Sick of my heater! Any suggestions?

[bavass]

So I have decided that I am sick of my heater on my 55g saltwater. The thermostat is set at 78 at times the temp is 76 and then at times the temp is like this morning 84. ANybody have any suggestions on a good heater and wattage for a 55g that does not fluctuate so bad. I have the Visi-Therm Stealth Submersible Heaters. I usually like these heaters but this is realling egtting on my nerves. I have tested the digital thermometer I have and its right and its new.

 

[thincat]

Your brand is a good brand. I would suggest that instead of relying on one heater that you break it down and get two heater. One on one side top (away from overflow and the other on the opposite side bottom. That way you should get a more even temp.

 

[AMDPhenomX4]

Heres a heater controller that will keep the tank temperature stable. About the price of a new heater as well.

 

[bavass]

Your brand is a good brand. I would suggest that instead of relying on one heater that you break it down and get two heater. One on one side top (away from overflow and the other on the opposite side bottom. That way you should get a more even temp.

I thought about that but I like my heater in the sump unseen. I hate to add stuff to my display tank

 

[bavass]

Heres a heater controller that will keep the tank temperature stable. About the price of a new heater as well.

So you just hook the heater into that and the thermometer in the water and it cuts the heater on and off? Is that how that works?

 

[AMDPhenomX4]

Yes, You set the heater on high, and the controller turns it on and off.
Wrong link on my first post. Heres the ready to use one. The one i posted first you had to wire up.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Agree with AMD... keep the heater, but spring for a controller. Either the Ranco linked to, or a Johnson Controls A419. The bi-metalic thermostats in the majority of these heaters are just not accurate or reliable enough once you start getting some $ invested in a tank. Using a solid-state controller that reads the temperature and decides whether or not to supply power to the heater is the most reliable way to go.

I always used to futz with my heaters - even with two of them - every now and then before I got my controller. I've never had to mess with them since.

Yup... using a controller is easy. Just put the temperature probe somewhere that is a good representation of the whole tank temperature and plug the heaters into the controller. Set the controller's high and low setpoints and you're good to go. You'll need to turn the thermostat on your heaters up so that the thermostat in them don't override the controller. But it's a good idea not to turn them up all the way... set them for something higher than normal, but not boiling. That way, if something goes wrong with the controller, your thermostats in the heaters act as a secondary safety switch to cut them off if things get to hot.