Temperature Issues...

[Abyss]

Hi,

Just set up my 1350L tank.

Have installed two new Eheim 300w heaters (rated for up to 1000L each).

But my temp won't go above 23°c.

I've had them connected for 4 days. Initially had them set at 26°c, and have increased today to 28°c.

Do I need to increase more? Or just wait? Both thermostats on the heaters go on and off as if it has reached temperature.

I am using a standard glass thermometer and a digital thermometer with probe.

Cheers.

 

[Drstrangelove]

I had to guess the dimensions, and a bunch of stuff....but....

If you are keeping your room at 60 F, and you have 10 gallons of evaporation per week, and you have an acrylic tank with no cover, that would be correct. 73 is it.

If you are keeping your room at 66 F, and you have 17 gallons of evaporation per week, and you have a glass tank with no cover and the tank is sitting over a non-solid table (e.g., a metal rack), that would also be correct.

Indeed, if you have the latter condition with a little draft around and over the tank (3 mph), then your room could be 69 F and the tank would still be only at 73 F. Air speed, like fans, vents, and open walkways to other rooms, takes a lot of tank heat. Wood is a much better insulator than glass or acrylic.


Bottom line: a lot goes into calculating how much heating you need to get for a tank to a reach a certain temperature. Insulation, evaporation, air circulation, tank size, tank dimensions, current room temperature (aka ambient temp), covers over the tank, the existence of a sump all matter.

If you want to keep the tank "as is", raise the room temperature, or reduce evaporation or circulation, and make sure you have the top and bottom of the tank covered. That should get you higher temps.

If you want to keep the tank and room, basically everything, "as is", add more heaters. 600 more watts with a tank cover should get you close to 84, in a room that is at 71.

 

[skytan13]

Something to add, position of the heaters and the circulation of water plays some part too.