Temperature Fluctuations with Outside Temp

[MomSaysNo]

Hello Folks!

The primary heating source in our house is a wood stove so controlling home temperature is more like just trying to keep it between 70-75F degrees. Due to this, I find my tank fluctuates in response; between 79.4 degrees to around 81.5. The highest I have seen it get was 82.0. The fluctuations are very gradual and the fish seem to have been fine.

Do gradual fluctuations like this create a big issue, or is it acceptable since they fluctuate generally with the weather outside? There are some corals in the tank, mainly a big leather and a GSP which seem to be doing well.

Even if it is acceptable, there has to be a way to automate temperature?

I appreciate everyone's input!

 

[Tamberav]

Should not be an issue. You would want a controller perhaps with a chiller or fan and a heater to keep things under tighter control.

 

[MomSaysNo]

Should not be an issue. You would want a controller perhaps with a chiller or fan and a heater to keep things under tighter control.

Thank you! I will look into the controller. Even if it is ok, I don't like that I don't have control over that. Just adds another variable to be worried about. LOL

I do have a heater in the tank and sump, just no chiller or fan. That may be the way to go.

 

[Lyss]

I have an Inkbird with a fan in one outlet, and the heater in the other. Heater barely goes on in the summer, and fan barely goes on in the winter lol. But the temp is always steady whenever I check.

 

[Reef.]

If you have the correct size heater I can’t see your room temp being the cause, heaters generally can’t keep the temp more than within a few degrees.

You are keeping your tank on the higher side, you could try coming down to nearer 77f, that might improve the fluctuations but I don’t think you have that much as an issue to try and fix.

The saving in heating costs would be worth it alone.

 

[Lyss]

If you have the correct size heater I can’t see your room temp being the cause, heaters generally can’t keep the temp more than within a few degrees.

You are keeping your tank on the higher side, you could try coming down to nearer 77f, that might improve the fluctuations but I don’t think you have that much as an issue to try and fix.

The saving in heating costs would be worth it alone.

Sounds like it's getting very warm for him due to the wood stove -- this is what happens to me in the summer b/c of warmer temps and my apartment gets Western sun from a full wall of windows. The heater may not even be coming on when temp rises, which is what was happening for me in the summer -- it was unrelated to the heater. So I got the fan and that solved it. In fall and winter the heater comes on and keeps it at a steady 78, in summer the fan comes on to keep it steady.

 

[MomSaysNo]

If you have the correct size heater I can’t see your room temp being the cause, heaters generally can’t keep the temp more than within a few degrees.

You are keeping your tank on the higher side, you could try coming down to nearer 77f, that might improve the fluctuations but I don’t think you have that much as an issue to try and fix.

The saving in heating costs would be worth it alone.

Thank you! I think I will turn them down a bit. I also just bought an Inkbird Thermostat. My heaters work great, maybe even too well, so a thermostat to shut them off may solve the problem.

 

[Reef.]

Thank you! I think I will turn them down a bit. I also just bought an Inkbird Thermostat. My heaters work great, maybe even too well, so a thermostat to shut them off may solve the problem.

I have an inkbird (sorry I use Celsius) my tank is set for 25.5c but the controller ranges from 25.2-25.8c so don’t expect the inkbird to do better than what you are achieving now, though the extra fail safe is definitely worth using the inkbird to get.

 

[MomSaysNo]

I have an inkbird (sorry I use Celsius) my tank is set for 25.5c but the controller ranges from 25.2-25.8c so don’t expect the inkbird to do better than what you are achieving now, though the extra fail safe is definitely worth using the inkbird to get.

Interesting.. Is there a thermostat you know of that is more accurate?

 

[Reef.]

Sounds like it's getting very warm for him due to the wood stove -- this is what happens to me in the summer b/c of warmer temps and my apartment gets Western sun from a full wall of windows. The heater may not even be coming on when temp rises, which is what was happening for me in the summer -- it was unrelated to the heater. So I got the fan and that solved it. In fall and winter the heater comes on and keeps it at a steady 78, in summer the fan comes on to keep it steady.

The OP’s situation sounds the opposite, his tank is set higher than his room.

 

[Lyss]

The OP’s situation sounds the opposite, his tank is set higher than his room.

Hmm, actually I'm not sure it says what temp the heater is set at. You could be right then... That the heater is set too high?

OP, what heater are you using and what temp do you have it set to?

My summer situation is b/c the apt gets really hot from the sun, like 75 - 80 degrees inside, and my tank warms from that.

 

[Reef.]

Interesting.. Is there a thermostat you know of that is more accurate?

Depending on your inkbird model, you can expect a stated range of either .1 or .3c ( using Celsius gives a slightly better range) so in practice that would give either. .2 or .6c fluctuation, aqua Marine do one I believe with .1c that would give a .2c fluctuation but never tried it.

 

[MomSaysNo]

Hmm, actually I'm not sure it says what temp the heater is set at. You could be right then... That the heater is set too high?

OP, what heater are you using and what temp do you have it set to?

My summer situation is b/c the apt gets really hot from the sun, like 75 - 80 degrees inside, and my tank warms from that.

My heaters are set at about 78-79.. its a dial so its hard to be exact, but its in there. So the tank is getting warmer than the heaters are set for. With that said.. they are heaters from Amazon. I am not sure how accurate their internal thermostats are.. I think I will slowly turn them down to 77 and see if I have the same fluctuation. That way I can tell if its the warmth of the house or the heaters that are bringing temps up to 81.. What do you think?

 

[Lyss]

My heaters are set at about 78-79.. its a dial so its hard to be exact, but its in there. So the tank is getting warmer than the heaters are set for. With that said.. they are heaters from Amazon. I am not sure how accurate their internal thermostats are.. I think I will slowly turn them down to 77 and see if I have the same fluctuation. That way I can tell if its the warmth of the house or the heaters that are bringing temps up to 81.. What do you think?

That sounds right to me.

 

[Reef.]

My heaters are set at about 78-79.. its a dial so its hard to be exact, but its in there. So the tank is getting warmer than the heaters are set for. With that said.. they are heaters from Amazon. I am not sure how accurate their internal thermostats are.. I think I will slowly turn them down to 77 and see if I have the same fluctuation. That way I can tell if its the warmth of the house or the heaters that are bringing temps up to 81.. What do you think?

Aim for your tank temp to be slightly higher than your room temp to take into account heat from your lights, return etc

 

[MomSaysNo]

Aim for your tank temp to be slightly higher than your room temp to take into account heat from your lights, return etc

Mmm.. interesting.. Room temp is usually around 73-75... I definitely have some adjustments to make. Thank you!

 

[Radman73]

Just change the temp slowly.

 

[workhz]

calibrate your heater?

 

[Reef.]

calibrate your heater?

They are from Amazon so I doubt they can be calibrated, and would calibration affect the fluctuation? Wouldn’t calibration only affect what temp the heater reads, if the heater reads 78 instead of 79 I don’t think calibration would have an effect on the fluctuation.

 

[workhz]

They are from Amazon so I doubt they can be calibrated, and would calibration affect the fluctuation? Wouldn’t calibration only affect what temp the heater reads, if the heater reads 78 instead of 79 I don’t think calibration would have an effect on the fluctuation.

I mean mentally calibrate or at least know how far off they are so you can set them properly.

When your tank starting heading above what you want, are they on or off. Would be good to know if the heaters are raising the temp or the room+eq.