Large Tank : 2 Heaters : Heater Controller

bdare

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Hello all,

I have a 220 gallon tank. I'm currently using an inkbird ITC-306T and 2x250w Ebo Jager heaters. I bought the Inkbird to protect the relay on my GHL powerbar per the BRS recommendations. My problem is the wide variance in temperature in my tank because the smallest differential setting on the Inkbird is 1 full degree which leads to temp swings of 1.5 degrees in my tank multiple times per day.

For those of you with larger tanks and running 2 heaters how do you solve for this?
 

Hydrored

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I changed to a Ranco controller that still says it has a 1-degree swing but I find it's closer to .7, that's running 2 BRS titanium heaters. I just picked up the IM Helio 700 watt that will be here this week. I tossed out the inkbird and had nothing but problems between swings and holding calibration.
 

vetteguy53081

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250wt is a little small
I run twin 800wt in my large tank and inkbiird unit.
 
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bdare

bdare

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Get a different controller.

Ranco makes a fine unit.

My hygger controllers are rock solid @ 76.7.
Only ever noticed a .5 swing.
But theyre sold as a heater package if youre set on your eheim jagers.
I checked the Hygger website. I don't see anything big enough for 200 gallons. What model are you using?
 
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bdare

bdare

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Good call, he's 500 total I run 600W on a similar size tank to @bdare
Sooo... when I started the tank I had a single Finnex 800 watt heater. Somehow the heater FUSED to the GHL power strip. I had to replace it all which wasn't cheap :)

The jagers are so big I was afraid to go longer because they won't fit in the sump. Maybe a pair of Finnex 500W titanium would be better?

Anyone know how watts translates to tank size? Seems al the recommendations vary... How do you decide on a 2 heater setup? Should both be able to carry the full load?

For example - Finnex 500 Watt says it's rated for 70-130. The Ebo Jaeger 250 says it's rated 106-159...
 

Hydrored

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Sooo... when I started the tank I had a single Finnex 800 watt heater. Somehow the heater FUSED to the GHL power strip. I had to replace it all which wasn't cheap :)

The jagers are so big I was afraid to go longer because they won't fit in the sump. Maybe a pair of Finnex 500W titanium would be better?

Anyone know how watts translates to tank size? Seems al the recommendations vary... How do you decide on a 2 heater setup? Should both be able to carry the full load?

For example - Finnex 500 Watt says it's rated for 70-130. The Ebo Jaeger 250 says it's rated 106-159...

I just used BRS's guidelines-

Four Sizes Available:

100W - up to 40 Gallon Aquariums
200W - up to 75 Gallon Aquariums
300W - up to 100 Gallon Aquariums
600W - up to 200 Gallon Aquariums

I went with dual heaters really so they could fit the sump length wise and if one failed I had another.
 

piranhaman00

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Its the controller, you want BayIte temp controller. And of course large heaters will help with swings, but inkbirds are no good.
 

Rubberfrog

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Sooo... when I started the tank I had a single Finnex 800 watt heater. Somehow the heater FUSED to the GHL power strip. I had to replace it all which wasn't cheap :)

The jagers are so big I was afraid to go longer because they won't fit in the sump. Maybe a pair of Finnex 500W titanium would be better?

Anyone know how watts translates to tank size? Seems al the recommendations vary... How do you decide on a 2 heater setup? Should both be able to carry the full load?

For example - Finnex 500 Watt says it's rated for 70-130. The Ebo Jaeger 250 says it's rated 106-159...
That's a good question, and I don't think the answer is as simple as a chart posted somewhere. When I was in DC, I had a 150ish gallon tank on a pair of 500w heaters. Winters were cold and they ran all the time. Now I am in Arizona with a similar size tank and a single 600w heater. It's way over overkill for my tank. My tank is in the blast zone for the front door and 40-50 degree air blasts every time someone comes in at night. I will probably swap out the heater to a pair of 250s.
 

Saltyreef

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I checked the Hygger website. I don't see anything big enough for 200 gallons. What model are you using?


Heres a 500w option. Im using 2 x 200watts.
I would recommend running multiple heaters,
a 500 watt and maybe a 200 watt together should suffice.
The controllers that come with them arent too bad i havent had any issues over the last year + ive been using them.
Will replace eventually but ill see how long i can get out of them first :)
 

RobB'z Reef

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i have the same setup (on a 180 with a 70gal cap sump) and Im finding anecdotally that two 300w heaters are not quite enough to keep up as they have to run excessively long and if they struggle to keep up like they are you'll see bigger swings. During the early fall when it was warm i saw less then a degree of variation. Since the bitter cold hit the swing has jumped to almost 2 degrees in a 24 hr period and the heaters run much more often. I will be increasing the size of my heaters shortly. Just my recent observations.
 

vetteguy53081

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I checked the Hygger website. I don't see anything big enough for 200 gallons. What model are you using?
I use finnex but via-Aqua also good
 

S.Pepper

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Is it possible the heaters are too small to heat the tank back up? That's a lot of tank to heat up.

Just maybe. I have a Inkbird ITC-306A wifi controller with 2 300 watt finnex heaters on a 75 gallon dt and 25 gallon sump. It keeps my temperature within a .5 degrees. I think you heaters are too small.
 
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bdare

bdare

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Just maybe. I have a Inkbird ITC-306A wifi controller with 2 300 watt finnex heaters on a 75 gallon dt and 25 gallon sump. It keeps my temperature within a .5 degrees. I think you heaters are too small.
I just threw an 800W finnex back in the tank. Will see how the next 24 hours look. I think this could definitely be part of it as it takes a LONG time for the temp to get back to the "max" before the heaters turn off.
 
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