Tank temps

[outtafocus]

I seem to be having temperature issues with my tank.

When my lights are on, my temp sits around 79.5. The problem is when the lights go off, my temp fluctuates.
I check my temp when I first wake up, somedays the tank temp is at my usual 79.5(ish) but other days I will see the the temp down around 78.5, I find that when my temp is down low my heater is not on. I have also seen temps in the 80.4's up to 81, but my heater is on. The room temp stays farely stable and the tank is well away from any drafts or source of heat. These readings are all with no lights on.

I believe my heater is staying on to long but also not kicking in early enough.
Heater is an Ebo-Jager 150w mounted on an angle in my sump.
All of my pumps and powerheads and running all the time so its not as if a timed PH is adding heat.

Has anyone else experienced odd ball temps like this? Or found Ebo's to kick on and off at weird temps?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.
What

[jws444]

I don't think a degree or two does much harm. It fluctuates a little like that in nature too. It could be that you're catching the heater at the wrong times. All heaters have a little slack to prevent it being 'too accurate'. If it didn't have this slack, heaters would be turning on and off every minute. Same thing for thermostats for home heating.

[outtafocus]

I have always been under the impression that any fluctuation was bad, but I guess that if I was using a mercury thermometer I doubt I would even notice the fluctuation. I am using the Coralife digi thermometer.
I will continue to keep an eye on ethe temps.
Thanks

[TheReefGeek]

You could use a controller, but not worth it IMO. You could also try a second heater, that would stabalize it a bit.

[rickjames]

My heaters do the same thing, fluctuate a bit, stay on late and go off early. I go from about 78.5 to 80.5 right now. Your temperature range is fine though, in fact IMO I think it is perfect.

[Willow]

stable tank temps are important, a controller is a good way to help keep a heater do what it should. you can get a ranco controller for pretty cheap.

http://www.automatedaquariums.com/ranco.htm

[outtafocus]

How stable is stable?
What is an allowable range?
I really dont see my self spending $100 for a controller unless my temps are really out of whack.

[dockrat]

IMO A temp controller is the second most important piece of equptment for your aquarium. there a little pricey... But last year i went away for three days to come back to find my tank at 89F:eek: one of my under powerd heaters (ebo) had stuck on all i was left with was 1600.00 of Reef Soup. The $$$ i could Have spent on the controller could have saved me $1600.00
its almost sicking... Oh well live and learn PLEASE LEARN FROM ME BUY A TEMP CONTROLLER.
kris

[Beermaster]

We dont even run a heater in the 180gal, when lights are on the Temps are around 82-83, lights out the temps are 78-79 just like in real life

[TheReefGeek]

You must be running a lot of (or large) submerisble pumps then?

[DanG]

You must be running a lot of (or large) submerisble pumps then?


or big lights.

[TheReefGeek]

I meant for when the lights go out at night.

I guess it COULD be huge lighting for a 24hr fuge.

[digital-audiophile]

I'm usually at 78.5 lights off and 79.5 lights on. Ive seen my heater off in the dark and on in the light.. doesn't make much sense eh? I should look into a controller for safety sake.

[KrazyKuch]

If you don;t want to spend alot of money on a controller you can do what some of us do and have 2 smaller heaters instead of one big one!!That way if one ever sticks on then you won;t end up with reef soup!

[deep6er]

what kind of thernometer are you using?? If it is one that you stick to the outside of your tank... NO GOOD If you are using digital make sure its a good one.

[dockrat]

LOL Reef Soup looks and smells worse than u'd think

If your going to run 2 under sized heaters they better be small I had 2 100w Ebo heaters in my 50g + 20sh sump one of the heaters stuck on and with the lights it fryed my tank. If u dont want to spend the $150 on a controller you could put your heaters on a timmer so that the heaters turn on and off every 15 min. thats what i do on my frag tank 20g at home it works good with very little temp swings.
this is just my rambling i don't mean to flame the thread ...its just a real bummer to come home to a fryed tank (i hope this never happens to anyone)

[Chad]

some fluctuations in temp are normal in nature, as well as salinity. I think if you let your tank be too steady in temp/sal, when/if something does happen they are just way to sensitive. My tank temps and salinity varies quite a bit and everyone is always happy as can be (SPS, LPS, Zoa's and Anenome). Of course, I am not talking about when a heater gets stuck on and it jumps 10 degree's. Oxygen diffusion is another matter all together when it comes to temps.

