seahorse12790
04-25-2003, 07:16 PM
Hello again and thank you for the reply on the undergravel heaters.
I understand and have the same problem on what to do in the summer. I know we can turn off the undergravel heating during those months, but that wouldnt help the filter process going on through the gravel bed. I have 30 gallons and 30 watts of cable under the gravel. I understand that it shouldn't raise the temp of the tank no more than a degree or two, the main idea of this is to keep the gravel at a slighly higher temp than the water.
I am working on a few ideas about cooling the tank without the expense of a very expense chiller!!! As I progress in this I will write nore what I did and what is working.
My tank here is almost ready to go, I have the heating cables down. I didnt buy the suction cups that are available because of there expense. I used regular air line holders which have the same height and just adapted them for the cable. I have covered the cables with about 1 inch, 2-3cm of substrate gravel. I am using (Red Sea) Floral base. It's like a red clay in nature and rich in iron i understand. ( This stuff is expensive)
Now I looked only today and finally found gravel at a local place, or I should say (BIG SAND) as i call it. Its not sand as that would be to solid and wouldnt let enough convections currents through the sand. This is about 2-3mm in size (1/16 of a inch). I layed about 2-3 inches over the substrate!
In closing, every one I have spoke to about this say this is the way to go on planted tanks. Thanks again and if anybody has done this please write , thanks!!!
I understand and have the same problem on what to do in the summer. I know we can turn off the undergravel heating during those months, but that wouldnt help the filter process going on through the gravel bed. I have 30 gallons and 30 watts of cable under the gravel. I understand that it shouldn't raise the temp of the tank no more than a degree or two, the main idea of this is to keep the gravel at a slighly higher temp than the water.
I am working on a few ideas about cooling the tank without the expense of a very expense chiller!!! As I progress in this I will write nore what I did and what is working.
My tank here is almost ready to go, I have the heating cables down. I didnt buy the suction cups that are available because of there expense. I used regular air line holders which have the same height and just adapted them for the cable. I have covered the cables with about 1 inch, 2-3cm of substrate gravel. I am using (Red Sea) Floral base. It's like a red clay in nature and rich in iron i understand. ( This stuff is expensive)
Now I looked only today and finally found gravel at a local place, or I should say (BIG SAND) as i call it. Its not sand as that would be to solid and wouldnt let enough convections currents through the sand. This is about 2-3mm in size (1/16 of a inch). I layed about 2-3 inches over the substrate!
In closing, every one I have spoke to about this say this is the way to go on planted tanks. Thanks again and if anybody has done this please write , thanks!!!