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Retirement and forum shutdown (17 Jan 2022)

Hi,

John Howell who has managed the forum for years is getting on and wishes to retire from the role of managing it.
Over the years, he has managed the forum through good days and bad days and he has always been fair.
He has managed to bring his passion for fish keeping to the forum and keep it going for so long.

I wish to thank John for his hard work in keeping the forum going.

With John wishing to "retire" from the role of managing the forum and the forum receiving very little traffic, I think we must agree that forum has come to a natural conclusion and it's time to put it to rest.

I am proposing that the forum be made read-only from March 2022 onwards and that no new users or content be created. The website is still registered for several more years, so the content will still be accessible but no new topics or replies will be allowed.

If there is interest from the ITFS or other fish keeping clubs, we may redirect traffic to them or to a Facebook group but will not actively manage it.

I'd like to thank everyone over the years who helped with forum, posted a reply, started a new topic, ask a question and helped a newbie in fish keeping. And thank you to the sponsors who helped us along the away. Hopefully it made the hobby stronger.

I'd especially like to thank John Howell and Valerie Rousseau for all of their contributions, without them the forum would have never been has successful.

Thank you
Darragh Sherwin

Powering a fish shed.

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18 Dec 2007 20:50 #1 by Acara (Dave Walters)
I'm just out of Maplin,and while browsing,got thinking about powering a load of tanks.My next project is to set up about a dozen tanks,mostly 2ft,some a bit bigger.
Now I don't know if this would work,but I saw an electrical inverter,to run 600W off a car battery,and also a solar powered trickle charger to charge the battery.So,with my simple,untechnical mind I thought if I connected an inverter,a solar charger and a car battery could I power some equipment,eg 12 x 50W heaters = 600W.Would something like this work?(heating room NOT an option in my case).
Would a trickle charger 'keep up' with running 24hrs?Maybe a more powerful solar charger?
Anybody got any ideas on this?A few heaters and an air pump powering my sponge filters and theres no probs in the case of a powercut.

Cheers
Dave.

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18 Dec 2007 21:48 #2 by billydiscus (billydiscus)
hi dave what would this set up cost you ????

cheers

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18 Dec 2007 22:02 - 18 Dec 2007 22:03 #3 by Acara (Dave Walters)
The inverter was 62euro,the trickle charger about 15euro,don't know about a car battery.
Had a very quick look online,a trickle charger wouldnt keep up with the discharge,and there are special batteries that are better adapted to solar charging,so probably not really a viable option?
Heaters don't run constantly though,only when the thermostat kicks in.I will look into further,no harm.

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Last edit: 18 Dec 2007 22:03 by Acara (Dave Walters).

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18 Dec 2007 22:13 #4 by dclifford (Derek Clifford)
Good Idea. Might need to be something to think of in the future for general electricity usage. Carbon footprints and all that.
Have you thought about a mini wind turbine? Have seen them in B&Q. But I don't think there cheap (4000 euro +).

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18 Dec 2007 22:20 #5 by Acara (Dave Walters)
I have seen those in B&Q.Someone told me something negative about them,cant mind who or what,must've been in the pub.Plus I don't really plan on using more than 4k in electricity!!
I'm all for anything that is'clean and green' though.

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19 Dec 2007 00:18 #6 by Valerie (Valerie)
Replied by Valerie (Valerie) on topic Re:Powering a fish shed.
I don't know much about electrics, someone else might help me there, but you might want to consider a deep-cycle battery instead of the car battery.
Such an article is used in caravans and boats ; it could not deliver the juice necessary to start up a car but it much longer lasting. Of course, they are a little more expensive.

Hope this helps.
Valerie

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19 Dec 2007 00:28 #7 by Acara (Dave Walters)
Thanks Valerie.I saw on Maplins website that they have a deep cell battery specifically for solar charging.I figured standard kit wouldn't be suitable,if the theory worked,I reckoned you would need kit of a higher grade/spec than the basic cheapie stuff I saw tonight.
I don't know where I'm going to settle,so don't want to fork out thousands on expensive 'green power gear',the available grants help,but still a big outlay to save a smallish amount.
I heard,a couple of years back,an interview with an Irishman in the UK,he set up a small apartment or terraced house with 'green energy',and his leccy bill for the year was about 19pounds,but the supply board owed him 65pounds,he was producing more leccy than he could use,so it was going into the national grid!

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19 Dec 2007 00:46 #8 by Daragh_Owens (Daragh Owens)
Don't expect to be hooking up to the national grid here anytime some! There was a piece on the radio about that the other day and for whatever reason, political or economic it is virtually impossible to do here on a small scale.

Interesting theory on how to say on ESB bill, which is some close to my heart and even closer to my pocket, Be interested in anything you come up with.

Daragh

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19 Dec 2007 00:53 #9 by ChrisM (ChrisM)
Replied by ChrisM (ChrisM) on topic Re:Powering a fish shed.
I cant see it happening Dave,not with that equipment and not with solar panels (expensive and over-rated).To start your equipment will constantly sink the battery and the solar panels will have little to no back up effect.

Car batteries are constantly charging whilst \"driving\" (AFAIK).The solar panels would in theory do the same while running your tanks but they simply will not!

The battery will provide DC which the inverter will convert to AC (similar to mains) which will be then converted/conditioned to suit the heaters,pumps and filters etc etc so a lot of power is wasted or filtered out!!

It wouldn't be as green as you think?It would be highly unreliable and probably would use up a lot of your time.

