My heated temp control system is all set and in full swing. I found a great 3 gallon container (The Container Store) to hold the water…and it fits perfectly on my freezer’s shelf. Plus, it has a rubber seal around the lid, so I think I will be able to keep the water from evaporating too fast, or at all. I just may need to use sanitizer instead of water to help prevent algae and whatnot.

For the final test, my garage temp was at 45 degrees when i checked it. With the aquarium heater set to 88 degrees, the radiating heat brought the 3 gallons of water to about 78 degrees and my 5 gallon carboy (test water) up to 70 degrees.

So, I dialed my heater down to about 85, which should be perfect. I taped the cord up and its all set. My concern at this point is how it reacts if the garage gets into the 50s, or the opposite, down into the 30s. Well, I do have a temp controller for kicking on the freezer to cool, so I am hoping that kicks in properly. I will just need to make sure if the ambient temperature in the garage does change for more than a few days, that I adjust the heater so both devices aren’t competing with each other. If the ambient temperature goes lower than 45, I will have to see how it all works at that time.