Biotherm Aquamedic temp controller

banditpowdercoat · #1 08-30-2008, 04:58 AM

Well, have had this temp controller since Feb. Seems to be fine. Had a storm today, powder bumped a couple times. Im out working around house. Pumps stay on, so not worried. About 3 hrs later I go look at the tank. All Polyps are withdrawn, They usually out in full froce feeding at this time. Open sump cabinet, the Biotherm is saying 91.9F and a temp setting of 197 Heater is ON. Unplug controller, lighjts,. get some fans on sump/tank, and turn AC on in house. Check with my TDS/temp probe, yup, 90+F Ohh I Hope my critters will be ok. I know temp swing to fast is bad, but now 2 temp swings? Up and down???

LeeR · #2 08-30-2008, 05:49 AM

that thing is junk... mine did the same thing worked fine till a power outage then it broke.. if you got it from oceanaquatics they will take it back... well they did for me.

banditpowdercoat · #3 08-30-2008, 05:52 AM

Ya, from OA, this is the 2nd one acctually. 1st one was totally screwed. its reading right now, and I am to far away to take it back LOL. Need to get something better first. Then I'll find a use for it LOL

LeeR · #4 08-30-2008, 03:48 PM

just save up and buy a full controler its well worth it no matter the size of the tank.

banditpowdercoat · #5 08-30-2008, 05:20 PM

You meaning like a Profilux? Ive been dreaming about one, but have to get back to work first before I could afford one

whatcaneyedo · #6 08-30-2008, 05:38 PM

I've has a similar experiance with my AM biotherm controller and the heaters. Twice I've sent a 500W heater back to AM and once I had to send back the controller. In every case they replaced the units for me but I still had to pay the shipping and wait 3+ weeks.

I want to find a canadain distributer for ranco temperature controllers but I havent seen one yet. I'll either order a bunch of them from the USA so that hopefully I can get a bit of a quantity discount and then sell them around here. Or I'll just keep saving my pennies for a system controller like those profilux...

LeeR · #7 08-31-2008, 12:31 AM

they arnt even worth it.. just save up and buy a controler... there more accurate.. and you dont have to bother replacing them...

chevyjaxon · #8 08-31-2008, 02:31 AM

buy a chiller they even better than a controller well mine is atleast if the temp drops the chiller turns the heater on if it get too hot the chiller cools it down

Silence · #9 09-05-2008, 06:29 AM

I just got the Finnex controler and 500w element seems to work great. Has auto shut off if it gets to high or if the element is exposed to air. and has an alarm if the temp get to low or high past the alarm set points and shuts off if to high. any one elce have experiance with this?

whatcaneyedo · #10 09-05-2008, 06:47 AM

The Reef Keeper 2 from Digital Aquatics is $257 on bulkreefsupply.com and will handle heaters, chiller/fan and about a dozen other things. Has anyone seen any reviews for these? Sounds like a great deal to me if it works well.