BRS Titanium 300w Turning White

[Ober_Reef]

Hello Reefers,

My tank has been cycling for about a week now and I got an E5 alarm on my inkbird heater controller. I checked the app and temps were fine and restarted the inkbird and everything seems to be running smoothly. However when I was doing this I noticed a kind of white build up on my heater. I touched it and it didn’t really come off just felt a little rough. Just wondering if this is anything I should keep an eye on. I only use RODI water from my mixing room and I have a brand new five stage system from BRS. I have checked my water a few times between fills and my TDS is still at 0. I also use Red Sea Coral Pro Salt.

Thank you

 

[Greybeard]

Calcium buildup. Coral Pro has elevated calcium and alkalinity, it can build up rather quickly. Make sure the heater is in as high flow an area as you can manage.

A bath in Citric Acid solution once in a while will keep it nice and clean.

 

[jradishness]

Calcium buildup, like Greybeard says. I have this happen in my mixing jugs. You say you’re cycling, did you mix the salt in the tank (which is completely appropriate)? If so, I bet anything this is just precipitate. Take it out, clean it off (a plastic scraper should work without scratching the heater too bad, or acid bath as mentioned), and put it back, and you should be fine.

Separately, the E5 alarm means it’s been continuously heating too long. Is your heather strong enough to get the tank to temp in a reasonable time? You might need to adjust your continuous heating time variable. If temp is dropping, verify the heater is actually working, plug a lamp into the port and make sure the controller actually turns it on.

Good luck!

 

[Ober_Reef]

Thanks for the input guys this is kind of what I thought. I actually mixed before putting the water in my new tank, maybe on my second batch I didn’t let it mix long enough though. Pertaining to the second heater, I actually wanted to run two because I liked the idea of having back up but thought two 300ws would be over kill on my 90. What I think may be happening is I have a google nest smart thermostat and sensors placed throughout the house, since it’s currently me, my wife, and my one year old(in his own crib) in our master when we go to bed I shift the thermostat focus to our bedroom because if not it gets too warm in the room. Definitely going to grab another heater for the colder months her in Michigan, since they are in a controller it shouldn’t really be overkill right ?

 

[jradishness]

The only thing you want to worry about is not heating too fast. I would think it’s not great to raise it from 76-78 in a matter of minutes multiple times a day. Another 300w, or even a 200w might suffice, depending on your climate, and would almost certainly not be overkill if your current setup is “underperforming”. I use two inkbird controllers on my 400g one runs almost constantly with a 200w heater that “maintains temp”. The other has a 600w that bumps in if the temp should ever drop a full half a degree. Then pretty quickly it gives me back that half degree and the other controller resumes maintaining. It’s more complicated, but it’s a big tank (that holds temp well) with a lot of drama-queen fish lol.