Heating The Tank

[ElNino]

Hi,
I'm very new to this hobby, but have found this forum to be a great help in setting up.

I've set up my tank with sand, and i'm allowing the sand to settle in the tank before adding anything to the water or turning the filter on, but I noticed that while the heater is set to 24 degrees, the thermometer I stuck to the side of the tank seems to be reading at 28 or maybe even 29 degrees.
Which do I believe and should I be looking at getting a thermometer that goes inside the tank instead?

Thanks

 

[tom_os]

i found my stick on thermometer quite unreliable. i would recommend getting a glass one for inside the tank.

 

[ElNino]

Thanks for the fast reply.

 

[Davo86]

Thanks for the fast reply.

It may also be that the thermometer is correct and the heaters are out,

I currently have two heaters in my 125G and have 2 thermometers at each end of the tank, both of my heaters are set to 21C whereas according to both thermometers the water sits at exactly 24C, when i originally set the tank up I had the heaters at 24C but found that the water was actually sitting at 29C

 

[waterdrop]

The simple thing of taking a temperature can grow into a huge fuss on a forum like this, lets hope this thead doesn't!

At the risk of getting into it, I'll add that I agree with Tom and Davo. I'd probably ditch a flat stickon thermometer in favor of the old-fashioned liquid thermometer sealed in a glass tube and suction-cupped to the tank inside glass away from the heater. I hardly ever pay any attention to the numbers on a heater knob. They are meant simply as a rough starting point the first time you put the heater in and don't have feedback yet from your thermometer.

Its also good when you do water changes and are roughly matching your tank water to the water you will be adding back, to sort of take notice of what your tank water temperature (which is presumably at a good period with healthy fish) *feels like.* I know this sounds weird, but its not out of reason that someday you will stick your hand in the water and happen to notice that its too cold or hot and perhaps will realize that your thermometer is broken!

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Fisses]

When i bought my elito 60 kit, it had a Marina stick on thermometer thing but since thats on the outside of the glass how can it tell the temp inside?

so i went Wilko's and bought a inside stick on glass thermometer nd the difference was a good few degree!!

definately get one for the inside of your glass

 

[jimmyringo]

i have a stick on one on the outside,and a glass one inside,and they both read the same temp.......which is different to what the heater is set too

 

[indir-emir]

I use a stick on glass one on the inside like WaterDrop was saying, and it reads 25 or 26 and my heater is set to 24 so not far off.. Going to get a digital one soon just as a back up lol. Dunno how good these are though

Regards,
Indir

 

[loachman]

Both the stick-on and the in-heater thermometers are horribly inaccurate (+/- 2 degrees C would be good for them). I'd believe neither.

 

[waterdrop]

If I remember the previous theads right, you're not going to gain anything by getting that electronic one Indir.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[doresy]

Hi, one of these threads that can go on and on.

Bottom line is, the setting on the heater is just a very rough guide as many just have a +.....- and the 'stick on the outside' ones are just a freebee bit of tat given away with new tanks.

Spending a couple of quid on a glass thermometer and sticking mid way up the tank wall away from the heater and in the flow is all that is needed

Only waste your money on a digital thermometer if you feel the need to be a gizmo freak