WTH - Heater Troubles

ReefCheif

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#1
I don't know what the hell is going on, but Im hoping someone can enlighten me.

Ive got a 150w Hydor heater in my 29 bio cube. It stays on all the time, but never keeps the tank warm. When the lights are on I maintain a suitable temp of 79. When the lights go off im swinging about 2 - 3 degrees lower, not good for my SPS.

I figured the heater was not big enough, so I bumped up to a 200w Hydor heater.

This thing over heats the damn tank and doesn't shut off at the specified temperature on the thermostat. It basically stays on until I unplug or flick it, then itll go off, but wont come back on, I must repeat this process.

As of now Im basically stuck constantly monitoring the temp, Im getting ready to head to Orlando in a couple weeks for 5 days and this needs to get sorted. Any ideas? Am I experiencing total heater failure? Should I look to another brand? Do I have the heater in the wrong location (ive tried moving to different sides and corners of the tank with no luck)

I do not use a controller of any type.
 

sethsolomon

Hammerhead Shark
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#2
My suggestion is get away from hydor heaters. I personally have had nothing but bad luck every time I have gotten one. I have had great success with Eheim Jager heaters though. I have one you can use if you feel like driving to FOCO. But most of the fish stores arround would sell a 150w for the $30 ballpark
 

ReefCheif

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#4
The only reason I use the hydor ones is because they seem to fit better with the lip around the edge of the biocube. Ill go snag up a jager and see if it works better for me.
 

ReefCheif

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#5
Balz3352;308918 said:
I have no clue what your problem is but I've had excellent luck with eheim heaters.. I have mine in the third chamber of my 29 biocube
The third chamber? Meaning the return pump? How high do you keep your water level back there? I tried putting the heater there and half of it was out of the water.
 

sethsolomon

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#6
ReefCheif;308923 said:
The third chamber? Meaning the return pump? How high do you keep your water level back there? I tried putting the heater there and half of it was out of the water.
+1 that would be problematic. I would think the first chamber would be best.
 

ReefCheif

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#7
sethsolomon;308924 said:
+1 that would be problematic. I would think the first chamber would be best.

Occupied by the skimmer, and I have the upgraded custom acrylic filter / fuge boxes back there, so not a lot of room back there.
 

ReefCheif

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#9
Rock is very stable and no touching any of the sides or back of the tank, putting a heater behind the stack wouldn't be an issue. I actually have that exact heater, you think 100w would be enough? The 150w couldn't keep the tank warm enough.
 

sethsolomon

Hammerhead Shark
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#10
2x Ehmin Jager 50w should fit in the space under the skimmer.

measure to be sure they are 9.56 inches long.

I had a 150w heater heating my 60g cube. 100w should be fine with a good heater.
 
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ReefCheif

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#13
My water level is not kept high enough to put a heater on that side, I keep mine about half way up on that chamber, just enough to cover the cheato in the middle chamber
 

ReefCheif

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#15
Chamber 1 is full of skimmer. I found a fully controllable fully submersible 50w heater I may throw in the first chamber, and then a 100w Ehiem behind the stack
 
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