Aquarium/submersible Heaters

[whitegoose]

Hi all,

I'm looking to get an aquarium heater to try to keep my ferment temps up during winter. My intention is to keep the fermenter in the bathroom sink filed with water and have the aquarium heater keep the sink water at the right temp. I guess I would possibly entertain the idea of putting the heater in the actual brew but this way seems much more sterile-safe.

So does anyone have any advice? In particular I need to know about what sort/brand/model of aquarium heater to get. I know they don't generally have a great temperature range but all I need is something where I can control the temp and keep the water at ale fermentation temperatures.

Also, I've read through some threads on here and theres a lot suggesting using an aquarium heater in conjunction with a tempmate and/or a fridge - I don't have either and would rather keep it nice and cheap.

Thanks!!

 

[Barramundi]

there are some available that are stainless steel and have a seperate controller for temperature away from the actual heating element

 

[archie82]

Here is how i have done one of my immersion heaters to fit through the lid of my fermenter and it can go straight into the wort to heat it with my tempmate.

 

[thylacine]

Hi all,

I'm looking to get an aquarium heater to try to keep my ferment temps up during winter. My intention is to keep the fermenter in the bathroom sink filed with water and have the aquarium heater keep the sink water at the right temp. I guess I would possibly entertain the idea of putting the heater in the actual brew but this way seems much more sterile-safe.

So does anyone have any advice? In particular I need to know about what sort/brand/model of aquarium heater to get. I know they don't generally have a great temperature range but all I need is something where I can control the temp and keep the water at ale fermentation temperatures.

Also, I've read through some threads on here and theres a lot suggesting using an aquarium heater in conjunction with a tempmate and/or a fridge - I don't have either and would rather keep it nice and cheap.

Thanks!!

I use a 55w "Aqua One" aquarium heater sourced from a local pet store. Its' suction cups sit on a spare floor tile which is placed on the bottom of my 'swamp bath'. The latter being a plastic storage box & lid from Magnet Mart. The lid has a cut-out to enable the lid to slip down over the fermenter and is also just large enough to allow for a t-shirt to slip over the fermenter during summer cooling. The tile is preventative in case the plastic bottom overheats. (although my heater is never on more than an hour to date) This heater model temperature range begins at 20c. Others may go lower...? I find that with about eight litres of water in the bath, the fermenter usually reads about two degrees warmer than the swamp temperature. eg. I don't let the bath water get above 16c for ales; 10c for lagers

cheers

 

[pdilley]

If doing open bath heating indoors keep an eye out for condensation buildup indoors if the room is sealed.

Also be very clean with your fermenter outside as any spills left on the threads down to the outside surfaces will be mould sites soon enough.

 

[therook]

Have a look at this thread by Bugwan some years ago

Link

Rook

 

[breadenhound]

I do all my ales with an Aqua One aquarium heater. I usually have about 2 brews going at once in my bath tub and they sit at about 19 degrees the whole time. The good thing about aquarium heaters is that they turn themselves off and on - much better than heat belts etc... I also use a small aquarium thermometer on the opposite side of the bath to monitor the temp. The only limitation of my heater is that it will only go down to 20 degrees C, it may be handy to try and find one that goes a bit lower.

 

[chris.taylor.98]

Here is how i have done one of my immersion heaters to fit through the lid of my fermenter and it can go straight into the wort to heat it with my tempmate.

+1 for these immersion heaters

I used them to great success for brewing in winter before I had a temp controlled fridge

 

[gava]

Here is how i have done one of my immersion heaters to fit through the lid of my fermenter and it can go straight into the wort to heat it with my tempmate.

+2 I also use this setup and have been for years!!! works fantastic with a tempmate and fermenting fridge...

 

[seemax]

+3
I have a 25W one, $20 online delivered, temp range 17-32C, can't recall the brand.

Suspend it through the lid with a rubber grommet and sealer. I set mine at about 21 and when i drain wort from the tap it's spot on 20C.

