Hi everybody, I think this is a great forum.
I'm planning to revamp my tank, 30"x15"x15" (LxWxH) and I consider using a substrate heating coil, as Dupla recommends. Does anybody have experience in this? I am also confused about the required wattage for a tank size like mine. Dupla doesn't say much of it yet there is a calculator on Dennerle site that gives me only 8W of heating power; can this be right?
Many thanks for any reply.
shade,
I'm assuming your tank is a custom size? The calculation on dennerle's site is correct, though now you've got to be wondering where to get an 8W cable.... I don't know either.
If I were you, I could give the cable a miss... look at investing your money elsewhere.
Allen
Yes, Allen, the tank is indeed custom made (by me). I've just visited the Dupla site where they advertise the "Thermik-Set Omega" with a 3m cable that delivers 40W and is suitable, as they claim, for tanks up to 100cm long (longer than mine). What I'm driven to think is that the undergravel heater wattage isn't important at all, and within some limits it'll provide some low speed water circulation in the substrate that have some efficiency anyhow. However i feel you doubt on the effectiveness of such a system; have you had any experience with it?
I have a 75W undergravel heater in my substrate, and i think that it does help with some plants... however, its not essential, and given foresight, would spend the money on other areas.
Allen
I've gone full circle over the years through a number of substrate flow routines. I've used a dozen or so Dupla set ups on customer's tanks. Everyone of them now has replaced their cables and sold them off. Each reports much better plant growth, less issues. I've owned Dupla Sandpoint and made 7 of my own from Transformers, wire etc over the years.
Do they hurt a tank? No. Don't they help? None I could tell in any significant way. I also have challeneged folks over the years to prove they produce a significant difference. Do you have constant temps(summer time air conditioning) that can allow for their usage all year? Many folks in warmer places only can use them during the winter.
Claus, VP of Tropica and I had a cable talk and he seems to feel as I did. The flow is too fast from cables to be an optimum flow rate for plants.
RFUG filter made from pcv piping in a grid fashion worked as well and actually a little better than the cables did. These are much higher flow rates.
But the best optimal set up for the plants is fortunately the simplest, cheapest and easiest method. Add nothing but a good substrate.
If you plan on spending $ for a plant tank, spend it on a good CO2 system first, then lighting, then the substrate materials and filter.
Regards,
Tom Barr
OK guys, you convinced me. I rearranged my priorities and put gravel heater down the list. Thanks again.
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