I was wondering, for a glass tank, would applying that clear window insulation film on the bottom and back of the tank help in any way when it comes to retaining heat. My basement is a cool 68F and I dont want my heaters working overtime or paying way too much for heating my 120 gallon tank.
Retaining heat in the tank
- Thread starter svtcontour
- Start date
I am not sure about what film you are referring to but i doubt that it would make much of a difference.
I'd get 2" polystyrene insulation from lowes (blue) or HD (pink) and stick it on the back and possibly the sides - and also under the tank (if it sits on a stand that just supports the frame of the tank) and you could even set it up so you have a removable sheet for the front and/ or top that you take off when you are viewing the tank. I would assume if its in the basement it doesnt have to be pretty all the time.
I'd get 2" polystyrene insulation from lowes (blue) or HD (pink) and stick it on the back and possibly the sides - and also under the tank (if it sits on a stand that just supports the frame of the tank) and you could even set it up so you have a removable sheet for the front and/ or top that you take off when you are viewing the tank. I would assume if its in the basement it doesnt have to be pretty all the time.
you were talking about the shrink wrap people stick to their window frames in the winter right? I don't think that would help a fishtank since the point of using it on windows is it traps another layer of air between the warm air in the house and the glass window, insulating the window just a little more. if you stuck it on the back of an aquarium I would tihnk it wouldn't help with heat retention.
now the foam on the back and sides might help though since it would insulate the glass from the air around it a bit.
now the foam on the back and sides might help though since it would insulate the glass from the air around it a bit.
120's are pretty good at retaining heat on their own, especially if covered. I had 2 120's, 2 55's, 1 15 and 1 20 gallon tank in my house, some covered, some uncovered, and the house never gets above 68 in the winter. It cost about $50 a month to run all the tanks--that includes heaters, pumps, filters, and lights (PC, MH, and VHO). The cost of heating them was pretty small. The heaters on the 120's ran less than those on any of the other setups.
Thanks for the replies. Yes I was thinking about that shrink wrap stuff but if it wont do anything, then I wont bother. I did pick up another heater this morning and figured that maybe having the burden of heating the tank spread across two heaters might be more efficient and also allow the heaters to last longer. I now have two Ebo-Jagger 250w. I set the temp to 74F.