best way to heat a 20gal tank

[pingman]

Now that we're approaching fall and winter soon, i'm worried that my temps in my petiolaris tank will not be warm enough.

Just wondering what the recommendations are for heaters for a 20gal tank?

I've seen some that are heating cables, heat rocks (fake), heat pads, etc.

Thanks!
Peter.

 

[adnedarn]

When I was growing all my D. ordensis plants... I took some pots upside down in the bottom of the tank.. then got some grid stuff... It's used to cover flourecent lights... And used that to make a table on top the pots. I then filled the bottom up to the pots with water and put an aquarium heater in the water. This provided heat and high humidity. Then you can let the water go low enough that the plants are not sitting in water, but the heater is still in water. (Of course do not let the heater dry out

) You need to take this setup apart and completly clean it about every month to month and a half though. But I'd say it worked extreamly well. An added benifit is the plants were closer to the light

Good luck!
Andrew

 

[JB_OrchidGuy]

That sounds to me like the best way to do it. I was going to recomend flexwatt to be put under the tank and heat it from the bottom, but it needs a thermestat to control it. That is currently how I am heating my snake cages. Although Andrews method sounds much better and cheaper to me. You could even set it up in such a way that you can put some fish in the bottom to help kep it clean. Oh heck that might be more trouble than its worth. Go with Andrews Idea that sounds like a winner to me.

 

[Rubra]

I'd say a first good step would be bubble wrap or something lining the outside walls of the tank. I've used an aquarium heater (~$20) quite successfully, until one day I neglected to top off the water in its container. A heat pad with a thermostat would cost you more but would do the job and be easier to maintain long term.
I was just looking at temps in petiolaris habitat (Nhulunbuy, NT, to be specific) and temps drop down to about 54º in the dead of winter. Point being, if you've got your plants inside, you might not need secondary heating...

2¢

Peter

 

[pingman]

Hey Peter, thanks for your 2 cents!
Interesting about temps in petiolaris habitat. My home would not go below 60 degrees so i'm thinking i should be ok.
The only thing is i don't want is for the petiolaris to go dormant with the cooler temps.
Maybe i'll post the question in the Drosera forum for advice!
Peter.

 

[larry]

Put an aquarium heater in a tall jar filled with water. That way, you can avoid having to clean the entire tank once a month. If you have a little fan in there, it'll distribute the heat evenly inside the tank.

 

[The Griffin]

Old topic, but:
Larry, does that really work, or is that an idea? I was just wondering what kind of temps you get with this method.

Cheers,

Joe

 

[adnedarn]

When I had the whole bottom with water, with the plants a few inches above that, the heater i think was set at about 90. I did not run a fan, but i'd assume that would just disperce the heat too fast. (I didn't cover my tank except the light fixture) And when the rooom was cooler in the winter, droplets would form on the glass only a few inches above the water level... I can't exactly recall havint a thermostat in there, but I couldn't feel the warmth with my hand unless I touched the water.. So i can't assume it was more than 75 or 80 around the plant with a 65f room.
Andrew


EDIT: It's not the best picture, but the only one I could find real quick... it's kinda big too... but windows should resize it for you... lol Generally I'd fill it to just a little higher than shown here.. and let it get almost down to the heater before refilling...

http://aaadnedarn.home.comcast.net/P1010248.JPG

 

[quogue]

Quote[/b] (The Griffin @ Nov. 07 2006,7:32)]Old topic, but:
Larry, does that really work, or is that an idea? I was just wondering what kind of temps you get with this method.

 Cheers,

 Joe

I'm trying that method now but it's not really doing much good. Then again it could be the heater itself, it goes on, it goes off. The temp is set at 90F but the water is usually 65F.
This is the heater in a jar thing. Also the area is 4'L x 3'D by ~3'H might just be too big for one heater like that.
The heater is for a big tank and it's in a pretty big glass vase.

 

[adnedarn]

That's why I filled the whole bottom of the tank some. The whole bottom of warm water would heat more than a little jar of warm water.
Andrew

 

[Clint]

It's really the best way to go. A big jar is really, really ugly.

 

[jimscott]

Just another voice: I've toyed with the idea of using a submercible aquarium heater in a glass jar. Then add a pc fan to circulate. I actually used a heater for for a yogurt maker, whose heating element died. It looked odd but it also worked.