New Heater!

ok so I set my tank up 3 weeks ago. Since it’s still very warm in Florida, I haven’t used the heater. The thermometer the tank came with always read 82 degrees. I bought a digital thermometer and have it on the opposite side of the 55 gallon tank. Heater is a Top Fin 200 watt the tank maintains 80 degrees during the day, at night it is 78 when I wake up. So I plugged in the heater and set it for 80 degrees. It comes on and off, the temperature climbs to 81.4! I back the knob down to 78 degrees, but the heater still comes on and off. I’ve now backed it down to 75 and the tank temp went down to 81. Is it normal to have to keep the temp setting on the heater lower than you actually want?

 

Just shows you that the label on the heater is not that accurate.

 

I've always had to play with my heaters and find that they won't heat to what the values on the heater say. In order to not stress your fish out with temp swings you can place the heater in a bucket of water and play with it till you get the right temp. Some heaters will only turn on every ten minutes, others will stay on till the right temp is reached. Keep an eye on if the heater is turning on or not. Once its been off for a period of time (meaning the water has reached the temp its been set to) measure the temp of the water and adjust up or down. Then repeat.

 

Oh ok thanks! I will keep an eye on it the rest off the day. I’d be scared to leave it on overnight! Now that I have it at 75 it hasn’t come on. Thermometer still at 81 degrees.

I've always had to play with my heaters and find that they won't heat to what the values on the heater say. In order to not stress your fish out with temp swings you can place the heater in a bucket of water and play with it till you get the right temp. Some heaters will only turn on every ten minutes, others will stay on till the right temp is reached. Keep an eye on if the heater is turning on or not. Once its been off for a period of time (meaning the water has reached the temp its been set to) measure the temp of the water and adjust up or down. Then repeat.

Thank you

 

I would leave it unplugged till u absolutely need it. Your room temperature seems to be keeping it plenty warm. Setting it to 75 is pointless if your saying before you added the heater the tank was still reading 78 at night. Your essentially just adding to your electric bill without it doing anything for you IMO.

 

I would leave it unplugged till u absolutely need it.

Well I wanted to maintain 80 degrees at night for my BB while the tank is cycling, although I think after today I am close to being cycled. I finally have 5 nitrates