Heat Gradually Rising

[jimmyringo]

I've had my present heater(with thermostat)in my tank for a couple of years now.Its set to 22 but the water temperature has always tended to be around 25,I've noticed in the last couple of days that the temperature has risen to a constant 27.The heater is not continuously on.I wonder is it time to get a new heater.(If so ,any recommendations)
Also i've noticed my Serpaes and Gourami are at the top of the tank almost all the time in the last few days.Would this be connected?My other fish are behaving normally.
Thanks.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

the hotter the water gets the less oxygen it holds, so fish gasping at the top can definately be a sign of water too warm, just as a word of caution there are a number of other problems which can make a fish gasp so dont assume it, but i think it is a likely cause for you.

one of the most common problems for heaters when they break is they get stuck in the 'on' position and obviously gradually boil your fish, i would do a test. Turn the heater off at the plug and leave it 10 minutes or so to make sure it has cooled down, heat up some water in the kettle or saucepan, don't make it properly boiling but clearly too warm for fish, set the heater to it's lowest setting, put it into this hot water and plug it in, if it turns on even in those conditions then it's clearly broken.

i find with heathers they're all pretty alike tbh.

 

[rabbut]

Well, a sign of a by-metalic strip-type heater about to fail, is that the thermostat becomes less accurate, caursing temperature fluctuations. Before this the heater will often start holding unusual temperatures, but constantly.

I assume the thermostat dial has not been touched, or knocked accidentally in any way?

If the thromostat is set the same as before I would get it replaced as it could be about to go. As Miss Wiggle says, a by-metalic strip type heater will usualy fail on. Electronic heaters though won't fluctuate before failure, they should in theory simply cut-out in the off position.

I'd presonally go electroinic style now, if they are available to you. Fluval Tronics are good for an internal heater, and Hydors if you have an exturnal filter to hood an exturnal heater up to. For internal heaters though where electronic ones aren't available, get a Visitherm. They are tried and tested. I know many running them still after 15 years in the hobby, and even one bloke running one thats 30 years old and still going strong. Now thats what I call a good service life, compaired to the Superfish ones for example that last on adverage 2 months with me

As a rule, you get what you pay for...

HTH
Rabbut

 

[jimmyringo]

If i turned the heater off,how long would it take to cool to a dangerous level.I'll be home about 1:30 and was going to turn it off,and then turn it on when i'm back at 5,just to cool the water.Would that be ok,or would it cool too much.I might be able to get a new one at teatime,but my only option is Pets At Home so it depends what they stock.Or i can get a Hydor online delivered in a couple of days(they don't have to go in the filter,right?)Hmmm...decisions.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

it's gonna depend on a lot of outside factors tbh, how warm the room is, how much air circulation there is around the tank, larger tanks will take longer to cool etc

not really possible to give any accurate picture of how long it would take to cool, personally i wouldn't be concerned for around 2/3 hrs, any more than that i might get a bit twitchy about it!!!

 

[rabbut]

Leave the heater off. With tempreature, like pH, it is more important that it is stable, than it is in the correct range. A new heater would be best IMO. They will be fine without heating, assuming it's a warm room, for upto a week IME, as a few months ago, I was suffereing frequent failures due to a brand mentioned above....

PaH round my way stock Visitherms, but no other decent makes IMO. Might be best to get a Hydor deliverd online if you can't one from them. A replacement heater needs to be bought ASAP realy. The longer the fish are without heating, the more risk there is of problems with disease.

HTH
Rabbut

 

[Syphoniera]

I've had my present heater(with thermostat)in my tank for a couple of years now.Its set to 22 but the water temperature has always tended to be around 25,I've noticed in the last couple of days that the temperature has risen to a constant 27.The heater is not continuously on.I wonder is it time to get a new heater.(If so ,any recommendations)
Also i've noticed my Serpaes and Gourami are at the top of the tank almost all the time in the last few days.Would this be connected?My other fish are behaving normally.
Thanks.

