QT tank placement

[two11devan]

I sent my QT tank up in my garage, but of course winter is rolling around and the 50W heater I got for it just isn't keeping the tank at a constant temp. Can I just upgrade to a bigger heater? 100 or maybe even 150w? It gets pretty cold at night and in the mornings so Im wondering if the garage isn't a good place for a 10 gal tank. The obvious solution would be to move it inside but I don't really have a place for it. I live in California so it doesn't get extremely cold. I am hoping upgrading to a bigger heater will keep the tank at a constant temp. What do you think?

 

[melosu58]

The problem with most garages is that they dont have any insulation. I dont think that your heater can keep up with the drastic outside temp swings. JMO

 

[two11devan]

Any other solutions or thoughts on this?????

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Not sure where in CA you are, and what exactly "pretty cold" means to you! I guess the obvious answer is get a 100W heater and see what happens.

I've just noticed the same thing with my saltwater mixing tub in my garage up here in WA state. I've had to switch from a 50W heater to a 100W to keep the temp around 76 or so. With the garage in the mid-high 50s, a 50W heater just wasn't able to pump out enough heat.

One thing that might help is just throw a blanket or towel around most of the tank. That will at least make a little micro climate around your tank and provide some small bit of insulation. In addition sit the aquarium on something insulative. Styrofoam, cardboard, anything other than the concrete floor.

 

[ckmn101]

You could even put the insulation on the sides/back and really even the front