temp..

[Oceanicsublimat]

My temp is staying at around 83F.. I have the heater unplugged. The lights are keeping the tank heated.. what temp is too high? I'm just cycling right now so it doesn't really matter I guess...but I'd like to know what to do for heat distribution.. I have a digital thermometer and the sensor is suctioned to the side of the tank that the lights are hottest.. so maybe I'm getting false readings?? any advice on temp control?

 

[havefun]

That may be a little high, I think most here recommend 78-82. If you have a glass top you could replace it with egg crate. I have a glass top and my temp was staying around 82, just by keeping the pieces that open, open all the time, my temp now stays around 79 - 80.
You can also place a fan so that it blows accros the top of the water.

As for unplugging the heater, I probably wouldn't do that. Just set it to the desired temp and it will kick in when needed.

 

[electrikat]

What kind of lights, how long are they one, and do you have glass tops or a canopy?

 

[Ximat]

Oceanic, I had a post earlier this week with the same question.

You may be getting some false readings with your sensor in that location, however here is what I did to solve my problem.

I removed the glass tops to help with the heat being trapped in.

I also put a fan blowing across the water. It dramaticly increased my evaporation.

I also put a fan to blow behind my tank to help circulate air arround the tank.

Check your powerheads to make sure they aren't getting warm and possibly malfunctioning.

 

[Ximat]

BTW: after doing all that I said, my temp went from 85 to 78.6MAX

 

[Oceanicsublimat]

I'm not gonna remove my glass top.. too much salt creep and fish may leap out.. I will try the fans.. what's up with the egg crate? How does that work? I may even try getting some kind of stand to put my lights on..I have the coralife PCF hood with moonglow leds.. those puppies put out some heat.. I have it sitting right on top of the glass... the sides of it are actually sitting on the side of the aquarium..I think that is how the heat is being dispersed..

 

[Oceanicsublimat]

so I need my tank at about 80 during the day? and not below 78 at night?

 

[Ximat]

That's a pic of what egg crate looks like. replace your glass tops with that. Makes it hard for your fish to jump out, but improves your circulation and heat exchange.

As for the salt creep, mine was worse with the glass tops on than it is now without the tops.

 

[Oceanicsublimat]

Ok.. thanks.. maybe I'll try that..u think they have it at the lfs?

 

[Ximat]

I honestly have never seen the stuff for sale. No idea where to pick it up.

 

[yanek]

I honestly have never seen the stuff for sale. No idea where to pick it up.

Home Depot
Lowes
etc.

Right next to ceiling tiles usually. There's both plain white and silver. Dunno how safe the silver stuff is to use around salt though. I hang it around my RO system to keep the cat away from those nice soft chewy airline tubes.

-Yanek.