The LAST big upgrade

michika · #1 01-15-2010, 02:47 PM

The tank we purchased is a 50g and it set us back just shy of $650. Part of the reason we did this now is that Kevin was told by a plumber friend at work that soon you will only be able to buy high efficiency ones, just like furnaces.

Originally we wanted a 40g tank, as our existing one is only 30g. However all the 30s and 40s were sold out. We picked up the last 50g in stock.

es355lucille · #2 01-15-2010, 04:00 PM

Catherine, Nice setup you have going! I am going to tag along on your build as we are thinking about one in our basement similar to yours. I am not sure of your configuration: are you placing a wall along the aquarium front ? using the aquarium front as part of a wall?

Brad

michika · #3 01-15-2010, 04:04 PM

You're right Brad!

We're using the front, and right sides as viewing panes. Everything else will be framed into a wall.

Delphinus · #4 01-15-2010, 04:50 PM

Just so you feel better, you'll be happier with the 50g. At my old house I replaced a 15 year old but leaking hot water tank, and went with a 40g since that seemed to be the most common size. Turns out the old one was a 50g, and while I thought that "newer will be better anyhow, since the old one will be all encrusted and stuff inside, it's not really 50g any more" .. and it turns out that whatever working volume it DID have, it was still more than 40g and it turns out that 40g was just slightly under whatever volume the bathtubs were (ie., the water turned ice cold before done filling). It sucked. So my own word of advice for when replacing hot water tanks is go bigger than what you think you need. At the time they had just started introducing the "on demand" style heaters (ie. without a tank) but man the price difference was huge, like 3 or 4 times as expensive. Which was too bad, they do sound sort of neat.

Eb0la11 · #5 01-27-2010, 10:58 PM

How'd that cement cure? Everything nice and level?

JDigital · #6 01-27-2010, 11:05 PM

Kinda funny that the old HWT has no warning labels really, and the new one is covered in all sorts of warning labels.

And rightly so, if you happen to be a Mythbuster!!

michika · #7 01-30-2010, 02:57 PM

It cured really well. We moved the stand back over the spot and I'm using some old cardboard today to build at tank mock-up to allow us to do some further planning on return's etc. I have the boxes, although I still need to figure out where I placed the 6 pack of duct tape I bought last week.

The hot water tank is awesome! I can have an hour long shower and still have warm water when I get out. I cracked up at the Mythbuster reference. Good times watching that show.