Perfect stabilty is not always where it is at, you do want some movements but not wild fluctuations.
Some fantastic data can be viewed here

http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/GTSPP/gtspp-home.html

and

http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/dsdt/oisst/index.html

BTW, you can get that RANCO controller much cheaper. You do have to wire it on your own, but for most people it should not be an issue to do. Here is a good link to a supplier who will ship to Canada.

http://www.allthermal.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=ETC211000&Category_Code

[Willow]

im actually going to be selling my ranco controller soon when i upgrade to a computer controller.

[StirCrazy]

a temp controler is a good idea but they are useless unless you have a chiller also. also event a ronco has a dead band so you will still get a 1 or 2 degree swing. a couple degrees is fine, mine at onepoint used to swing about 6 degrees and I never had an issue.. now with a chiller and a heater I only get about a 1 degree swing.

[TheReefGeek]

Why is it useless without a chiller?

Say I have 4 heaters and hook them up to a controller, would that not help keep the temperature more constant even without a chiller?

[seashells]

Most controllers have a percentile range of accuracy. Say +/- 1%. Unless you are willing to pay megabucks for a laboratory grade controller or thermometer then allowing a 1 - 3 degree difference should be acceptable. If you are using a digital thermometer then make sure its a good one and have it calibrated or test it against a calibrated reference.

Doug

[StirCrazy]

Why is it useless without a chiller?

Say I have 4 heaters and hook them up to a controller, would that not help keep the temperature more constant even without a chiller?

just using heaters will only keep your tank from getting to cold, when the lights come on and they start heating your tank hoter than the set point on the heaters then you need a chiller to keep it cold.

for what it is worth I have never heard of anyone not being able to keep there tank warm, but rather not being able to keep it cold.. to do this you need fans (for small temp rises) or a chiller to do a real good job. befor I had my chiller the tank in the winter would move 2 or 3 degrees, in the summer about 5 or 6, and during the heat waves it would go up by about 12 or 13 degrees, with the chiller set at 79.0 and the heaters set at 78 I range between 79 and 81.

Steve

[TheReefGeek]

Any way to activate fans with a controller based on temperature?

[mr_alberta]

Any way to activate fans with a controller based on temperature?

You plug in the fan to the side of the controller that controls the chiller....

[Montana]

I have an ebo 250 and my temp changes 1-2 deg max, but one question where are you taking your temp in the tank you should be taking it from the other side of where your heater is, and closer to the bottom this should give more of an average temp.

[Gizmo]

I have 2 Ebo 250's, a coralife thermometer, 2 250w MH's during the day, Quietone 4000, and a ASM G3 Skimmer pump. At night My temp is at 79.8degrees during the day it is at 80.2 to 80.4 degrees. Nothing fancy here folks. Doesn't matter what time of year it is either. (No house AC either just incase there was to be a naysayer on that fact ;) )

[StirCrazy]

I have 2 Ebo 250's, a coralife thermometer, 2 250w MH's during the day, Quietone 4000, and a ASM G3 Skimmer pump. At night My temp is at 79.8degrees during the day it is at 80.2 to 80.4 degrees. Nothing fancy here folks. Doesn't matter what time of year it is either. (No house AC either just incase there was to be a naysayer on that fact ;) )

does your house temp change much and is it in a basement?

Steve

[Gizmo]

Our house temp fluctuates quite a bit. It is in a basement. I keep a thermometer that measures room temp as well, and during a winter day it gets up to 26-27 degrees, nighttime it drops to about 19. Most of this is caused by our house having an unobstructed view of the sun all day so It gets warmed up quickly.

[StirCrazy]

Our house temp fluctuates quite a bit. It is in a basement. I keep a thermometer that measures room temp as well, and during a winter day it gets up to 26-27 degrees, nighttime it drops to about 19. Most of this is caused by our house having an unobstructed view of the sun all day so It gets warmed up quickly.

so you are saying your basement gets up to 27 degrees in the winter?

Steve

[G1GY]

I am using the Coralife digi thermometer.


I bought the same one and found that it was a POS from the first day I put it on.

I checked against a Raytech infra-red pyrometer and the coralife digital thermometer was allways out at laest 3 degrees one way or the other. (Maybe I just got a dud?)

I wouldn't trust that thermometer IMO.

[Gizmo]

so you are saying your basement gets up to 27 degrees in the winter?

Steve

Yes, My basement does get to 27 in the winter.

[StirCrazy]

Yes, My basement does get to 27 in the winter.

wow, thats amazing. my basement in Edmonton was always cool winter or summer.

Steve