Tank is Hot.

[Alexx17]

I have a 32 biocube. I set it up about a week and half ago, got all the items I needed from my local fish store. The biocube is stock. I have 19 pounds of live rock and 20 pounds of live sand, with a bag of carbon and bioballs in the filter, in the first chamber there is a “accu-therm heater made in 2014” and a biocube protein skimmer. I had my heater set to 78 and the tank read 82 so I call the fish store and they says just turn the heater down until you reach 78. So I gradually turn it down everyday, and now my heater is on 65 and the water is reading 78.6. I felt the leds and it’s not hot to the touch. And the tank is in my bedroom with an ambient temp of 70-75(mostly 73) but the water shouldn’t be has hot as it is? And I’m don’t know what to do anymore? Any ideals?

 

[Thomashtom]

heater may be broke and on when it shouldnt be

 

[Alexx17]

heater may be broke and on when it shouldnt be

I ha e unplugged the heater for the night, and am going to wait and see what the temp is in the morning. If the temp is a lot lower. I was thinking about get the cobalt neo-therm heater ? It looks pretty good? I’m really new and don’t understand a lot, but I learn fast. Thank you for your help. Any ideas on a good heater?

 

[Steven91]

it could also be the thermometer is off on either your heater or your thermometer using to test your water. this may help you as well

 

[Reef of Fillory]

I could never get my biocube under 81 degrees with the hood on, it was one of my major considerations when I decided to take the hood off and use sbreef lights instead. Leaving the feeding hatch open and/or cracking open the hood with something will help bring the temps down.

 

[Alexx17]

it could also be the thermometer is off on either your heater or your thermometer using to test your water. this may help you as well

At first I was using a stick on thermometer, but now I have a Digital zoom in thermometer made by zoo med. I have watched that video and like the neo-therm.

 

[kyleinpdx]

Your pumps, your lighting, will all produce waste heat that will then be absorbed into the water column. Yes a faulty heater/thermometer could be giving you a false reading, however IMO its also entirely possible that with your ambient temps, the equipment running and the closed nature of that tank its equilibrium temp is that 78.6 your receiving.

 

[Alexx17]

I could never get my biocube under 81 degrees with the hood on, it was one of my major considerations when I decided to take the hood off and use sbreef lights instead. Leaving the feeding hatch open and/or cracking open the hood with something will help bring the temps down.

I will open the feeding hatch to help cool it down tonight. I kind of hope the heater is messed up that way I can just get a new one and it would all be good. Lol

 

[Steven91]

At first I was using a stick on thermometer, but now I have a Digital zoom in thermometer made by zoo med. I have watched that video and like the neo-therm.

When I was running my 13.5 gal fluval set up I was running the neo-therm and that was dead on accurate is was scary. Sadly couldn't get my ammonia down so got rid of it but now I have a 120

 

[Alexx17]

Is it ok for the temp to be that high if I plan to put 4 clownfish and some coral in there and a clean up crew?

 

[sfin52]

^a couple of customers at my lfs have said the same thing temp running high. It's a very tight system. The heat stayin in the water.

 

[kyleinpdx]

Is it ok for the temp to be that high if I plan to put 4 clownfish and some coral in there and a clean up crew?

I think you're going to have more problems with 4 clowns in a 32 than with your temperature, however yes I run my tank from 79-80.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

A lot of heaters are dumb. Here's why imo. Depending on whether you have , you like the guy said and turn it down till you get the correct temp.
Really. It's in the instructions.

My spendy enheim is actually the same. But it has a ring that's +- so you can calibrate it to the temp.

Dumb right?
I have a cheap controller in both of mine now. It's set for 83 on the heater (kinda+-) and the controller has a probe and is set exactly to 77

 

[Alexx17]

Should I try to put like a computer fan over the filter part of the tank? To blow air down?

 

[Alexx17]

I think you're going to have more problems with 4 clowns in a 32 than with your temperature, however yes I run my tank from 79-80.

My lfs said that was the most he would put in there and it worked out because I like four different designs

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015FKG4C...t=&hvlocphy=9061183&hvtargid=pla-326308171578

 

[Steven91]

Should I try to put like a computer fan over the filter part of the tank? To blow air down?

This should work but I would have the fan blowing up away from the tank as it should pull heat from the tank. I would also leave the feeding hatch open as that should allow some heat exchange

 

[Steven91]

As far as putting fish in, you may want to try to get your temp under control first as you don't want to boil the fish

 

[Alexx17]

I hope to have the temp under control by the end of the week. But being a full time college student and working a part time is totally handable. But.

 

[Steven91]

Take your time, as you will probably have hundreds of dollars of coral in your tank before too long. This is very much patience, every good takes time and everything bad happens quick