Best cheap/easy electric solar water heating for 800L indoor turtle tank (UK)
I'd like to use solar electricity to heat my large turtle tank. The volume is considerable & T needn't be constant (~20-32C is fine), heating only in daylight is ok as the thermal mass will moderate T swings. In winter, ideal water T 10-20C above ambient. If there's too little solar, heating will be provided by other means.
The tank is some distance away from potential panel location so using a liquid for heat exchange isn't possible.
I think having a very basic setup of a submerged resistive heating element directly wired to the panel should work.
If T diurnal swings are too great I can double the water volume to reduce this.
(I currently only heat the tank with a 300W submerged heater for 5 hrs every night at a low tarif. It isn't really enough in the winter).
What do you all think?