Fish Tank Heater Question

[Truman42]

Thinking about using a small fish tank heater immersed in my 23 litre Coopers fermenter to keep my temps at about 20C for my next brew.
I've read the posts on here but I think the jury is still out on a couple of points.

1. Is immersed in the fermenter better than sticking it in a tub full of water and sitting the fermenter into that? Id prefer to immerse it than stuff around with containers of water.
2. Do you need to circulate the wort if the heater is placed in the fermenter?
3. Where abouts in the fermenter would you place the heater? So its hanging an inch or so off the bottom???

I was going to cut the plug drill a hole in my lid and then pass the lead through a rubber grommet similar to the one the airlock uses. Then re-wire the plug on.

 

[seanokil]

Thinking about using a small fish tank heater immersed in my 23 litre Coopers fermenter to keep my temps at about 20C for my next brew.
I've read the posts on here but I think the jury is still out on a couple of points.

1. Is immersed in the fermenter better than sticking it in a tub full of water and sitting the fermenter into that? Id prefer to immerse it than stuff around with containers of water.
2. Do you need to circulate the wort if the heater is placed in the fermenter?
3. Where abouts in the fermenter would you place the heater? So its hanging an inch or so off the bottom???

I was going to cut the plug drill a hole in my lid and then pass the lead through a rubber grommet similar to the one the airlock uses. Then re-wire the plug on.

1. IMO in the fermentor is best
2. Not 100 percent sure as im fairly new to brewing aswell but i wouldnt bother
3. inch off the bottom is good as long as its fully immersed
You can buy double insulated heaters from your local home brew shop . With a cork style thigy on the cord aready around the 45 buck mark. Not too sure on using a fish tank heater. It would need to be sterilsed to the hilt. But thats my opinion .

 

[Matt Browne]

I use a heater in a tub full of water and have had great results.
I have been warned off placing it in the fermenter itself due to contamination.
Hope this helps Matt

 

[pimpsqueak]

1. IMO in the fermentor is best
2. Not 100 percent sure as im fairly new to brewing aswell but i wouldnt bother
3. inch off the bottom is good as long as its fully immersed
You can buy double insulated heaters from your local home brew shop . With a cork style thigy on the cord aready around the 45 buck mark. Not too sure on using a fish tank heater. It would need to be sterilsed to the hilt. But thats my opinion .

A brand new aquarium heater will be just as clean as any other immersible heater. They would both need to be sterilised before you put them in.

Too much of a giant pain in the arse I reckon. Why not use a heating belt or heat pad? Either of those in conjunction with a temp controller will be great for heat control and don't carry the risks of infection.

 

[thylacine]

Fermenter sitting in a 'water bath' over all seasons isn't unusual. I did it. My current temperature control practice still utilises my aquarium heater from the 'bath' days. ie as per pic attachment. A small 150L chest freezer with four X ex-fresh wort containers as fermenters and the submerged aquarium heater. "Fridgemate" temperature controller provides settings option of cooling or heating.

Cheers

 

[cdbrown]

I have mine sitting in a 2.4L berri plastic bottle. I previously had it in the fermenter until I got an infected brew which happened when the heater dropped a bit further into the brew allowing the plastic part to be slightly submerged. There must have been some bug in between the plastic top and glass around the element.

Take note whether you can fully submerge them or not as most have a water line marked on there as the electrics aren't water proof.

 

[Truman42]

I have one of these heaters in my fish tank and know that you can take the top plastic part off as that is not what seals it. This helps when you sanitize it as I imagine a lot of bugs could live under there.

I intend submerging mine completely, which is what you have to do with the proper aquarium heaters. They wont work properly if you have part of them out of the water.

I was going to go with the heat belt or heat pad but the cost plus the extra cost of the temp controller threw me off a bit compared to a $30 aquarium heater.

Where do you get the temp controllers from anyway? In case I decide to go that way.

 

[Matt Browne]

Search ebay under temperature controller.
From Hong Kong about $20 free shipping.
Cheap as chips I got one last week.
You need to wire it yourself but its pretty easy.
Search brewmate wiring diagram in the forums here!!

 

[Truman42]

Search ebay under temperature controller.
From Hong Kong about $20 free shipping.
Cheap as chips I got one last week.
You need to wire it yourself but its pretty easy.
Search brewmate wiring diagram in the forums here!!

Thanks Matt will check it out.
For the brew Im pitching tonight Im going to use a small 25watt fish tank heater. Im sure if I soak it in sanitiser for 5 mins then in freshwater to rinse, it will be bug free. Im going to cut the plug, drill a hole in the lid of my fermenter and feed the plug through a grommet then connect a new plug to it.
I know the thermostats on these aren't 100% accurate but the one I use in my fish tank keeps the water at a constant temperature and my tanks 200 litres.

