Tropical Fish tank heater troubles?

Question

Basically, I've been having problems with my heater. I currently have a tropical set up, and whatever temperature I set the heater to, the water temperature is always at 28 degrees celsius. I have tested the heater; it isn't broken. I turn the temperature k**b on my heater to over 28 degrees celsius, and I hear the click, and then the heater warms up, to heat the water. I turn in below 28 degrees and the heater switches off. I set my heater to 24 degrees celsius, but it doesn't go to this temperature, I have tested the thermometer, it is working correctly. Can anybody explain this error, and ways that might be effecting the temperature of the water.

Many thanks, and kind regards

Andrew

Answer 1

well heaters turn on and off alot so they dont over heat

just max it out and see wat happens

Answer 2

I used to have this trouble, when i had a tropical tank, it turned out that the heater WAS working fine, it was heating the water to the correct temperature then turning off. The problem was the outside temperature, if the room is actually 28 degrees, the water will go up to that temperature, even though the heater has not turned on (it will have turned off at 24 degrees). I found when the summer was on, i had to float a plastic, bottle in the tank filled with ice, to cool the water down. Check the temperature of the room, before you do anything else. I think you will find, that is your problem.

Hope that helps.

Answer 3

Could the room be at 28C?

The other thing that would make that happen is a heater to big for the tank. They should operate plus or minus 2 degrees of the setting, but if the heater is too big it will pass that before turning off.

Answer 4

two things to check out, room temp, as its warm these last few days i had to drop the thermostat down 2Degrees as the room was so warm. second how strong is the light in the hood? it could benefit you to put a lower wattage bulb in or put it on a timer to go off in the day for an hour or two, the heat off the light can warm the water.

Answer 5

The thermostats in heaters are not "state of the art", and how long are you waiting to see if the tank cools down? A tank full of water represents a sizable "thermal mass" it won't cool down for several days. Also,what is the temperature in the room?

All that being said, it's probably a bum thermostat. That temperature is OK for most tropicals,but good luck growing plants.

Also,for the health of the fishes and the nitrfying bacteria, temperature changes should occur very gradually.