Hi, jimmyringo,
pardon me if I'm an idiot, but according to my thermometers, 22C is about 70F - and while I don't have Gourami or Serpae Tetra, if my temps fell to 70F my tetras and bettas would be at the top of their tanks screaming for hoodies or a nice, woolly sweater - or at the bottom away from the ice layer.
25C would be mid-70'sF, probably the house temperature, I suspect.
I think 27C works out to about 78F, which ought to be just about perfect, I should think.
Maybe your fish are up top saying thanks for the warm?
Also, what's the temp in your house?
If it's a bit warmer than the heater setting in your tank, the water will gradually rise to match it.
Are your fish actually gasping at the top, or merely swimming higher, becoming more active?
If the latter, they could be reverting to a more natural behaviour with a warmer temp, as they may naturally tend to be more top level fish, although as I say, I don't have either type.
Or they could be ill from being too cool too long.
We'll hope not.
Don't get a new heater - check the recommended temperature for your fish, ensure that the accurate temperature is set on the heater and if it's more than a couple of degrees F off, do it gradually, and watch to ensure it's even.
If I'm right, (doesn't happen often) you may find that your tropical fish seem like new fish at a more agreeable and healthy temperature.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

he's not saying the temp is usually 22, just that the heater is set to that which produces a real reading of 25. heater temp settings are notoriously dodgy so you just monitor by the thermometer and set the heater to wherever it needs to be to maintain the temp you want. he's saying his heather has been producing a steady 25 for some time but has started to rise up to 27 and is not switching off. sounds a lot like heater stuck in the 'on' position to me tbh.

 

[jimmyringo]

he's not saying the temp is usually 22, just that the heater is set to that which produces a real reading of 25. heater temp settings are notoriously dodgy so you just monitor by the thermometer and set the heater to wherever it needs to be to maintain the temp you want. he's saying his heather has been producing a steady 25 for some time but has started to rise up to 27 and is not switching off. sounds a lot like heater stuck in the 'on' position to me tbh.

Thanks for that Miss Wiggle.Exactly what i was about to say

[
I think 27C works out to about 78F,

BTW 27C is closer to 81F.

 

[Syphoniera]

he's not saying the temp is usually 22, just that the heater is set to that which produces a real reading of 25. heater temp settings are notoriously dodgy so you just monitor by the thermometer and set the heater to wherever it needs to be to maintain the temp you want. he's saying his heather has been producing a steady 25 for some time but has started to rise up to 27 and is not switching off. sounds a lot like heater stuck in the 'on' position to me tbh.

Thanks for that Miss Wiggle.Exactly what i was about to say

[
I think 27C works out to about 78F,

BTW 27C is closer to 81F.

May I say "Ooops?" Lucky I asked for advance pardon if I'm an idiot - it frequently occurs.
Not much up on metric, just going by what my thermometers appeared to show, as it appeared rather cool to me.
And from my evidently mistaken understanding, it appeared that 70F was being aimed for...
And, I was evidently looking at the wrong line for 30C.
I'll just say 'Ooops again and retreat blushing furiously.
That'll teach me to stay up all night... again...

 

[jimmyringo]

Right,I've ordered a Hydor Theo (200w) from Ebay.It could take from 4 to 7 days to arrive,so what should i do in the meantime.Keep the heater off ? I don't want it to overheat,having said that ,it hasn't gone above 27C.Or maybe put it on at its lowest setting and see what temp it goes to?Not sure.

 

[rabbut]

I would personally just leave it off Constant swings of temperature will be more stressful than a constant one that is too low

 

[Miss Wiggle]

mmmm turn it off but monitor closely and then if it gets a bit cool put the heater on for an hour or so to warm things up, rabbut is right that steady is better, but if it gets too low then it's gonna be better to warm it back up a bit.

 

[jimmyringo]

I turned it off yesterday lunchtime.It dropped to about 25C by the evening,and at 7 this morning it was still at 23/24ish.The temp in my house isn't even that high !!