Heating the air, rather than the water?

[Bob Hart]

I've been assisting Des with building a fish house around his pond. Firstly a large pergola, then covered all round in 25mm poly carb. Water is currently around 15 degress, it's real nice in there and has allowed Des to make many more changes/alterations to the electrics and decking in the warmth.

Only issue is condensation though.

Todat we rigged up another circuit off of the combi boiler, with a room stat and installed a radiator in the area where there are seats, to try and keep this area dry.

I was then thinking, why not put in more radiators and heat the room, with the water temperature then being controlled in this manner. Not sure how efficient it would be though, although obviously it would be a lot drier in there.

Anyone done this before and did it work? If so, how do you calculate the number of radiators required?

Danny - didnt you do this on your growing on pond?

[Gazza]

Hi Bob,

I think it would be hard to heat the pond in this way but combining both could be a good way to help reduce the condensation and possible also make it a more efficient way perhaps

Where are all the pictures

[boogatee]

isn't this the principle that the CB hot house works on? Okay they don't use radiators, but they heat the air rather than the water ...

[Bob Hart]

Where are all the pictures

Blooming useless he is, been saying to him for weeks about getting some pictures up on here. Reminded him again today, but I'm not hopeful! LOL

[Bob Hart]

isn't this the principle that the CB hot house works on? Okay they don't use radiators, but they heat the air rather than the water ...

Yes of course it is Cris. Forgotton how they heat the room though, what do they use?

[colin]

Hi Bob, some heavy reading and might make you forget all about trying to do what your doing but...... Have a lokk here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R-value_(insulation" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

All the best

Colin

PS, Sorry moderators, I hope it is OK for me to post links.....

[Bob Hart]

Had a look Colin, bit techie for me I'm afraid - sorry

[boogatee]

hot air ... from a "blower/compressor thingy" (technical name)

[GERRY5]

hi guys,i think your find at ckf that mark uses two 6ft rads run from a boiler in the tosai house and one electric in the the nissai ,you will also find that not only are the walls and ceiing completely insulated but under the floor as well , temps on the water last time i was there was a balmy 24c in winter, if your referring to the big blowy thing chris at ckf in the nissai i think youll find thats the air supply to the ponds in there some 24 ths litres from memory driving the huge filtration and pond air..i think thats about right but im sure lisa or mark will be along to to explain properly at some time..

[eds]

Unless you're incredibly well insulated or trying to heat lots of smaller bodies of water then I don't reckon it's worth doing.

A lot of tropical fish breeders heat the air in their fish houses because it saves them buying a heater for each tank (I guess part of the reason Mark and Lisa use radiators?) but if they use systemised filtration then most breeders tend to heat the water in the linked tanks as it saves heating the air too. Also the heat in those heated houses to get water to 24 degrees is stifling in some houses! I've been in some so hot I've had to go out and get some fresh air! If you've only got one or two ponds to heat then it won't save you money heating the air unless the air heater is much cheaper than the one(s) to heat the water.

[markam]

Hi Bob , i know a couple of pwoplw who tried this and it cost a fortune compared to just heating the water! when they switched back to heating through the heat exchanger there oil bill nearly halved

Mark

[Bob Hart]

Thanks for all your replies guys, very interesting subject

I guess Des is going to have to continue to heat the water, with a radiator (or two) to reduce the condensation a little