Fish Tank Costing Me A Fortune!

[beany_bot]

Hi, I stay in a Static Home at the moment (posh caravan ). The thing is when i leave for work, i turn everything off as you do. Because its a caravan within no time at all the temp inside the caravan is the same or similar to that as outside, it doesnt bother me because its a caravan i can heat it up again in about 10 mins but the thing is while im away and its 3 degrees for example say in the caravan my fish tank heaters are on ALOT if not all the time. The tanks stay at the correct temperature but its costing me a small fortune in electricity bills. Anything i can do?? Im really getting close to having to get rid of them, it was fine in the summer but this is killing me. £50 a month to heat the two tanks easy....

 

[kewskills]

Hi, I stay in a Static Home at the moment (posh caravan ). The thing is when i leave for work, i turn everything off as you do. Because its a caravan within no time at all the temp inside the caravan is the same or similar to that as outside, it doesnt bother me because its a caravan i can heat it up again in about 10 mins but the thing is while im away and its 3 degrees for example say in the caravan my fish tank heaters are on ALOT if not all the time. The tanks stay at the correct temperature but its costing me a small fortune in electricity bills. Anything i can do?? Im really getting close to having to get rid of them, it was fine in the summer but this is killing me. £50 a month to heat the two tanks easy....

Whilst you are out can you not insulate them in anyway like quilt over them or something like that? just an idea hope you don't have to get rid of them.

 

[beany_bot]

Hi, I stay in a Static Home at the moment (posh caravan ). The thing is when i leave for work, i turn everything off as you do. Because its a caravan within no time at all the temp inside the caravan is the same or similar to that as outside, it doesnt bother me because its a caravan i can heat it up again in about 10 mins but the thing is while im away and its 3 degrees for example say in the caravan my fish tank heaters are on ALOT if not all the time. The tanks stay at the correct temperature but its costing me a small fortune in electricity bills. Anything i can do?? Im really getting close to having to get rid of them, it was fine in the summer but this is killing me. £50 a month to heat the two tanks easy....

Whilst you are out can you not insulate them in anyway like quilt over them or something like that? just an idea hope you don't have to get rid of them.

possibly, a bit of a fire risk and i like them to have natural light as the "lights" dont come on till 3

 

[Schmill]

All I can suggest is that you get the caravan insulated better, there are some really well insulated vans now, and I'm sure the methods can be retro-fitted. If it's costing that much to keep the water warm I'd imagine it might work out cheaper in the long run to keep the whole van well insulated and heated during the day, (perhaps not at the temperature you'd normally have it, but a little cooler). This also has the advantage of materials, clothes etc not suffering from the damp issues of a caravan that is constantly going through a heatnig a cooling cycling with your warm damp breath inside it

 

[beany_bot]

All I can suggest is that you get the caravan insulated better, there are some really well insulated vans now, and I'm sure the methods can be retro-fitted. If it's costing that much to keep the water warm I'd imagine it might work out cheaper in the long run to keep the whole van well insulated and heated during the day, (perhaps not at the temperature you'd normally have it, but a little cooler). This also has the advantage of materials, clothes etc not suffering from the damp issues of a caravan that is constantly going through a heatnig a cooling cycling with your warm damp breath inside it

Thing is i dont think im staying there that long

 

[doresy]

Hi, having done a few off season 'Sun' stays in those vans (a lot cheaper than hotels when visiting family all over the country!) I know how quickly they get cold when the heating goes off!

Better and cheaper to insulate the tank than the van in your situation. If it were me I would get some polystyrene sheet of about 1" thick from B&Q or the like. Then cut 3 bits the same size as the back and 2 ends. If you then stand these against the tank and hold in place with tape/elastic then remove when you get home. At night you could also stand a piece along the front too as it's dark anyway.
This is how cold water tanks are insulated in the loft so at the very least it will help reduce the time the heater needs to be on

 

[saz326]

Great idea from doresy...

Can I add to that - Make sure you have a close fitting evaporation cover. (most tanks these days simply have waterproof lighting in their hoods so that they dont need evaporation covers.) Think of the cover as an extra wooly hat.

Prevents quite a lot of heat travelling upwards.