"Matt Shepherd" > wrote in message
...
> Following the good advice found on this NG, I went out and invested in an
> aquarium heater for my primary. Cheaper than running a heater in the room
> all winter. Plugging it in and getting it in there, though, necessitates
> having the lid a touch open, and I'm wondering if that should be a matter
> for concern.
>
> For some reason, the rosé I'm working on now is fermenting very slowly
(from
> kit, ten days now and the SG has dropped from 1.070 to 1.015, but not low
> enough to rack yet). My concern is obviously that the fermentation might
not
> be vigorous enough to push the oxygen out.
>
> I'm contemplating making a notch in the side of the lid for the cord so I
> can snap the lid shut and seal around the cord with poster putty or
> something. Am I worrying too much?
>
> Any innovative tips on how to use this heater in a carboy while preserving
> airlock integrity?
>
> Thanks all,
>
> Matt

Matt,

You could use the 'Son of Fermentation Chiller' to heat your must rather
than cooling it.

http://home.elp.rr.com/brewbeer/chiller/chiller.html

You'd need to modify the fan controller, and perhaps to add an on/off
controller for the aquarium heater. X-10 could possibly help you there,
depending on how handy you are with your computer.

http://www.x10.com/home/offer.cgi?!TS3,../techtoysts3.htm

(This site has a lot of flash and glitter, but if you look deeply enough and
past the X10 cameras, you can find some great X10 controllers)

Of course, you'd need to be particularly careful about heating a foamcore
box.


--
Cheers,
Ken