GouramiGuy

My heater is an Elite heater. I got it from someone else and I don't know the wattage. it does not have a thermostat and just a knob on the top that, with a little experimentation, found that if you turn it a light comes on and it heats the tank! I have one in both of my tanks a 20 gallon and a 10 gallon. will it work in both tanks? Will The fish be harmed when The knob vibrates on and my tank temp goes up to 90 degrees!!??

Steve113

As with most heaters, the light indicates when the heater is working.

Without knowing the exact heater you have I can not be certain but I would immagine it would work the same way as most others.

The heater will have a thermostat built in, The thermostat is set by the adjustable knob.

The knob sets the temp at which you want to keep your tank, and when the tank temp drops enough, the thermostat detects this and the heater kicks in (indicated by the light)

The heater will switch its self off once it has heated the water sufficiently and the thermostat detects that the water is warm enough.

The tank temperatuere will fluctuate ever so slightly but will be maintained by your thermostat & heater.

This cycle will continue many times each day to keep your tank temp at a near constant level.

If the heater was always on, the water would just get hotter and hotter and would eventually - if the heater was powerful enough- become too hot and harm your fish, thing of your tank like a big kettle!
- Not good.

If you think your heater is faulty then I would get it replaced - they are relatively inexpensive. I bought a new heater for my 55g recently and it cost me about £15 ($30) you will be ok with one cheaper than that.

At least with a new heater, you'll be sure of how it works and of the wattage etc...

Also - Buy a thermometer ( £2 / $4 ) to put inside your tank, place it far from your heater as this will show you most accurately the temp of your tank.

Furthermore, 90° is too hot and will most likely stress, if not harm your fish.

Hope this helps

GouramiGuy

Steve, I really do think that there is know thermostat in this heater When I have it set as low as it will go it heats the tank infinitly until I turn it off.
The temp only got to 90 degrees once when I was cycling and was trying to keep it at 80 degrees. I have thermometers in my tanks and usually catch it before it gets that high.

Escobar

Hi, I would be a little careful with the heater you have at the moment. If you have to go away and forget or any variety of reasons, you water will overheat and you will fry your fish. Also, even if you are on hand to turn your heater off, you fish will be getting stressed by the constant increasing and decreasing of temperature. The fish don't mind slight fluctuations of a degree or 2, either above or below but anything other than will definitely be straessing them out and they will be suffering. And you don't want them to suffer do you?! Definitely invest in a heater with a built in thermostat. Although do bear in mind the thermostat provides a rough guide for what the temperature it will be heating the water which is why then it is backed up by the thermometer to provide you with the exact temperaure of the water.

Steve113

yep.
I'd be looking for a new heater mate.

GouramiGuy

ok maybe it does have a thermostat I think that I originally was messing with the dial to much to notice but as an experiment I left the heater alone through the night and in the morning it was still 75 degrees..

soldieroffortune1974

I hgaven't found an aquarium heater that didn't have a thermostat,I have seen ones where the thermostat and/or sensors didn't work properly,those need to be replaced.

Once you set it,you need to wait about 12 hours to get a true reading,then adjust it accordingly.As long as it maintains 75 without further manipulation,then it should be ok. If not,I would look for another heater.

Steve113

Nice one, You should be ok then.

Keep an eye on the temp and so long as you don't get any crazy fluctuations then you'll be fine.

I did think it was odd that you insisted you didnt have a thermostat but nevermind...

So long as it is working now.