Warm water woes

 

I would think this would be easy too.  Just touch the pump.  If its heating 80ish gallons to 80* with the heater turned way down.  That sucker will be warm.

1: How warm is your home right now? Think about this because we've had a very very unusually warm winter. Warmth outside your home plus your heater on in your home will help raise the temp in your tank. 

2. I know we've all been told that 80 degrees is getting into the danger zone for corals to start melting. Worst experience of my life personally. But the real question is, how are your corals doing right this very minute? Are they contracted in on themselves? Are they melting? Or do they look normal? If they're normal looking then worry less about it. Now I'm not saying don't try to drop the temp. What I'm saying is that corals and fish and hermits and snails are good at adapting to slightly warmer conditions. If they look ok then maybe all is surprisingly well.

3. How in the world can you get the temp down and keep it that way? A controller is the perfect solution. But, as we know every penny counts. A temporary solution can be as easy as going to Wally world and buy a clip on fan. Point it right across the length of the tank, that easily will help you drop just a few degrees. Or, if your lucky like me, have the tank in a room that has a ceiling fan. Keeps the temp down and the ph up.

4. Side note. Nervous about high temps in winter? What about when summer hits? I myself unplug the heater in summer altogether. I wait until the temp outside (at night mind you)is cool enough to not mess with the temp of the tank. That way I preserve my heater longer (or at least that's how I view it, there's no science behind my theory).

Just some food for thought. Keep us posted! 

 

Either a controller or a heater with an electric thermostat will prevent this and just quit working when they break.   I remember buying electric thermostat heaters at either Petsmart or Petco, they were more of the high-end heaters but didn't break the bank, they looked just like a normal submersible heater.

 

I don't like the idea of underperforming heaters because I keep my house cool in the winter, and I have had a heater not be able to keep the temperature up before.

 

I think consistancy is more important than what temperature your tank is at.  A big quick swing even in an acceptable range will stress out your tank.