Heating a large area, ideas required.

[stonedavid]

Hi everyone, Just needing some general info on best and most cost effective way to heat a 8m x 4 m zinc alum shed. It has approx 30 tanks in it. Average winter temps up here are 15C at night and 25C during the day ( yes i know its heaven compared to what some of you southerners go thru lol) Have a few batches of babies and just wanting to keep them warm. Thinking of a thermostatically controlled fan heater with a small blower fan to blow hot air around?? Discus are still breeding, due to all the rain and drop in temps and none of them look like they are wanting to stop so thought i wld be prepared just in case we have a colder than expected winter. Any help wld be appreciated.
Rgds
Pete

[Proteus]

Insulate the shed, use a column oil filled heater

[Phlipper]

A lot depends on your budget as well, the best I think would be a small reverse cycle heater/cooler, that way you get chilling in the hottest part of the wet season, but we're talking $1000 here ???

I have a fish room with about 50 tanks, the whole thing is insulated on all walls and ceiling. I originally toyed with fan heaters etc but had no satisfaction from them, they use a lot of power.

I have found myself the best solution is to simply have a heater in most tanks, so long as the room is well insulated the heaters will only cut in occasionally so electricity is not much really as the water stays warm and emitts heat throughout the room. 8-)

[stonedavid]

Planning on insulating, will check out oil heaters and see how the comapre with other types of heating devices. Thxs

[FishLover]

Oil heaters are cheap to buy but cost lot to run.

If you have lots of tanks, it maybe cheaper than have many heaters in the tank. The problem is that you can not control temp in each tank.

[Phlipper]

That's true, and there will always be cold areas in a heated shed, particularly near the floor

[stonedavid]

I use to heat a shed with an old kero lamp and a large kero tin over the top but was always worried of the open flame in the kero lamp even though it was under the drum, plus combustable fuel had me worried as well. Just thought i wld ask in case someone one there had found a very effienct DIY system. Thxs for the advice and will keep pondering the situation.