Old heater was way too hot!

frankandmaura · 09-11-2006, 06:34 AM

Hi all,
I just got my digital thermometer (I had one of those stick on ones) and found out that my tank was on the warm side...needless to say the old one was not very accurate and now I have it down to a decimal place.

Anyway, when I put the thermometer in the tank, it was very warm, about 85 degrees (never read above 82 on the other one). Well...I tried to cool it down slowly, but it did not seem to be coming down. Had a fan blowing on the top to cool the surface, I was going crazy. I thought my lights were overheating my tank. Well, I unplugged my heater and wa-laa the tank dropped right down to 80. It is stabilized now at 80.5, but what kind of damage did I do to the critters in the tank? I know I fried a few snails, but everything else seems to be ok. The only thing that does not look too good now is my anenome. Hope I did not bring the temp down too quickly...your thoughts...

Frank

whatevva · 09-11-2006, 06:38 AM

Best wishes for the anenome to pull through!

Hardhead Cat · 09-11-2006, 09:12 AM

My tank got up to 84 before I bought my chiller - every thing survived, hopefully it's not going to cost you any animals! I hope every one pulls through.

HHC

Fly Guy · 09-11-2006, 09:16 AM

Th eonly time that 85 degrees is that big of a deal is if your corals were never to be above 80 or so for a long periiod of time and them all of a sudden jump to 85. It sounds as though they were used to it.

Good luck on the anemone. He should be fine but as you already noticed, it wasnt the 85 degrees that stressed him, it was the fast temp drop.

Wiskey · 09-11-2006, 10:37 AM

I agree with the above, you might want to get a new heater too, then set it so it comes on at about 79, that way if everything works right your fans will cool your water, and the heater will go on and off to keep it stable at 79. Remember, when you set a heater to 79, that doesn't mean it really will go on at 79, (those things are never right) so look for the light on the front, and use where it comes on and goes off at to calabrate it.

Whiskey

Fly Guy · 09-11-2006, 10:40 AM

http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_...ium.asp?CartId=

A reliable,durable heater as well as by far the most accurate one i have ever witnessed.

Wiskey · 09-11-2006, 10:55 AM

Hey Fly Guy, I have never read user reports as bad for anything as I have for that heater, I seriousally reccomed you get a temp controler for backup to that thing,... No joke.

I think the main complaints are bumping the knob (user error) and tank cooking (internal temp controler failure), but ATM I can't search RC to get more information for you.

Whiskey

Fly Guy · 09-11-2006, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wiskey

Hey Fly Guy, I have never read user reports as bad for anything as I have for that heater, I seriousally reccomed you get a temp controler for backup to that thing,... No joke.

I think the main complaints are bumping the knob (user error) and tank cooking (internal temp controler failure), but ATM I can't search RC to get more information for you.

Whiskey

REALLY????? LOL.

I have both the ones i use hooked up to chillers now, but i used them for about 6 months before i got the chillers and i was amazed at how accurate they were.

Regardless......thats kinda funny

What i DIDNt say below is i dont trust ANY stupid little heater enough to NOT have it on a controller of some kind ; ) Tanks cookign is all too common of a problem to risk your entire tank for. So it sounds as though my referral to buy a WON bros heater was CRAP.......haha......ha....ahem. : )

as far as the RC search function.....it works like 1 out fo 20 times for me.......im actually curious if the premium membership would actually have a positive affect on that even like it says......

frankandmaura · 09-11-2006, 11:52 AM

Got the new heater...it is a 250W

They say I should have 2 for a tank my size...why is that?

I have no fans right now...it is in my basement so it is usually pretty cool down there...aroung 70 degrees.

Fly Guy · 09-11-2006, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankandmaura

They say I should have 2 for a tank my size...why is that?

2 is for kind of a contingency plan.......becasue of how common it is for them to fail to shut off. It buys you time as 1 smaller heater cant cook your tank nearly as fast as one big one.

frankandmaura · 09-11-2006, 12:04 PM

Here is the one I got...I got the 250W Visitherm.
http://www.aquariumsystems.com/heater.htm

Was the best one the LFS had...about $35.

Wiskey · 09-11-2006, 02:41 PM

If you kept your tank in the frezer you would need 100 of them. That's why it is so hard to tell how much heat your tank needs. My tanks haven't had a heater for over a year, they always just bounce off fans, day and night.

Whiskey

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankandmaura

Got the new heater...it is a 250W

They say I should have 2 for a tank my size...why is that?

I have no fans right now...it is in my basement so it is usually pretty cool down there...aroung 70 degrees.

afbengochea · 09-11-2006, 03:16 PM

Ive never even really dealt with those heaters down here in FL but Ive heard that they are very realiable. I would be scared to use them on a system without a controller or comething like the chiller I have with a plug for one.

Loverotties · 09-11-2006, 03:32 PM

And go with one thats titanium so many old glass break or leak and can cause a fire or pollution in the tank water.

frankandmaura · 09-13-2006, 06:08 AM

Ok...So everything is looking ok as of this morning, except for my creeping Xenia.

It is all shrivled up and droopy. I have never seen it like this before. How do I know if I killed it. None of the branches are falling off or anything, yet.

Thanks,
Frank