp swings in the winter.

I would strongly consider an Apex to control your heaters (and everything else) if you can afford it. You should also invest in 2 high quality smaller heaters rather than just one rated for your tank. Watch the BRS TV You Tube episode on heaters to see why. Their episode on controllers tells you exactly how to set it up to control those two heaters so you're not relying on the sure-to-fail-someday thermostats. Even if an Apex is not in the budget, 2 heaters are better than one, especially if you get a temp controlled switch to control power to both. I really wouldn't scimp on this one. Thermostats are by far the most common cause of tank crashes.

You should also position a fan to blow across the top of the tank if it gets hot. Evaporation will cool it. With an Apex or used Reefkeeper (they're out of business but the controllers can be found relatively cheaply second hand) you can set it up to turn the fan on and the lights off if the temp gets too high.

With those precautions, I would go right ahead with your desired spot. You could even wait on the controller and fan while cycling and see how it goes with temperatures and adjust with what you learn. And don't rush the cycle!

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01/26/2019, 10:17 PM	#1
Stevoosborn Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: New York Posts: 15	Tank placement In my new apartment I am very limited on places to put my tank my apartment has base board heat and the spot I want to put my tank would have a base bored heater behind in and would Lao be close to the door and I windows do you think the temps would be fine my house temp only goes up to 76 and I would invest in something to try and put under the door to stop so much cold from coming in as I live in New York what’s you fellow reefers opinion in the pic the tank will be where that lizard tank is currently the tank is a 29 gallon with a 10 gallon sump Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

01/27/2019, 09:51 PM	#2
CAPT_Dave Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: San Diego Posts: 157	Tank placement I suggest fashioning a non-flammable insulating cover or shield around the baseboard heater just behind the tank. Connect a couple pieces of plywood together with 90 degree brackets. Line the inside with aluminum foil and some kind of insulator on the outside should do it. Make it so air flows through it from both ends so it doesn't over heat inside the shield. That should dampen any baseboard induced temp swings in the winter. I would strongly consider an Apex to control your heaters (and everything else) if you can afford it. You should also invest in 2 high quality smaller heaters rather than just one rated for your tank. Watch the BRS TV You Tube episode on heaters to see why. Their episode on controllers tells you exactly how to set it up to control those two heaters so you're not relying on the sure-to-fail-someday thermostats. Even if an Apex is not in the budget, 2 heaters are better than one, especially if you get a temp controlled switch to control power to both. I really wouldn't scimp on this one. Thermostats are by far the most common cause of tank crashes. You should also position a fan to blow across the top of the tank if it gets hot. Evaporation will cool it. With an Apex or used Reefkeeper (they're out of business but the controllers can be found relatively cheaply second hand) you can set it up to turn the fan on and the lights off if the temp gets too high. With those precautions, I would go right ahead with your desired spot. You could even wait on the controller and fan while cycling and see how it goes with temperatures and adjust with what you learn. And don't rush the cycle! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk __________________ Dave Current Tank Info: 120 g mixed reef