If you want I can refer you to a guy who is doing research in green energy....geothermal heating and the like.Which if combined with a system similar to your own might gel together nicely,who knows you might even get a Noble Prize!!!!

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19 Dec 2007 00:56 #10 by ChrisM (ChrisM)
Replied by ChrisM (ChrisM) on topic Re:Powering a fish shed.
As opposed to Nobel!

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19 Dec 2007 00:56 #11 by Acara (Dave Walters)
Right,that settles that then,thought it would be too good to be true!

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20 Dec 2007 17:05 #12 by mickeywallace (Michael Wallace Cath Woods)
i have been considering something similar but as they say solar is not a real option here as the winter time is the big problem i would more consider the wind option or a combo system of the two and it will be soon an option to sell excess power back to the esb which would be of set against your bill.

it is something to keep in mind, the renewable energy system are getting better all the time as time goes on we will more than lightly all have to start considering this!

Mickey Wallace & Cath Woods

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20 Dec 2007 17:19 - 20 Dec 2007 17:20 #13 by apistodiscus (apistodiscus)
Replied by apistodiscus (apistodiscus) on topic Re:Powering a fish shed.
there are better solar panels on the market. You just can't get them here and there is no grant aid available to bring them in. Sure why would they. On every cent we pay to the ESB the governemt get their VAT. Great thing a state monopoly. And why on Earth would the ESB allow you to sell electricty back to the grid? Not a hope. They would make less monkey since they would sell you less electricity than you would sell them. Jobs for the boys would be at risk. Unfortunately I am not sarcastic here. You would think that the Greens in government would do domething about it but I, for one, will not hold my breath that something will happend about it anytime soon.

Get on to the Royal Navy, they are flogging off battries from old diesel submarines if you looking for high end specs in batteries
Last edit: 20 Dec 2007 17:20 by apistodiscus (apistodiscus).

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20 Dec 2007 23:33 #14 by Acara (Dave Walters)
I beleive you dont need direct sunlight as such for solar(I think they're called photoelectric cells or something).
Anyways,I'm sure what I want could be achieved,but you would need the proper kit,and the outlay for this would not justify the savings.
Would love to build an energy efficient house in the country,but dont think it will be here.

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26 Dec 2007 22:56 #15 by mickeywallace (Michael Wallace Cath Woods)
if i could ask why is heating the room out of the question?

Mickey Wallace & Cath Woods

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27 Dec 2007 00:01 #16 by Acara (Dave Walters)
Its quite alarge room,and is not a dedicated fish shed as such.It will be an outside lounge,painted and plastered,carpet,tv,etc,etc.
I will just have a few tanks and a rack of 2 and 3fts in the corner.Maybe one day.......

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27 Dec 2007 00:28 - 27 Dec 2007 00:43 #17 by mickeywallace (Michael Wallace Cath Woods)
false wall could be the answer there? some four by two, plasterboard and insulation, one heater set to temp and maybe one small compressor and some one inch poly pipe bends, stop ends, some air line and air line joiners, screws, nails and some tank sealant and sponges all that is needed. And of course elbow grease and an understanding girlfriend/wife

Mickey Wallace & Cath Woods
Last edit: 27 Dec 2007 00:43 by mickeywallace (Michael Wallace Cath Woods). Reason: adding what i forgot

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01 Jan 2008 16:49 #18 by Acara (Dave Walters)
Another advantage of individual heaters in tanks is,of course,being able to control each tanks temperature individually,a real benefit when spawning the likes of corys.I plan on getting barbatus too,which dont require a heater,so will be sticking with the heaters.

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01 Jan 2008 21:55 - 01 Jan 2008 21:57 #19 by Processor (Niall O'Leary)
If you had 12v DC heaters I reckon you could be onto something then. Dunno if they are available in 12v but if not you can always use an AC(mains type) heater thats not submersable(spelling)and have the water circulating around it or whatever houses it so you have colder water out and warmer water in.Thermostatically controlled of course.

12v DC heaters are available for making a cuppa when camping.

Alternatively... and don't laugh...OK go on then.....you could generate leccy from an exercise bike and a dynamo. A good hour of vigorous cycling should charge the battery... and look at those abs...not to mention legs like tree trunks...OK shut up Niall.

You have got me thinking so I might experiment myself.

Processor.
Last edit: 01 Jan 2008 21:57 by Processor (Niall O'Leary).

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01 Jan 2008 22:16 #20 by Acara (Dave Walters)
Me on an exercise cycle????Now that would be a sight to see!!!!
If not heaters,how about heating mats,like used for terrariums?Anybody used these for tanks?
Keep us updated if you do decide to experiment.

Dave

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02 Jan 2008 00:50 #21 by adriano210 (adrian kraszewski)
in my country solar panel are popular as a home heating system, mostly they are cover full roof and they are crazy expensive, but im affraid in ireland is not too sunny in winter:D:D:D, small solar paneel and car battery cant handle a fish tank, mayby that will be good for laptop not for fishtank

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02 Jan 2008 22:33 #22 by Acara (Dave Walters)
Yeah there are different types of panels,some dont need direct sunlight,just daylight,but like you said,very expensive,not justifying doing it for solely money saving purposes.Even taking into account the grants available.


Dave

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03 Jan 2008 17:20 #23 by Processor (Niall O'Leary)
www.instructables.com/id/Turn-an-exercis...into-an-energy-bike/

Acara wrote :\"Me on an exercise cycle????Now that would be a sight to see!!!! \"

Me neither but look at this kid.

Processor.

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