Ill test it in a bucket first to see what sort of temperature variant the thermostat gives compared to what its set at.

 

[Truman42]

Search ebay under temperature controller.
From Hong Kong about $20 free shipping.
Cheap as chips I got one last week.
You need to wire it yourself but its pretty easy.
Search brewmate wiring diagram in the forums here!!

Which one matt or doesnt it matter?

Temp controller

Temp controller 2

 

[cdbrown]

I'd go the 1st with the 10A output rather than 5A on the 2nd. Also looks identical to the STC-1000 that alot of people use (just without the labels)

 

[fcmcg]

Thinking about using a small fish tank heater immersed in my 23 litre Coopers fermenter to keep my temps at about 20C for my next brew.
I've read the posts on here but I think the jury is still out on a couple of points.

1. Is immersed in the fermenter better than sticking it in a tub full of water and sitting the fermenter into that? Id prefer to immerse it than stuff around with containers of water.
2. Do you need to circulate the wort if the heater is placed in the fermenter?
3. Where abouts in the fermenter would you place the heater? So its hanging an inch or so off the bottom???

I was going to cut the plug drill a hole in my lid and then pass the lead through a rubber grommet similar to the one the airlock uses. Then re-wire the plug on.

To some of the other guys that posted...i know your trying to help the OP , but if you don't know...an opinion won't cut it...we don't want to tip a brew beacuse its infected...
1.I used to use mine in the wort. only the glass of the body of the heater was in the fermentor.Not the whole thing.It wasn'tt designed for that.
2.No , yoy don't circulate the wort.Once its in there...leave it...only increasing your chance of an infection and bad fermentation flavours by continually circulating fermenting wort in a home brew environment.
3. See one...Hang as low as you can without submerging the top in wort.Again if its not desighned to be under water or wort..don't.Besdies , Glass is SOOO much easier to clean and sanitise
Cheers
Ferg

 

[Truman42]

1.I used to use mine in the wort. only the glass of the body of the heater was in the fermentor.Not the whole thing.It wasn'tt designed for that.

Here is where Im confused because modern aquarium heaters ARE designed to be fully submerged and thats how I have mine setup in my fish tank. So are you reffering to a different style of heater that isnt designed that way or are you just saying its better that I dont fully submerge it?

 

[cdbrown]

Just make sure it is designed to be fully submerged, and if you do make sure all the nooks and crannies are clean and had a dose of starsan.

 

[Wolfy]

... or don't put the heater in your wort and then you don't have to worry about if and how it should be submerged, cleaned, sanitized etc.
Water bath and/or enclosed fermenting chamber FTW IMHO.

 

[Dazza88]

Make sure that the heater can be fully submerged. I have good heaters, an eheim and and a fluval. Both have a water mark showing their max submerged level. Being in Qld i don't need to heat my brews but wouldn't a heat belt or pad be around the same price? I wouldn't place a heater into my brew that had previously been in a fish tank.

Maybe leave the heater in the fish tank then put the fermenter in the tank.

 

[michael_aussie]

Which one matt or doesnt it matter?

Temp controller

Temp controller 2

they both look like STC1000 units to me. .. no difference in quality.

I'm sure you can find cheaper if you look harder. Many here are buying for around $14 including postage now days.

 

[poppa joe]

Looks like next question will be ....
IS THIS BEER INFECTED....
Leave it out........
PJ

 

[Thirsty Boy]

There has been a fully immersed fish tank heater in pretty much every beer i have made in the last 5-6 years.

I put mine in so the bottom of the heater just rests on the bottom of the fermenter and its hanging upright in the wort... mostly anyway, sometimes its horizontal on the bottom.

I just put mine over the side - easy as i use gladwrap and a big rubber band rather than a lid and airlock. But i have mucked about with stoppers and sealing them in through a hole in the lid. That works too

The plastic bit at the top - take it off, stuff gets under there and presents an infection risk - with it off the heaters arent all that hard to sanitise.... Jug of sanitiser and immerse. Twiddle the temp control knob so sanitiser gets into the gaps.

The temps control on them is pretty good, not a lot of hysteresis. Pretty steady. They mit not be "accurate" and there fore yours might be set to 19 and give you a temp of 18.. But once you know its easy to make a calibration/compensation.

With a bit of camping mat as insulation and some imagination, you can ferment at ale temperatures in summer, by just putting a fish tank heater controlled fermenter inside a completely unmodified fridge. Yes, it will use a little more electricity, but then again you also dont have to run a second fridge as a keggerator/beer fridge because you fermentation fridge is still working normally, as is its freezer.

Cons: only good for temps in the 18+ range, i've never found one that controls at lower temperatures. Not much else, they work really well, or at least they do for me.

 

[Matt Browne]

I think the controllers look the same.

Good luck!!