Thermometer variance-need help!

[mmw64]

I had a problem with my Red Sea 350 tank and replaced my heater with a new Eheim Jager 200 watt heater. It is plugged into my Apex. I am having problems with the heat fluctuating up to 2 full degrees in a 24 hour period. I have the on temp set at 77.3 and the off temp at 78.0. When i woke up this morning the temperature was 76.7. I really need help as I have tried multiple setting on the Apex to keep the temperature more stable. Thanks in advance.

 

[TheHarold]

I had a problem with my Red Sea 350 tank and replaced my heater with a new Eheim Jager 200 watt heater. It is plugged into my Apex. I am having problems with the heat fluctuating up to 2 full degrees in a 24 hour period. I have the on temp set at 77.3 and the off temp at 78.0. When i woke up this morning the temperature was 76.7. I really need help as I have tried multiple setting on the Apex to keep the temperature more stable. Thanks in advance.

The Eheim Jager has in internal temperature controller, so you are experiencing the controllers fighting each other.

To make this work, one controller has to be set as primary and the other a high-temp cutoff.

 

[mmw64]

The Eheim Jager has in internal temperature controller, so you are experiencing the controllers fighting each other.

To make this work, one controller has to be set as primary and the other a high-temp cutoff.

Since I'm technically challenged could you explain exactly where to set the Eheim and the Apex to stay in the 78 degree range?

 

[mmw64]

Please, anyone.

 

[Garf]

Please, anyone.

Monitor the heater to see if it or the apex is doing the turning on and off thing.

 

[n2585722]

If you want to use the Apex for control set the thermostat on the heater 3 to 4 degrees higher than where you have the Apex set.

 

[laverda]

First I would not be al all worried about a 2-3 degree temp variation. There is no advantage to keeping your tempature so consistent. It is just going to run up your electric bill for nothing. Allowing the temp to swing a bit makes your corals hardier. The temp varies much more in the wild very quickly.
Second I would not set you heater to more than one degree above your apex. If you apex should stick on or switch to on you tank temp will go up 3-4 degrees depending on what your heater is set at. I have had this happen on my apex, except it was my alk dosing pump that was switched to On, killing most of my corals.
Also in the course of a day the tempature will naturally increase due to other factors.
Next point is I would get a second heater as a back up and set it a degree or to lower than the main one. I would not control the second heater with your apex incase your apex fails. The second heater backs up the first as heater fail often. It backs up the temp should you apex fail and also safe guards your tank in case your first heater is no able to maintain the temperature adequately.

 

[mdb_talon]

Next point is I would get a second heater as a back up and set it a degree or to lower than the main one. I would not control the second heater with your apex incase your apex fails.

This can work fine if it is a very undersized heater, but I would never any longer run a heater on my tank without some sort of secondary controller. Controllers can fail (though less likely than internal heater thermostats in my opinion), but if you have a controller and the internal thermostat at least you have a failsafe. Without a secondary controller you are much greater risk of the heater getting stuck in the "on" state and trying your tank.

I do agree with your larger point that a couple degree swing throughout the day is not a big concern.

 

[n2585722]

First I would not be al all worried about a 2-3 degree temp variation. There is no advantage to keeping your tempature so consistent. It is just going to run up your electric bill for nothing. Allowing the temp to swing a bit makes your corals hardier. The temp varies much more in the wild very quickly.
Second I would not set you heater to more than one degree above your apex. If you apex should stick on or switch to on you tank temp will go up 3-4 degrees depending on what your heater is set at. I have had this happen on my apex, except it was my alk dosing pump that was switched to On, killing most of my corals.
Also in the course of a day the tempature will naturally increase due to other factors.
Next point is I would get a second heater as a back up and set it a degree or to lower than the main one. I would not control the second heater with your apex incase your apex fails. The second heater backs up the first as heater fail often. It backs up the temp should you apex fail and also safe guards your tank in case your first heater is no able to maintain the temperature adequately.

The tank going 3-4 degrees higher should not be a problem unless you already have your heaters set high and in my case I will get an alert for the temp being out of safe range so I will know something has happened and address it. I have two heaters that are on separate outlets but still controlled by the controller. I went through a week long time span of rolling blackouts in the winter. The tank got down just below 70 at one point. I did not loose anything from that happening. I am more worried about the heaters getting stuck on instead. My house does not normally get below 71 degrees though.

 

[mmw64]

Monitor the heater to see if it or the apex is doing the turning on and off thing.

Thank you.

The tank going 3-4 degrees higher should not be a problem unless you already have your heaters set high and in my case I will get an alert for the temp being out of safe range so I will know something has happened and address it. I have two heaters that are on separate outlets but still controlled by the controller. I went through a week long time span of rolling blackouts in the winter. The tank got down just below 70 at one point. I did not loose anything from that happening. I am more worried about the heaters getting stuck on instead. My house does not normally get below 71 degrees though.

Thank you.

 

[mmw64]

First I would not be al all worried about a 2-3 degree temp variation. There is no advantage to keeping your tempature so consistent. It is just going to run up your electric bill for nothing. Allowing the temp to swing a bit makes your corals hardier. The temp varies much more in the wild very quickly.
Second I would not set you heater to more than one degree above your apex. If you apex should stick on or switch to on you tank temp will go up 3-4 degrees depending on what your heater is set at. I have had this happen on my apex, except it was my alk dosing pump that was switched to On, killing most of my corals.
Also in the course of a day the tempature will naturally increase due to other factors.
Next point is I would get a second heater as a back up and set it a degree or to lower than the main one. I would not control the second heater with your apex incase your apex fails. The second heater backs up the first as heater fail often. It backs up the temp should you apex fail and also safe guards your tank in case your first heater is no able to maintain the temperature adequately.

Thank you.

 

[mmw64]

First I would not be al all worried about a 2-3 degree temp variation. There is no advantage to keeping your tempature so consistent. It is just going to run up your electric bill for nothing. Allowing the temp to swing a bit makes your corals hardier. The temp varies much more in the wild very quickly.
Second I would not set you heater to more than one degree above your apex. If you apex should stick on or switch to on you tank temp will go up 3-4 degrees depending on what your heater is set at. I have had this happen on my apex, except it was my alk dosing pump that was switched to On, killing most of my corals.
Also in the course of a day the tempature will naturally increase due to other factors.
Next point is I would get a second heater as a back up and set it a degree or to lower than the main one. I would not control the second heater with your apex incase your apex fails. The second heater backs up the first as heater fail often. It backs up the temp should you apex fail and also safe guards your tank in case your first heater is no able to maintain the temperature adequately.

Thank you.