Best Chamber for Heater?

RedPhotog · Jan 12, 2020

Greetings! I have a Waterbox 40 gallon AIO. I have only had it for 4 months, it is my first AIO tank, and I never had a tank with a sump. I am finding that the temperature in my display is almost a full degree lower than the temperature in the back chamber where my heater is. In fact, the 150w Neo therm I have for the tank is running a little cooler than the set temperature. To get the tank at a stable 78-79 degrees I have it set at 80, its the first time Ive set an aquarium heater to 80, I have always gone with 78. Neo therm says the 150w is good for tanks up to 40g, my total water volume is probably around 32-33 with the sand and aquascape.

Is this normal for AIOs? The chambers and the water being distributed is probably making the temp inconsistent? I had a Neo Therm in my last HOB system and it kept the tank at a rock solid 78 degrees. I am also curious if I have the heater in the correct chamber. There are 5 chambers, the 2 side chambers I have InTank filter floss holders where the returns are, the 2nd one from the left is where I have the heater, middle chamber is the return pump, next chamber over I have carbon, and then its the side filter floss chamber.

Should the heater be in the return pump chamber? i guess that would make the most sense, its where the most circulation is. I dont want my heater to run dry though. Waterbox says the chamber I have the heater in is the heater chamber, but of course you can do whatever you want. What does R2R think?!

Crabs McJones · Jan 12, 2020

I have mine in the return pump chamber. And my temperature probe is in the filter sock chamber which is the first chamber in the sump. The temp of the sump isnt as crucial as the display where 99.9% of your stock is kept. I would put your heater in the return pump chamber

however keep in mind how your heater is oriented. If your return chamber level gets low due to an empty top off reservoir, or a clog in the intake you dont want the heater out of water getting hot. Mine lays flat in the bottom so no matter what its submerged.

Flippers4pups · Jan 12, 2020

RedPhotog said:
Greetings! I have a Waterbox 40 gallon AIO. I have only had it for 4 months, it is my first AIO tank, and I never had a tank with a sump. I am finding that the temperature in my display is almost a full degree lower than the temperature in the back chamber where my heater is. In fact, the 150w Neo therm I have for the tank is running a little cooler than the set temperature. To get the tank at a stable 78-79 degrees I have it set at 80, its the first time Ive set an aquarium heater to 80, I have always gone with 78. Neo therm says the 150w is good for tanks up to 40g, my total water volume is probably around 32-33 with the sand and aquascape.

Is this normal for AIOs? The chambers and the water being distributed is probably making the temp inconsistent? I had a Neo Therm in my last HOB system and it kept the tank at a rock solid 78 degrees. I am also curious if I have the heater in the correct chamber. There are 5 chambers, the 2 side chambers I have InTank filter floss holders where the returns are, the 2nd one from the left is where I have the heater, middle chamber is the return pump, next chamber over I have carbon, and then its the side filter floss chamber.

Should the heater be in the return pump chamber? i guess that would make the most sense, its where the most circulation is. I dont want my heater to run dry though. Waterbox says the chamber I have the heater in is the heater chamber, but of course you can do whatever you want. What does R2R think?!

In the return chamber would make sense. Setting the thermostat a little higher to achieve proper temperature is common.

RedPhotog · Jan 12, 2020

Crabs McJones said:
I have mine in the return pump chamber. And my temperature probe is in the filter sock chamber which is the first chamber in the sump. The temp of the sump isnt as crucial as the display where 99.9% of your stock is kept. I would put your heater in the return pump chamber however keep in mind how your heater is oriented. If your return chamber level gets low due to an empty top off reservoir, or a clog in the intake you dont want the heater out of water getting hot. Mine lays flat in the bottom so no matter what its submerged.

My return pump chamber doesnt allow me to lay my heater flat horizontally. The heater I am using is 10 inches tall, It might be able to fit, but I am not sure how the water levels would be after adjusting it to top off the heater when the power goes out or during feed mode. Could overflow. The middle chambers have a constant height regardless. Perhaps if I run 2 smaller heaters in the 2 middle chambers? A 150w neotherm and a mighty jet will not fit in my return pump chamber.

ca1ore · Jan 12, 2020

Doesn’t really matter as long as there’s adequate through water movement. Personally I avoid the return chamber for heaters just in case the ATO were to fail and the water level drop.