Perfect for ales in winter!

 

[Leigh]

hmm, now I have the brew fridge for lagers (which freed up the laundry shelf), this might be the answer to freeing up the pantry that sits at a lovely 21 degrees at this time of year...would certainly make SWMBO happy!

 

[mookiedoi]

i use the Burker fermentation heater much like archie82's picture. works fine never had any problems with fully submersible heaters

 

[cdbrown]

I picked up a aquarium heater from big W for $20. Think it was 25W but may be more. Does a good job at keep the temps up during the night. I have it set to about 24C because it's out a little. With the cold weather the brew hasn't gone over 20C.

 

[whitegoose]

I picked up a aquarium heater from big W for $20. Think it was 25W but may be more. Does a good job at keep the temps up during the night. I have it set to about 24C because it's out a little. With the cold weather the brew hasn't gone over 20C.

Thanks for all the help! I'm going to go shopping tomorrow night

 

[smollocks]

Do most people have their aquarium heaters cycling on and off to maintain temperature, or just set it and let it run continuously?

 

[Thirsty Boy]

The aquarium heaters in question have built in thermostats - quite good ones, maybe not all that "accurate" but very good at keeping a steady temperature. They are designed for tropical fish, and those buggers end up floating on the surface if the temperatures aren't very steady. This is also good for your confidence if you put them directly into the wort - tropical fish are very sensitive to leached chemicals etc and things that are aquarium grade... are the next best thing to official food grade.

Most of them are made of glass, and are capable of maintaining temperatures between 18/19 and 30/32 degrees. So you do a few calibration tests to find out what temperature a given "setting" actually gives you (mine are actually accurate as well as steady and I don't need a correction factor at all)

There is a cap over the end of the unit and in mine at least this has no purpose apart from cosmetic - I have pulled them off because they provided a nasty gap for bugs etc to hide in. Without the cap they are essentially a test tube with a silicon bung in them - easy to sanitise with a soak in an appropriate no-rinse.

So you bung them in - set to the temperature you want (or the corrected setting) and forget it... it will maintain temperature nicely.

I use the 100W units and got them off e-bay for less than $15 each.

I have searched for units with external temperature controls, and for units that go down to 10 or so degrees... but no luck in finding ones that aren't very expensive. You can get them, but they cost as much as a cheaper heater and a separate temperature controller (temp mate, PID etc etc)

If using an external controller - you turnthe actual heater up to full blast - and let the controller turn it on and off as required. This way you can use it for lager fermentations or low temperature ales.

I have used one of these in every beer I have made.... ever. And so far there have been no issues with infection no with breakdown or lack of control. There is alager in my fermentation fridge as I type, sitting perfectly on 10C with an aquarium heater and a PID doing the controlling in an unmodified fridge.

Thirsty

 

[pdilley]

That is not a stupid question if you have never used one but that is how they are built to work. When the dialed in temperature is reached the heater turns off and when the temperature drops it senses this and turns back on again.

Cheers,
Brewer Pete

 

[pdilley]

Thirsty beat me by that much

 

[charlie barito]

To people who have the temp mate. I'm not sure about how this is used by I am assuming that it is thermostat only and you need to plug it into a cooling device like a fridge or a heating device like the immersion heater or both. That way no matter what time of year it is you can achieve a constant temp.

Is this right?

 

[gava]

with the tempmate that is correct.
plug fridge/freezer into one power port and the heater in the other. (making sure you have the correct power cord)

Set your temp then your swing (i.e. set your temp at 15 and your swing at .5 when the temp hits 15.5 the fridge will turn on.. when it hits 14.5 the heater will turn on)

easy!

To people who have the temp mate. I'm not sure about how this is used by I am assuming that it is thermostat only and you need to plug it into a cooling device like a fridge or a heating device like the immersion heater or both. That way no matter what time of year it is you can achieve a constant temp.

Is this right?