Wierd Thermometer Readings

[Durbkat]

When I first started my 55g I set the heater at 78 degrees and the thermometer gave the same reading then todayI put it in there and it said it was 76, how could the temp go down when the setting hasn't been changed. I even turned it up to 82 since the heater isn't big enough for tank and half an hour later it still read 76 so I put it in my 2.5g since I recently put heater from 20g in it when our heat went out but it read 74 when heater was set at 79 and the temp of 2.5g feels almost the same as my 55g. Is there something wrong with my thermometer or what?

 

[Erised]

Nope, seems perfectly fine to me. Heaters tend to keep the temperature around the the same, not exactly. Depending on when you check it might be warmer/colder than before. Plus the room temperature will make a difference as well. It's quite possible that the room has been warmer when you tested before and that it wasn't the heater keeping the temperature on 78.

Also, in a 55G, it's gonna take hours to get the temperature up, not just 30 mins. It's not really surprising you didn't see a difference. I wouldn't worry about it really, in the wild the tempature doesn't stay exactly 78 F all year around either. Hell, it wouldn't even keep that temperature for a day.

 

[Durbkat]

Well if the room temp was cold and was lowering the tank temp wouldn't the heater come on and heat it back up to 78? I also would have thought since a 50 watt heater is to strong for a 2.5g the tank would be in the 80's when the heater is set at 79 since yesterday.

 

[Torrean]

doesn't work that way. It will just heat the 2.5 faster. It won't heat it more unless you turn up the thermostat on the heater. I wouldn't worry about it too much but deffinitly look into buying a new heater for the 55. It might be a good idea to get another small one but the trick there is you have to make them come on and cut off at the same temp or one will burn out much faster than the other. good luck

 

[Durbkat]

Well I can't afford a new one and it seems to heat the tank good enough is 76 good enough for the fish I have and fish I'm getting? But I remember reading about how people said even on the lowest setting their heater heated the tank to 82. Maybe it wasn't one that had a thermostat in it to turn off when it reached the set temp?

 

[Torrean]

true...some don't have thermostats. They suck...

It definitly will heat your tank but it will take longer it will come on more frequently and it will run for longer periods of time...therefore it will probably wear out pretty quickly.

 

[Durbkat]

How many watts would I need for a 55g then?

 

[Torrean]

pinned topics are great. This should help. It's from the chit chat pinned topics.

http/users.bluecarrots.com/dave.mann/pet...in/tankcalc.htm

 

[Durbkat]

I think I did it wrong because was confused of the difference between depth and width is the width the length from the front to the back and is the depth the length from the bottom of tank to the top? If I did it right it said that I need 141 watts of heat, but I don't think I did it write.

 

[Torrean]

Length is across the front width is front to back depth is top to bottom.

 

[Durbkat]

It says 141 watts for the heat.

 

[tidytourniquet]

Check this link out
http/www.grizzlyrun.com/PetEDU/Selecting...Application.htm

 

[Durbkat]

Now I'm confused the site torrean provided says I need a 141 watt heater now this site says a 225 minimum. Will 25 watts really make the difference?

 

[Torrean]

Will 25 watts really make the difference?

??? 25 watts? What are ya talkin about. Sorry I'm a little confused? I don't know what the discrepency is with the wattage measurements, maybe someone more experienced can explain it. I don't think you can really have too much wattage and the more you have the quicker it will heat the tank but maybe I'm missing something.

 

[Durbkat]

Well on the site tidytourniquet provided it said 225 watt heater is the minimum but the heater I use is a 200 watt heater which is why I said would 25 watts make the difference.