Temperature...Please help!

[princesspam]

i recently decided to set up a tropical aquarium and have fitted the filter, thermostat etc but am not sure if the thermostat is working or not.
i bought a heat reader which remains black but this may just be due to the heat not being high enough for a reading...

anyway, i was wondering if you could actually feel the heat when you touch the thermostat or not as the instructions given are terrible, as far as i can feel there is no heat being omitted from it but i wondered if this was how it should be or not?

please could someone help as i have no idea- even my books dont help!


thanks!

 

[princesspam]

can i just say that i meant heater when i called it a thermostat!!

sorry- i really am new to this and am trying my best!

pam

 

[daza]

Hi princesspam, welcome to the TFF

what heater do you have ? There should be an adjustment on it, if you turn it all the way up then you should see a light (or whatever indication your particular heater gives) come on.

Don't leave it all the way up though - turn it right down and keep watching your water temperature, turning it up as the temperature drops. It might take the course of say an evening, but will obviously depend on the size of the tank, heater and heating in your house etc etc...

I assume you mean a thermometer when you say heat reader?

Is fish keeping new to you? If so then also have a good read around this forum now you have found it. Read the pinned topics in the beginners section, especially about cycling and new tank syndrome.

good luck.

 

[princesspam]

the tank is only small- think its 30-40ltr, the heater does not have an indication light on it or anything, the water does feel warmer than i would have thought it to be if it wasnt working.

should the heater feel warm?

thanks

 

[daza]

it should if it is on. unplug it for a while and see if it feels any cooler.

I take it there is no fish in the tank yet?

Is your thermometer one of those flat, black ones that sticks on the front? If so then mine sometimes only shows black too, they are not very good IMO, so I have a proper one inside the tank. If it is one of them try pressing down on it and running your fingers up and down it a bit, it sometimes restores it.

If not then you need another thermometer really to see what is going on. After a while of fish keeping you might be able to get a vague idea by feeling the water with your hand (I'm getting there with this one!)

 

[sylvia]

If you have fish in there you wont want to turn off the heater though

This has nothing to do with your question but if you are new, as already mentioned, you realy should do some research into cycling. I reccomend you fishless cycle your tank before considering fish. A good place to start is the link in my signature. It is one of the many helpful pinned topics in the beginners forum. However, I think this gives a good over-view of the basics so is essential for you to read and understand.

Good luck and have fun