[ckreef]

Then summer started. Tank hit 86 degrees one day and 85 the other two days before I was able to get some new fans on there. Now it is about 79-80 at night and 83 peak during the day.
Ryan

I imagine some of the problems can be attributed to the increase in temp. Initially the extreme 86 degrees. That is the reported temp where serious health issues start to occur.

My other thought on temp is the fluctuation --- 79 night to 83 day is 4 degrees. IMO way to much. I strive for only a 1 degree flucuation. If the tank reaches 83 degrees in the day why not set your heater at 82 then you would only have a 1 degree flucuation.

I sort of have the same problem --- so what I did is this --- I got the day temp down to 81 and set the heater for 82. Now the heater does the work and I only flucuate by 1 degree which is what the heater flucuates because of where I have the probe and the core placed in relation to each other.

Charles

 

[ckreef]

Charles,

So you haven't found a delta in temperature related to the MH's you use? IE The MH's will always heat it up the water 4 degrees from where you start?

I've been thinking about making this change but was always under the assumption that if I started at 81 I'll end up at 85. or If I start at 80 I'll end up at 84.

Ryan

I think that depends on the setup of your canopy and the amount of cooling fans and ventilation in your canopy setup.

I just figured out what the day temp got to then set the heater for I degree more in order to keep the temp stable.

I have always used this method (heater to do the work) in order to maintain a stable temp. Maybe this weekend when your home and can monitor it run a few tests and see what you can come up w/ for the least temp flucuation even if it means a slightly higgher temp.