Heater not turning on

[ghostdawg]

I finally got my 20g Long up & running. I got the heater in the tank and waited 30 minutes before plugging up, per instructions. After plugging it in it hasn't turned on and it's been about 2 hours. I have it set for 75f and the inside apartment temp is 76, the AC is on. The thermometer looks like it at 72 or so degrees F.

Any ideas what may be happening?
It's a new 100w Aqueon Submersible heater.

Thanks.

 

[GlennO]

New heater? Generally they switch on when first plugged in, but will soon switch off if the water temp is above the set temp. Maybe it's not working at all, put it in a bucket of cold water to test. If it works then, that suggests that it's not calibrated accurately. Either that or your thermometer is not accurate, but that would be less likely.

 

[John58ford]

Try turning it up to 80, if it turns on let it run the tank up to temperature. After the tank has been at temperature for a coulple hours read the thermometer and make a note. It's possible that either the thermometer, or the thermostat in the heater have some offset. You can check your thermometer for accuracy with a food thermometer, I test mine against a BBQ thermometer that I calibrated with ice water and boiling water. (Don't try to ice or boil a fish tank thermometer the glass ones can literally explode from a temperature shock) If your thermometer and/or heater have some offset, just make a note of it. If the heater won't turn on even if you crank the adjustment, it may have arrived defective.

 

[ghostdawg]

John58ford I just turned it up to 80 and the light came on. It's late here and I'm exhausted from setting up the tank. I would like to stop & goto bed.
Should I turn it back to 75 and deal with it in the morning? At least I know it works.

 

[John58ford]

I mean, if you don't have fish in it i'd just leave it at 80 and start checking the thermometer and heater for the offset in the morning. If you are keeping cold water fish in there currently though, I would do the testing in a bucket or pitcher of water whenever you can get to it. Glad it's working. I feel ya on bed time.

 

[ghostdawg]

I do have fish in it and the heater was set to 75 in the old 10g tank.
I have 3 Black Skirts, 5 Ember Tetras, 4 Zebra Danios and 2 pepper cories. They all was in my 10g for roughly a year.

 

[John58ford]

I do have fish in it and the heater was set to 75 in the old 10g tank.
I have 3 Black Skirts, 5 Ember Tetras, 4 Zebra Danios and 2 pepper cories. They all was in my 10g for roughly a year.

Since your room is so warm I bet the tank is closer to the same temperature and it sounds like that's the target for you. Just try to find a known good thermometer and whenever you get time figure out the offset for the new heater and thermometer. I don't think the temperature dropping a little will hurt your fish friends tonight unless your AC can bring in an overnight snow storm.

 

[ghostdawg]

Thanks for the info. I'll work on it tomorrow...i'm going to bed and kinda wish it would snow as hot & humid it's been here in Missouri recently.