Bobberman
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Location: Latrobe Pa.

Heating aquarium for heat chamber in greenhouse!

What a great way to start seeds in a greenhouse with a heated aquarium! They make 100 watt and 50 watt submercible heaters for 10 to 50 gallon aquariums! besides the heater having a bubble air insert during the heat of the day will also raise the temp in the water. I have 3 clear thick plastic shower curtains closing off the heat chamber from the rest of the greenhouse with a 1 inch styrofoam insulation at the back of the chamber! This works great!
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The water will actually cool the chamber when its too hot by absorbing heat! So many advantages of the heated water. Also the aquarium will give moisture to the chamber! You can set the heater so it goes on only after dark or in very cold weather. Some of the better heaters can also be set at even 85 degrees. Most of the heaters are set for 75 to 78 degrees! Any other ideas let me know?

Bobberman
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Location: Latrobe Pa.

Air aquarium bubbler for a 50 gallon tank will raise the temp of a 50 gallon drum in a greenhouse for pennies compared to a electric heater. The reason is during the heat of the day the air gives heat off in the water so the pump only comes on when the greenhouse temp on a sunny day is above 50! If I can raise the temp. in my50 gallon drums only 5 degrees it will make a big difference in over all temp!

Dillbert
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Location: Central PA

I toyed with a solar system in my greenhouse. eventually gave it up only because it took up too much space. I could heat the house, just not a lot of plant space left (g)

the most cost effective Rube Goldberg "collecting device" was 3/8 inch soft copper tubing. wound it around a smooth log - about 4-5 inch dia - then pulled the coil out into a spiral - theory is to spread the coils so the sun can hit max surface area as it traverses.

degreased, acid etched, painted flat black. mini-fountain pump to circ the water - the coil was inside the greenhouse - and using a 50 gal drum got the water up to 75'F or so. it would actually stop running on "over temp" - not sure how hot it would eventually get.

the hot water was tapped from the top, small circ pump through 1/2 copper lines around the greenhouse (nominal 10x20 size)

don't know how "efficient" the collector was - but for some $20 in copper, $10 pump - it sure did a job.

Bobberman
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Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2010 10:31 pm
Location: Latrobe Pa.

I have a 100 foot dark colored rubber hose that I will dothe same type of thing! I will pump water through the hose which is run along the north insulated wall that the sun will hit! The water will got into a 100 gallon combination of 2 50 gallon drums! It seems to heat the water pretty well just like a hose setting in the sun when you water your garden. The wate can get very hot! Transferingthe heat of the day in a greenhouse to a water storage area is the answer for night heat! Every little bit of heat helps on those cold days!

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Trisha
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Joined: Wed Dec 26, 2012 4:09 am
Location: Chicago burbs

Bobberman, do I have questions! (bear with me, some of them will be very novice)

How big is your enclosed area? How much space will 2 drums heat?
Have you run it through very COLD days? Whats the lowest temp on those days (you said 32?)
The pumps will each heat 50 gallons (so 1 pump per drum, or did you get away with 1 pump for both drums? 50watts or 100watts?)


I'm glad I got you solar guys here, cuz I have no idea how this works!
I saw a 50watt solar panel for $99 on amazon. It was darn small too, wouldnt take a lot of space.

(ehow taught me how to do this so I might be WAY off...)
I calculated a 12v car battery at 50 watts would produce 4 amps.
a good car battery running 100 amp hours could run for 25 hours.
Would a 50watt solar panel keep that 1 battery charged?

so what I'm really trying to figure out is... how many panels and batteries would it take to run one pump. and how much area would one pump heat?

if this works, you are seriously on my 'send presents to Bobberman' list.

Bobberman
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Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2010 10:31 pm
Location: Latrobe Pa.

It was 20 degrees last night and my greenhouse went down to 35 without any heat except for the water storage drums. Today the sun is out some and the temp went up to 80 degrees for about 5 hours which will raise the water temp in the barrels a few degrees. A 9 by 12 greenhouse I woulds say 150 gallons of water would mainain a nice temp all winter with a double plasti cover! .my 10 by 16 A greenhouse has about 300gallons in it and stays nice even at 10 degrees outside even with a wind. My north wall is insulated with 1 inch foam board!
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My aquarium heater is only used toheat the acquarium in my seed stating area which is app 3 foot wide 6 feet high and 12 feet long! The aquarium is 20 gallon. I also have a small personal heater I got at wal mart that is only 100 wats that has a small fan in it! I have that set on a timer to come on on cold nights every other hour from 9pm till 6 pm. It stays on only for a 1?.2 hour at a time! Heating a whole greenhouse with any electric device is way to expensive. My lowest temp is around 30 but nothing freezes since the moisture protects it and the drums keep the floor temp around 38 or what ever the drum temp is! Hope this helps?

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IndyGerdener
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Location: Greenwood, Indiana

ok, so I am starting my greenhouse / hoop house project this week. I am getting a 55 gal water drum. I purchased 2 - 200W fish tank heaters. They are adjustable up to 90 degrees. Should I have any problem heating a 7' X 12' X 6' tall hoop house?

I was also thinking about running water along the roof the whole time at night and the day. I am thinking this will warm up the house at night and will soak up extra heat from the sun in the day. We are starting to be above freezing pretty regularly, however it is still getting in the 20's at night. should I be concerned about this?

I was thinking about solar heat, but it seems like it will be a big eye sore next to the greenhouse. I am renting and don't want to over crowed the yard. :roll: :roll:

little leaf
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Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2015 2:36 pm

Hi bobberman.

"my seed stating area which is app 3 foot wide 6 feet high and 12 feet long! The aquarium is 20 gallon"

Interested to know the wattage of the aquariums heater you use for this setup? Guessing also that the aquarium heater alone is insufficient given you use the small personal heater?

Thanks,
Dan.

Bobberman
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Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2010 10:31 pm
Location: Latrobe Pa.

If you make a small heat chamber inside your greenhouse it only needs the 20 gallon you have with a 50 or 100 watt aquarium heater set at 70. they are only about $20



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