Tank Temperature is awful high

mzito · 02-20-2008, 11:37 PM

Howdy folks,

On Monday, I recently set up my first SW tank, a Red Sea Max, putting everything together went just fine. I set it up, mixed the salt water, and added about 40 pounds of live rock. I set the tank heater to 79 degrees, and yesterday everything was fine, and even this morning, the temperature was a rock-solid 79 degrees. Today, I came home and tested the salinity, and immediately noticed it was way too warm in the tank, a temperature check showed it was 86 degrees.

I immediately checked the heater to see if it was continuously on or something similar, and it wasn't on when I checked it. My apartment is warm, but not 86 degrees, and my nearby 10 gallon freshwater tank is a cheerful 79 degrees. There's no heat sources anywhere near the tank.

I guess I have a few basic questions:
- Is it normal, either for the Red Sea Max, or with larger heaters, for them to misjudge the temperature by this level of margin? Is the solution to just dial the heat down?
- Is there an easy way I could test to see if my heater is broken/non-functional?
- Now that I just gave my live rock a nice steamy water bath, is there something I should be doing?

Thanks very much for the help!

Matt

Anselth · 02-20-2008, 11:44 PM

From what I've heard, The Red Sea Max has a habit of running hot. I know there is a fan add on that's available, you might contact Red Sea about it. Nanotuners also makes a drop-in chiller for nano tanks. As far as the temp hurting your rock, it should be fine.

framerguy · 02-20-2008, 11:48 PM

86* in the short term wont hurt anything. Some authors advocate keeping tank temps 82-84 anyway. It's got to be the heater that's warming the water though. Dial it back or better yet get a controller. The Neptune Aqua Jr. isn't all that expensive and will work wonders and be a load off your mind.

tbittner · 02-20-2008, 11:52 PM

Looks like a pretty nice setup! Does it have a skimmer? If it does, feel your pump and see if it's warm(er) then the water.

mzito · 02-21-2008, 12:00 AM

Outstanding - thank you so much for the prompt responses. The heater in my freshwater tank doesn't pretend to be accurate about what the resulting temperature will be , just a 10 at one end and a 1 at the other. I guess somehow I figured the much larger and more impressive RSM heater with its fancy "78-80-82", etc. gradations would be more accurate.

But, both suggestions are excellent - I've currently dialed back the temperature, and will definitely look into the controller you described.

mzito · 02-21-2008, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbittner

Looks like a pretty nice setup! Does it have a skimmer? If it does, feel your pump and see if it's warm(er) then the water.

Thanks! Once things get a little further along, I'll take pictures and whatnot. Yes, the RSM has a skimmer - the pump is annoying to get to, you have to remove the mechanical filter to get to it, but if I don't see the temperature settle down, I'll start taking things apart.

As a side note, that's my only complaint about the RSM, is that the filters are in awkward places in relation to the pumps. It's a very nice looking setup, and it definitely made it easier for me to get started, so I'm willing to trade a little convenience in maintenance for convenience in setup - at least for now. In a year, maybe I'll feel differently.

02-20-2008, 11:37 PM	#1 (permalink)
mzito Tunicate Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 5 View Gallery Karma Komment	Tank Temperature is awful high Howdy folks, On Monday, I recently set up my first SW tank, a Red Sea Max, putting everything together went just fine. I set it up, mixed the salt water, and added about 40 pounds of live rock. I set the tank heater to 79 degrees, and yesterday everything was fine, and even this morning, the temperature was a rock-solid 79 degrees. Today, I came home and tested the salinity, and immediately noticed it was way too warm in the tank, a temperature check showed it was 86 degrees. I immediately checked the heater to see if it was continuously on or something similar, and it wasn't on when I checked it. My apartment is warm, but not 86 degrees, and my nearby 10 gallon freshwater tank is a cheerful 79 degrees. There's no heat sources anywhere near the tank. I guess I have a few basic questions: - Is it normal, either for the Red Sea Max, or with larger heaters, for them to misjudge the temperature by this level of margin? Is the solution to just dial the heat down? - Is there an easy way I could test to see if my heater is broken/non-functional? - Now that I just gave my live rock a nice steamy water bath, is there something I should be doing? Thanks very much for the help! Matt

02-20-2008, 11:44 PM	#2 (permalink)
Anselth Harlequin Tuskfish Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: South Jersey Posts: 945 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Tank Temperature is awful high From what I've heard, The Red Sea Max has a habit of running hot. I know there is a fan add on that's available, you might contact Red Sea about it. Nanotuners also makes a drop-in chiller for nano tanks. As far as the temp hurting your rock, it should be fine. __________________ -Adam Learning on the fly My 70 Gallon Reef My 110 Gallon Build

02-20-2008, 11:48 PM	#3 (permalink)
framerguy Tridacna maxima Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Mount Airy, Ga Posts: 4,339 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Tank Temperature is awful high 86* in the short term wont hurt anything. Some authors advocate keeping tank temps 82-84 anyway. It's got to be the heater that's warming the water though. Dial it back or better yet get a controller. The Neptune Aqua Jr. isn't all that expensive and will work wonders and be a load off your mind. __________________ ___________________________________ Greg All time fav quote: "Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy."-Guillaume Apollinaire "Being happy can be as easy as deciding to be!"-Greg Kimsey (framerguy) 375gDT built in wall, 100g sump, Sequence Hammerhead closed loop, 75 gallon mangrove/seagrass/mineral mud refugium, 55 gallon crushed coral/live rock refugium, algae turf scrubber, DIY calcium reactor, DIY kalkwasser mixer, DIY light system w/4x 250MH & 4x54w T5, etc, etc, etc... http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/reef-chronicles/31882-akwareum-too.html

02-20-2008, 11:52 PM	#4 (permalink)
tbittner Watch this Ma! Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Northern VA Posts: 5,562 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Tank Temperature is awful high Looks like a pretty nice setup! Does it have a skimmer? If it does, feel your pump and see if it's warm(er) then the water. __________________ Terry 150g predator tank full of killers. Soon to be upgraded to a 360g. 450g reef 300g sump.

02-21-2008, 12:00 AM	#5 (permalink)
mzito Tunicate Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 5 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Tank Temperature is awful high Outstanding - thank you so much for the prompt responses. The heater in my freshwater tank doesn't pretend to be accurate about what the resulting temperature will be , just a 10 at one end and a 1 at the other. I guess somehow I figured the much larger and more impressive RSM heater with its fancy "78-80-82", etc. gradations would be more accurate. But, both suggestions are excellent - I've currently dialed back the temperature, and will definitely look into the controller you described.

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