Heaters not Hitting the Max Temp

[Portallands]

Hi I have 120 gallon set up. I have my Ink bird set to T1 78.0 and T2 77.5 I have two 300W Titanium Heater Elements on it and it is running 24 hours. According to BRS website 600W should be able to handle up to 200 gallons. now during the day when I'm working i let my house go down to about 60 degrees but the tank even when i'm home and i have the heat on 72 this system never hits 78. Anyone have suggestions of why this is?

 

[Portallands]

Pic of the sump when it was new

 

[KrisReef]

BRS is using averages and presuming your ambient temperature is higher?


EDIT: Also, a skimmer is like a forced air heater (or cooler) and low temps in the sump room will cool the water!

 

[Brandont21]

I would question if youre getting enough flow through your sump. Where is the temp probe located?

 

[Portallands]

I would question if youre getting enough flow through your sump. Where is the temp probe located?

one at the beginning of the sump and one at the end. The ambient temp and sump being a cooler makes since. my sump is in my basement and its cooler down the obviously. I guess Ill have to get a space heater?

 

[apb03]

Are your heaters the type that have a hard internal temperature preset?

 

[Portallands]

Are your heaters the type that have a hard internal temperature preset?

no

 

[Twocorns]

Ha e you checked tank temp with a separate temp probe?

 

[Brandont21]

It would be beneficial to have a heater probe in your display.

 

[Portallands]

Ha e you checked tank temp with a separate temp probe?

No i figured it all flows through the sump. I'm guessing that's a bad assumption.

 

[Portallands]

It would be beneficial to have a heater probe in your display.

just the probe right? not the element?

 

[Brandont21]

Correct, sorry. Because the small volume of water in the sump is hitting temp pretty quickly with those heaters and shutting them off never allowing tank temp to reach temp. I have my temp probe next to my overflow, furthest from the return

 

[KrisReef]

Correct, sorry. Because the small volume of water in the sump is hitting temp pretty quickly with those heaters and shutting them off never allowing tank temp to reach temp. I have my temp probe next to my overflow, furthest from the return

Also might help to put the temp probe in the incoming water chamber to reflect what the tank is experiencing vs the sump? (I am presuming the hose on the right of the sump is the incoming tank water? Direct the flow into a cup and put the probe in the cup?

 

[Portallands]

Correct, sorry. Because the small volume of water in the sump is hitting temp pretty quickly with those heaters and shutting them off never allowing tank temp to reach temp. I have my temp probe next to my overflow, furthest from the return

No that's not it the Temp never gets high enough. It runs 24hrs a day. and never breaks 76.5 and its set to 80. I have pretty good flow in the sump I cant remember what it is but I know it was within specs when i set everything up. Ill check tonight.

 

[BZOFIQ]

Make sure both heaters are actually working. These BRS heaters are wonky; I have multiples because they cannot really be trusted. You have to plug them in though kill-a-watt type of meter to see if they are actually drawing power.

I've also noticed that the heaters are over rated where say 200W heater draws 191 watts, etc.

 

[BZOFIQ]

Also might help to put the temp probe in the incoming water chamber to reflect what the tank is experiencing vs the sump? (I am presuming the hose on the right of the sump is the incoming tank water? Direct the flow into a cup and put the probe in the cup?

The probes should indeed be where the water returns from the tank and not after the heater.

 

[Portallands]

Also might help to put the

temp probe in the incoming water chamber to reflect what the tank is experiencing vs the sump? (I am presuming the hose on the right of the sump is the incoming tank water? Direct the flow into a cup and put the probe in the cup?

are you saying temporarily or permanently cause now i have the overflow in a filter sock

The probes should indeed be where the water returns from the tank and not after the heater.

ok So I need to run one to the display and how do i catch the temperature before it goes in the filter sock? someone said build a cup is there an example you can share with me?

 

[Portallands]

ok So I need to run one to the display and how do i catch the temperature before it goes in the filter sock? someone said build a cup is there an example you can share with me?

 

[Portallands]

Also might help to put the temp probe in the incoming water chamber to reflect what the tank is experiencing vs the sump? (I am presuming the hose on the right of the sump is the incoming tank water? Direct the flow into a cup and put the probe in the cup?

Do you have an example of how to do this? i have the overflow that gray vacuum tube going into the filter sock.

 

[KrisReef]

Do you have an example of how to do this? i have the overflow that gray vacuum tube going into the filter sock.

If the sock is submerged then just put the probe in the sock where the water is flowing in. I would then check the temperature in the sock area compared to the DT and if they are close I think you will have better results.

No examples, but folks used to use a cup on the outflow of their calcium reactors and put the pH meter in there to control CO2 releasing into the reactor.