Diy Stock Tank

[mwemaxxowner]

Curious if household fiberglass insulation would work better than carpet padding for insulation? (And be a bit less likely to hold mold when wet?)

I thought about that, but that stuff is absolutely worthless once it gets wet, and once it dries it's never the same again. I also don't know how I'd "hold it" to the sides without compressing it, which greatly reduces r value. I have considered blow in attic insulation, once I get finished framing it in completely and caulk in between each board so it's 100% protected from rain or splashes, but I'm pretty happy with the heat retention at this point to be honest. I think if I ever do anything it'll just be pony up and do pour in expanding foam.

We've already turned it down to 100. Lately with it warm out everyone says it's too hot at 102-104. Throughout the summer the heat will be off unless we decide some time we want a hot tub night. It'll mostly be a kiddie pool for all the young 'uns that come over. And or a lounging pool for us adults when the kids take over the big pool.

The heater doesn't have to run much these days to maintain 100 if it's 80 out.
I now have a 5 gpm tankless propane water heater plumbed to it that I use to spike the temperature up quickly if I need to, or heat it up uncovered. It does a great job, and will heat it up in no time even uncovered. Otherwise I wouldn't be able to plan to keep it around 85 or so and then "spike it for a hot tub night".

It's REALLY nice right now being able to have it 100 or so and get in on a beautiful 80 degree day while my pool is still frigid. It hasn't even passed 70 yet. My crazy daughter will get in though!

 

[Bperry]

I thought about that, but that stuff is absolutely worthless once it gets wet, and once it dries it's never the same again. I also don't know how I'd "hold it" to the sides without compressing it, which greatly reduces r value. I have considered blow in attic insulation, once I get finished framing it in completely and caulk in between each board so it's 100% protected from rain or splashes, but I'm pretty happy with the heat retention at this point to be honest. I think if I ever do anything it'll just be pony up and do pour in expanding foam.

We've already turned it down to 100. Lately with it warm out everyone says it's too hot at 102-104. Throughout the summer the heat will be off unless we decide some time we want a hot tub night. It'll mostly be a kiddie pool for all the young 'uns that come over. And or a lounging pool for us adults when the kids take over the big pool.

The heater doesn't have to run much these days to maintain 100 if it's 80 out.
I now have a 5 gpm tankless propane water heater plumbed to it that I use to spike the temperature up quickly if I need to, or heat it up uncovered. It does a great job, and will heat it up in no time even uncovered. Otherwise I wouldn't be able to plan to keep it around 85 or so and then "spike it for a hot tub night".

It's REALLY nice right now being able to have it 100 or so and get in on a beautiful 80 degree day while my pool is still frigid. It hasn't even passed 70 yet. My crazy daughter will get in though!

I know they make thin plastic sleeves to hold the fiberglass and encapsulate it. maybe something like that would work. Then you just wrap it around and tape the ends together.

 

[Andrew_D]

Up here, we can get a product called "rockwool". It is an insulation, similar to the pink fibreglass that we are all familiar with, but it is advertised as rodent proof and water proof. I can't speak to the rodent claim, but my contractor put a piece in a 5gal pail of water and then pulled it out the next day and it had absorbed no water. Felt dry and couldn't ring any water out of it.

Andrew

 

[Bperry]

Here’s the stuff I was referring to. Fiberglass encased in plastic film. Just wrap it around the tank and tape the ends where it joins up. You could add some double side adhesive tape on the inside to hold it against the tub and keep it from sagging.

R-13 ComfortTherm Poly Faced Fiberglass Insulation Roll 15 in. x 32 ft.

Johns Manville R-13 Poly Faced Fiberglass Insulation Roll 15 in. x 32 ft. B011 - The Home Depot

JM R-13 ComfortTherm fiber glass insulation is wrapped in plastic for less itch and dust during installation. This poly-encapsulated thermal and acoustical insulation has a vapor-retarder plastic facing.

www.homedepot.com

 

[mwemaxxowner]

No doubt, that would work well!

 

[Mdragger88]

Mine is 64 & my son has gotten in a couple times - he went to the hot tub pretty quick though

 

[PopcornSally]

I'll turn mine down to 103 sometimes in the summer if it gets real hot! but mostly 104. We dont even get in if its 101 or less.

That's so funny! We can't handle it if ours is over 100. Maybe it's because we live in a warm climate or maybe because we use the hot tub right before going to bed. We usually stay in for 30 minutes or we get way too hot!

 

[A.O.]

That's so funny! We can't handle it if ours is over 100. Maybe it's because we live in a warm climate or maybe because we use the hot tub right before going to bed. We usually stay in for 30 minutes or we get way too hot!

Trust me , South Carolina is a WARM climate!! If we get too hot we jump in the pool to cool off! Heck My pool gets close to that 100 degree temp sometimes!

 

[mwemaxxowner]

I can't remember if I updated with this information or not, but I added a 4.8 gallon/min tankless propane water heater for heating the hot tub up during a long soak. It works beautifully. It has a separate pump and injects the hot water into the stream of cooler water returning from the filter pump into the tub. In this way it blends with cooler water so it doesn't deposit hot water straight out of the jet.

These days we just have the hot tub set to about 95. Just slightly warmer than a warm pool, and we use it like a pool until the IGP is warm enough.

A time or two we've wanted to heat it up to hot tub temps and the tankless water heater accomplishes that quickly.

We've had one pool party. It was about 95 out but the pool is still only 80. The kids played in the pool while most of us adults enjoyed the warmer stock tank .