Just Setup My First Tank - Advice Please

[br3ach]

I have just bought and filled an Elite 95 (95 litre) tank and have a couple of questions around where I should place the filter and the heater?

The filter is currently stuck to the left hand side with a stick on thermometer stuck to the front left hand side. The heater is stuck to the back right hand side with the flow of water being pushed towards it from the filter.

Is this correct or should I have the filter and heater situated next to each other somehow?

The heater is set to 22 degrees and is switching itself on and off throughout the day. However the thermometer is reading 27 to 28 degrees and I cannot seem to get the temperature to drop to match what is set on my heater?

I want to get it all right before I start testing the water in prepareation for putting in my first fish.

Thanks,

Anthony

 

[br3ach]

Also I have attached a tube to add air to the outlet of my filter and am wondering how far below the surface of the water I should push the outlet of the filter? Should I pay any attention to the current created from the filter at all?

 

[Hiya70310]

Also I have attached a tube to add air to the outlet of my filter and am wondering how far below the surface of the water I should push the outlet of the filter? Should I pay any attention to the current created from the filter at all?

Hi and welcome,
I'm new too.
I don't know about the filter and heater and all. I have my filter and Heater right next to each otherin the back left corner. What I wanted to ask you if you knew about fishless cycling. I didn't and well I hate for you to go through a fish in cycle.
But my set up works well for me.
I keep my thermometer on the frontglass to the right just so it id easy for me to see. I have thermometer that is on a suction cup.

 

[CeeJayy]

Hello and Welcome to TFF.

If you dont have any fish in your tank yet then dont get any, many pet/fish shops will say you can get fish within a week. This isnt true. Please read http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=113861 for more information on how to properly cycle a fish tank.

Its a good idea to direct the waterflow to your heater.

CJ.

 

[br3ach]

Hi both and thanks for the replies

I have been reading up on fishless cycling and have no intention of buying any fish yet. I want to get everything in the right place within the tank first, then start fishless cycling and only then look into what fish I want.

I have a thermometer that sticks to the outside of the tank and it is reading 27 still but my heater is set to 22 but still comes on and off. Any ideas with this? Which should I believe?

Thanks for the welcome too!

 

[kingwolf]

Im my experience I wouldn't always trust your heater thermometer, there not always accurate. Mine is set at 23c but my seperate thermometer reads 26c. If your thermometer is a good quality one then I'd trust that one personally.

Mark.

 

[br3ach]

Thanks, I think I will buy one that I can stick to the inside of the tank as the one I have now is a sticker on the outside and I wouldn't trust it.

 

[waterdrop]

Thanks, I think I will buy one that I can stick to the inside of the tank as the one I have now is a sticker on the outside and I wouldn't trust it.

I think that's a good idea. I like those simple ones where they just take a traditional glass thermometer and put it inside a glass tube and put some shot weights in the bottom so it floats with the right end down and then there's a suction cup to hold it in a corner of the tank hopefully farthest away from your heat source. I'd trust the thermometer more than any markings on the heater knob.

The heater knob is just to adjust the setpoint. Most heater mechanisms know nothing about actual temperatures. But a lot of heaters have a method (if you read the instructions) whereby you can look at what temp your tank is on your thermometer and when your heater has settled down, make an adjustment to where the numbers on the knob are, relative to the pointer to the knob (ie. "calibrating" your heater numbers.)

~~waterdrop~~

 

[meguro]

I'd suggest reading the instructions for the heater. If you have a second thermometer you could also check the accuracy of your tank one. Either take the tank one out and compare readings of air temp. (be sure to use the same room, away from windows etc.) or place the second one into the tank briefly. If the second reads 22C then your other thermometer is accurate, if it doesn't you should probably buy a new one.

Also, you should place the thermometer as far from the heater as possible.

The instructions should tell you how to calibrate your heater.