Struggling to get tank temp to 78.

[FireUnderwater]

I’ve been cycling my Red Sea Reefer P650, and I’m almost ready for fish other than one specific issue. I can’t get my tank up to 78 degrees.
Currently I’m running dual Nicrew 300W heaters in the sump connected to an INKBIRD. INKBIRD temp is set to 79, and both heaters are set to 79. Water in the sump seems to stay at a stable 79 as well but it’s the main display I’m having issues with. The tank seems to stay at exactly 75.5-76 degrees.
Our house temp sits around 68. I did individually test both heaters and both easily held 78 degrees in a brute trash can.

I have no clue what to do to bring the temp up so any suggestions?

 

[BristleWormHater]

I’ve been cycling my Red Sea Reefer P650, and I’m almost ready for fish other than one specific issue. I can’t get my tank up to 78 degrees.
Currently I’m running dual Nicrew 300W heaters in the sump connected to an INKBIRD. INKBIRD temp is set to 79, and both heaters are set to 79. Water in the sump seems to stay at a stable 79 as well but it’s the main display I’m having issues with. The tank seems to stay at exactly 75.5-76 degrees.
Our house temp sits around 68. I did individually test both heaters and both easily held 78 degrees in a brute trash can.

I have no clue what to do to bring the temp up so any suggestions?

Using a tempature probe connected to the heaters and mounted in the the main display should fix this. That way the heaters will only turn off once the display reaches 78⁰ not the sump.

 

[FireUnderwater]

Using a tempature probe connected to the heaters and mounted in the the main display should fix this. That way the heaters will only turn off once the display reaches 78⁰ not the sump.

That’s such an easy fix, I feel dumb for not thinking about it

 

[mcarroll]

I’ve been cycling my Red Sea Reefer P650, and I’m almost ready for fish other than one specific issue. I can’t get my tank up to 78 degrees.
Currently I’m running dual Nicrew 300W heaters in the sump connected to an INKBIRD. INKBIRD temp is set to 79, and both heaters are set to 79. Water in the sump seems to stay at a stable 79 as well but it’s the main display I’m having issues with. The tank seems to stay at exactly 75.5-76 degrees.
Our house temp sits around 68. I did individually test both heaters and both easily held 78 degrees in a brute trash can.

I have no clue what to do to bring the temp up so any suggestions?

The difference is the heat dissipating from the plumbing and display tank combined with the imperfect efficiency of heating from a remote tank through the return pump.

IMO use smaller, correctly sized heaters in the display and in the sump. Then neither heater is overworked, and the display isn't dependent on the return pump for heat.

 

[BryanM]

I'm afraid to check my DT tank temp now. Only temps are sump for me, but since things in the DT appear fine, I'm going to avoid checking.

 

[me & my baby]

How many times are you turning you tank over .

 

[FireUnderwater]

How many times are you turning you tank over .

Right now my return is running around 1200-1300 GPH. So about 6.25-6.5x per hour.

 

[Tangdora]

If you are using a INKBIRD don’t set the manual adjuster on the heaters themself to target temp. Set them to max. This ways there is no chance that they turn off while the controller is on.

 

[MegabiteOG]

If you are using a INKBIRD don’t set the manual adjuster on the heaters themself to target temp. Set them to max. This ways there is no chance that they turn off while the controller is on.

Right idea, but I’d caution setting to max in case there’s a failure with the controller. One to two degrees warmer at the most for safety.

 

[me & my baby]

I have a 150 display with a 125 gallon sump with about 75 gallons of water in it .I am running 1000watt heater and it keep both the tank and sump at the same temp and that is with my house temp set between 63 and 65 degrees. You can try turning down you flow or adding another heater but there shouldn’t be that much difference between the two

 

[Mongo1.0]

I’ve been cycling my Red Sea Reefer P650, and I’m almost ready for fish other than one specific issue. I can’t get my tank up to 78 degrees.
Currently I’m running dual Nicrew 300W heaters in the sump connected to an INKBIRD. INKBIRD temp is set to 79, and both heaters are set to 79. Water in the sump seems to stay at a stable 79 as well but it’s the main display I’m having issues with. The tank seems to stay at exactly 75.5-76 degrees.
Our house temp sits around 68. I did individually test both heaters and both easily held 78 degrees in a brute trash can.

I have no clue what to do to bring the temp up so any suggestions?

I would say either raise your home temp, insulate piping/aquarium where possible or add another heater. If the heaters are working, you are losing heat quicker that you are supplying it. I have a 55gal that stays at 74, heaters are set at 78. But I can live with it cause it is an spare tank.

 

[me & my baby]

Where is your sump . If it’s right under your tank I can not see your
Plumbing causing you to lose that much heat in that short of a run . I am thinking you don’t have enough watts in heaters . Yes they could hold temp in a brute can but that is no where near the volume of water you are trying to heat . Glass is not the best insulator , not sure if you have an open or closed top . Where is your AC vent closest to the tank . There are several variables that can come into play

 

[vetteguy53081]

I’ve been cycling my Red Sea Reefer P650, and I’m almost ready for fish other than one specific issue. I can’t get my tank up to 78 degrees.
Currently I’m running dual Nicrew 300W heaters in the sump connected to an INKBIRD. INKBIRD temp is set to 79, and both heaters are set to 79. Water in the sump seems to stay at a stable 79 as well but it’s the main display I’m having issues with. The tank seems to stay at exactly 75.5-76 degrees.
Our house temp sits around 68. I did individually test both heaters and both easily held 78 degrees in a brute trash can.

I have no clue what to do to bring the temp up so any suggestions?

Assure temp probe is not next to heater and on opposite side and that thermometer is not faulty. Other would be too low of wattage

 

[Tangdora]

Right idea, but I’d caution setting to max in case there’s a failure with the controller. One to two degrees warmer at the most for safety.

True if the heater has a built in thermostat setting this way would provide so fail safe. Though I seen some cheap heaters and even good one toward the end of there life span be off more than a degree or two. Which may still produce a scenario where they don’t turn on at all when the INKBIRD is on. Max just turns it into a no thermostat option like the brs titanium’s in which better to have independent redundancies in place as back up whether it’s a shut off or temp monitor to alert in a spike.

 

[MegabiteOG]

True if the heater has a built in thermostat setting this way would provide so fail safe. Though I seen some cheap heaters and even good one toward the end of there life span be off more than a degree or two. Which may still produce a scenario where they don’t turn on at all when the INKBIRD is on. Max just turns it into a no thermostat option like the brs titanium’s in which better to have independent redundancies in place as back up whether it’s a shut off or temp monitor to alert in a spike.

You’re absolutely right. Thought about the titanium’s and the like that have no thermostat after posting. I stand corrected.

 

[Dr. D]

I have two 300w heaters linked to an INKBIRD controller linked to a Hydros system in my 100g. Both heaters and dual temp sensors are in my sump. I set both at 78 degrees. Everyone seems happy.

A couple of times, one of the temp sensors has come un-suctioned and set off the alarm, freaking out my wife. (If the dual sensors are within 5 degrees of each other the alarm triggers.) Good alert and easily fixed. Overall, happy with this setup.