Hydros Temp help

[Char.toombes]

R2R,

I just setup my new hydros Launch on my new UNS R90 this past weekend and I’m having some issues getting the temp set either way minimal fluctuation. I am running an inkbird 306t non wifi controller in series with the hydros, with a probe from hydros in my sump and the probe from the inkbird in the overflow. I have my inkbird set to 79 with a 1 degree difference.

The hydros has settings as follows in the screen shots. My issue seems to be I keep dropping a full degree within 4ish hours before heaters turn back on. How can I get that more stable to hold closer to 78.5-79? This specific inkbird only works in whole degrees, is that going to be my weak link?

 

[mcarroll]

I think you may be chasing numbers..... +/- .5ºF over an hour is fine.

I do think your assessment of the InkBird is correct...in addition, while it's intended as a measure of redundancy, it's also an extra failure point in your heating system. If your use a quality heater than has its own thermostat, then your Hydros sensor is backup enough...already an extra set of bugs and failure points vs just the heater by itself. (Hopefully with more benefits than detriments....e.g. notifications.)

 

[Char.toombes]

I think you may be chasing numbers..... +/- .5ºF over an hour is fine.

I do think your assessment of the InkBird is correct...in addition, while it's intended as a measure of redundancy, it's also an extra failure point in your heating system. If your use a quality heater than has its own thermostat, then your Hydros sensor is backup enough...already an extra set of bugs and failure points vs just the heater by itself. (Hopefully with more benefits than detriments....e.g. notifications.)

I’m currently using (2) BRS 200w titanium heaters so no controller with them. I had read that the hydros doesn’t like a lot of switching on/off so I got the inkbird to perform the bulk of the work. Hydros would effectively just be a fail safe in the event the inkbird fails overtime. I’d rather burn up a $30 inkbird than a $500 launch.

Maybe it’s a nonissue, I was just hoping for better consistency. I have a wifi inkbird that you can adjust to the .5° but I opted for the cheaper model since I have the hydros. Lol

 

[BriDroid]

I let my XP8 control my two 100W heaters. I have the thermostat on them set to about 78-80 so that if the XP8 sticks on hopefully the heaters thermostats will catch it. I bounce between 76 and 76.5, so my heaters do cycle a lot. I use the Eheim glass heaters, and so far they’re holding up good. The heaters are in the sump, so you see the sump temp moves a lot. There’s another temp probe in the tank, and it’s more gradual. Both heaters are setup the same and on different XP8 outlets.

 

[mcarroll]

I’m currently using (2) BRS 200w titanium heaters so no controller with them. I had read that the hydros doesn’t like a lot of switching on/off so I got the inkbird to perform the bulk of the work. Hydros would effectively just be a fail safe in the event the inkbird fails overtime. I’d rather burn up a $30 inkbird than a $500 launch.

I suspect that's not a real issue, but check me on this....*probably* they just don't want you to set the hysterisis margin too small on the ON/OFF settings. Too small and the heaters are going to be switching on/off almost constantly. I can see them warning about that....but I don't think they are warning about typical usage conditions. Hydros *should be* fine with regular usage. I'd imagine they would even have a default in the software for the "best" hysteresis interval.

From a quick check online, it looks like Hydrop requires a minimum 0.2ºF gap between on and off temps, that's it.

I don't know if there's a good reason to even have the gap that small.

(Do you know what the Inkbird's gap is? ...0.5ºF as stated below?

Maybe it’s a nonissue, I was just hoping for better consistency. I have a wifi inkbird that you can adjust to the .5° but I opted for the cheaper model since I have the hydros. Lol

Hm....sounds like the Inkbird is less good than the Hydros in this regard (is your Hydros an older model with 0.4ºF minimum hysterisis?)....IMO you could do without the side-contoller.

Also, 400 watts sounds like a lot of heat for a 40 gallon aquarium unless it's in a really cold space. If you do have a heater incident, the heating system is going to be able to cook your tank FAST.....won't leave time for you to react.

At least in typical circumstances (HVAC, 72ºF) I would recommend switching to a 100 watt heater with its own thermostat as the backup, and the Hydros performing regular ON/OFF duty within their guidelines, which seem good.

 

[Char.toombes]

I suspect that's not a real issue, but check me on this....*probably* they just don't want you to set the hysterisis margin too small on the ON/OFF settings. Too small and the heaters are going to be switching on/off almost constantly. I can see them warning about that....but I don't think they are warning about typical usage conditions. Hydros *should be* fine with regular usage. I'd imagine they would even have a default in the software for the "best" hysteresis interval.

From a quick check online, it looks like Hydrop requires a minimum 0.2ºF gap between on and off temps, that's it.

I don't know if there's a good reason to even have the gap that small.

(Do you know what the Inkbird's gap is? ...0.5ºF as stated below?


Hm....sounds like the Inkbird is less good than the Hydros in this regard (is your Hydros an older model with 0.4ºF minimum hysterisis?)....IMO you could do without the side-contoller.

Also, 400 watts sounds like a lot of heat for a 40 gallon aquarium unless it's in a really cold space. If you do have a heater incident, the heating system is going to be able to cook your tank FAST.....won't leave time for you to react.

At least in typical circumstances (HVAC, 72ºF) I would recommend switching to a 100 watt heater with its own thermostat as the backup, and the Hydros performing regular ON/OFF duty within their guidelines, which seem good.

Yea, maybe I can just forego the inkbird worst case and just run the hydros. This inkbird has a 1° +\- variation.

I’m only using 1 200w on my 40g. I have 2 on the R90 because it’s a water volume of about 75g, figured they could for shorter times and extend the life not running full bore often. But maybe I’ll have to consider your recommendation as well.

 

[mcarroll]

Yea, maybe I can just forego the inkbird worst case and just run the hydros. This inkbird has a 1° +\- variation.

I’m only using 1 200w on my 40g. I have 2 on the R90 because it’s a water volume of about 75g, figured they could for shorter times and extend the life not running full bore often. But maybe I’ll have to consider your recommendation as well.

Sounds like a plan.

On/off cycling is what causes the wear and tear, not just being on. It's the heating/cooling cycle that's causes most of the problems just like in incandescent lightbulbs or electronics generally.