00W's AIO Smorgasbord

[Rocks reef]

Not technically. The Inkbird should only work in the case of a heater malfunction. The heater should control itself so that the Inkbird isn't turning on and off.

Morning Tim <tips hat>.
I've been kind of out of the loop the past couple days. You mentioned something about an appointment being moved up. Is this for your back?

 

[CoralB]

Morning Wes !

 

[Rocks reef]

Good morning everyone!

Good morning Tom

 

[Calmwaters]

@tbrown Its my understanding that you are supposed to set your heater higher than you actually want your tank, then set the inkbird at the temp you want the tank to be which would then make the inkbird turns the heater off and on as needed. Is that not right? That's how I have set up all the inkbirds on all my freshwater tanks over the years.

 

[Rocks reef]

@tbrown Its my understanding that you are supposed to set your heater higher than you actually want your tank, then set the inkbird at the temp you want the tank to be which would then make the inkbird turns the heater off and on as needed. Is that not right? That's how I have set up all the inkbirds on all my freshwater tanks over the years.

Yes, that is how you set it up.
I do, and have done, the same. I set the heater a little higher than my parameters I enter into the Ranco controller.

 

[fishface NJ]

I use the inkbird as a fail safe.

 

[tharbin]

Not technically. The Inkbird should only work in the case of a heater malfunction. The heater should control itself so that the Inkbird isn't turning on and off.

If your heater has a built in thermostat, then you usually set it to your desired tank temp (I run mine at 78 degrees) and then plug the heater into the Inkbird and set its low two degrees below your heater setting and the high two degrees above you heater setting. That way the Inkbird is working as a safety backup for a failed heater.

I just have a titanium element in my tank run by an Inkbird so I have no safety but my heater rarely turns on as 78 degrees just happens to be right around the difference between our room temp and the induced heat in the tank from all the equipment.

 

[Nor'easter Reefer]

I think some people use the ink bird at a little higher, so the the ink bird is always calling for heat, the heater switches itself, but if the heater sticks on the ink bites can shut it off

 

[tharbin]

@tbrown Its my understanding that you are supposed to set your heater higher than you actually want your tank, then set the inkbird at the temp you want the tank to be which would then make the inkbird turns the heater off and on as needed. Is that not right? That's how I have set up all the inkbirds on all my freshwater tanks over the years.

That is the other way of doing it.

If you have a quality heater like an Eheim or Finnex, I would have the heater first and the Inkbird as backup. If your heater is off-brand, I'd do it with the Inkbird controlling the tank and the heater as the failover.

Yes, that is how you set it up.
I do, and have done, the same. I set the heater a little higher than my parameters I enter into the Ranco controller.

It really comes down to which relays you trust more. Eheims, etc. rarely fail, they just wear out but many others stick, and that can be catastrophic to your tank.

With a Ranco, I would absolutely rely on the Ranco first and always. The Inkbirds are better than most heaters but they aren't a Ranco. They fail from time to time also so make the more reliable one the main controller.

 

[CoralB]

I always thought that the inkbird was the fail safe and not to control the heaters functions . But I guess you can’t use it either way .

 

[tharbin]

I always thought that the inkbird was the fail safe and not to control the heaters functions . But I guess you can’t use it either way .

I'd say that is the most common way to use it.

They fail often enough that it really comes down to which device is perceived to be more reliable, the heater or the controller. The idea is to have the more reliable as the 'temperature controller' and the other as the 'fail-safe'.

 

[Calmwaters]

That is the other way of doing it.

If you have a quality heater like an Eheim or Finnex, I would have the heater first and the Inkbird as backup. If your heater is off-brand, I'd do it with the Inkbird controlling the tank and the heater as the failover.

It really comes down to which relays you trust more. Eheims, etc. rarely fail, they just wear out but many others stick, and that can be catastrophic to your tank.

With a Ranco, I would absolutely rely on the Ranco first and always. The Inkbirds are better than most heaters but they aren't a Ranco. They fail from time to time also so make the more reliable one the main controller.

I don't know what brand of heater mine is it came with the tank when I got it. Its orange and black and doesn't look like any of my freshwater tank heaters...

 

[Imrahilwjz]

Good morning y'all!

 

[Calmwaters]

It looks like this one...

 

[Calmwaters]

Good morning y'all!

Hi Wes

 

[CoralB]

I'd say that is the most common way to use it.

They fail often enough that it really comes down to which device is perceived to be more reliable, the heater or the controller. The idea is to have the more reliable as the 'temperature controller' and the other as the 'fail-safe'.

Tom ! , for my info which is the better unit for thermometer and fail safe unit . I personally have a inkbird and a finnex heater .

 

[CoralB]

Morning Diana !

 

[kevgib67]

Morning Kevin !

Good morning CB!

 

[That Crusso Kid]

It looks like this one...

If that is not the one you have, it looks an awful lot like a Hygger heater.

 

[Calmwaters]

That looks an awful lot like a Hygger heater.

The brand says Hitop on the picture