Very very very inconsistent temperatures!?

[Maxx Yung]

Is this okay? I need dual heat outlets
https://www.amazon.com/Inkbird-Temp...spell&keywords=tempeture+controller+heat+only

Do I need external probe?

 

[Nick C]

Might just get a 300W, the price is like 1$ off or something. Any good controllers?

get an Apex but if you're looking for just a basic controller.

https://www.amazon.com/Inkbird-Temp...=8-7&keywords=aquarium+temperature+controller

 

[Nick C]

Is this okay? I need dual heat outlets
https://www.amazon.com/Inkbird-Temp...spell&keywords=tempeture+controller+heat+only

Do I need external probe?

you don't need an extra one, that comes with one

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Those temperature probes are junk. They are wildly inaccurate and there is no way to calibrate them. I would strongly recommend running one of these or something similar to monitor and control the temps. you can calibrate it very easily and has high/low temp alarms.

https://www.amazon.com/Inkbird-Max-...id=1544044740&sr=8-4&keywords=Inkbird+Itc-308

I use this on my tanks and have it set to shut the main heater off just above the primary heater setting and then I have the emergency heater set on the cooling side to kick on if the tank temp falls below 75 and to shut off at 78. So If the main heater fails the secondary will kick on and then shuts off at the normal range for the main heater. If either of them were to get stuck on the unit will cut power to the heaters once they reach the dialed in running temp I have configured. You can set it to run within 1 degree F or .3c of a temperature range it operates in.

You need one of these.

A couple things I see here:

Why are you running a 50w heater? Might as well just remove that. If your 300w heater stops working the 50w isn't going to save your tank.

The fact that your sump is 81 degrees, but your tank is as cool as 71 degrees tells me you don't have enough flow through your system. Yeah, when the heaters(s) are on in the sump, it might be a degree warmer, but not several degrees.
.

^^^this.

Re read the directions on the heaters.
The set point is adjustable. You slowly increase the temp , and reset the set point.

Doing two of them is pretty tricky.

 

[ScottBrew]

What are you using to measure the temp in the tank AND in the sump? 81* always in the sump even when tank is lower? What return pump are you running? At 180 gallons your flow rate should be near 1000 gallons an hour. Even at a half to third of that volume pumped, the water temp between tank and sump should be the same.

 

[Porpoise Hork]

Is this okay? I need dual heat outlets
https://www.amazon.com/Inkbird-Temp...spell&keywords=tempeture+controller+heat+only

Do I need external probe?

That one will be fine. You will need to calibrate it before you put it to service. To calibrate it, get a glass of ice water and stick the temp probe in it. Take your initial reading and then go into the settings and a under the calibration make the adjustment to zero it out to 32f or 0.0c. You will want to do this at least once every month or two just to be sure it remains accurate.

 

[Maxx Yung]

What are you using to measure the temp in the tank AND in the sump? 81* always in the sump even when tank is lower? What return pump are you running? At 180 gallons your flow rate should be near 1000 gallons an hour. Even at a half to third of that volume pumped, the water temp between tank and sump should be the same.

Vectra M1 at half speed, which surprisingly, is exactly 1000 gph.

 

[Maxx Yung]

Eheim Jager is 110v, so wouldn't I need two of them? And how many stuff can I plug into one outlet haha
3 radions, skimmer, m1, carbon, fuge lights, 2 mp40s, 2 heaters....

 

[Scrubber_steve]

I would strongly recommend running one of these or something similar to monitor and control the temps. you can calibrate it very easily and has high/low temp alarms.

Do you mean you can calibrate its temperature accuracy?
If so what are you using for the calibration standard?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Unless you have faulty heaters, I would place the 300W in the tank near the path of water flow and the 50W in the sump in the path of water flow. Distribution of heat without a cool zone should be accomplished. If not, Test the 300W in a bucket with lukewarm water. Use a glass thermometer and test temperature.
Then turn on the 3oo wt to 1-2 degrees above the reading you get and see if it kicks in. If so, test the water temp again when the light goes off and see if it matches the temperature set on heater.
If not- Time to replace

 

[Stigigemla]

I would go to my LFS and by one cheap 1 or 2$ floating thermometer.
Ask to look at a few and choose one showing a temperature in the middle.
Put in the tank a few days to compare with Your electronic one.
Then lay it in a drawer and take it up a few times a year to check the other.

 

[Maxx Yung]

Alright I used 3 thermometers and averaged them.
DT: 73°~
Sump: 76°~

M1 doing that 1000 gallons of flow

 

[Rjukan]

Sorry if I missed it but what's the ambient temp of the room the tank and sump are in? Did you say 65*?

I wonder how warm others keeps their place during the winter, we are usually around 70 on the thermostat.

 

[livingcolors]

I'm running two 300 W heaters in a 90 gal tank. one in the sump, the other in the overflow. My house heat is turned down to 55 at night and my temps never fluctuate more that 1 degree. One of the heaters is on my Apex controller so I can trend how often it comes on, and it's not very often.

 

[Dburr1014]

get an Apex but if you're looking for just a basic controller.

https://www.amazon.com/Inkbird-Temp...=8-7&keywords=aquarium+temperature+controller

I have this one and it also goes out of whack. Mine was 9 degrees off in less than a year.
Make sure you check it from time to time.

 

[Dburr1014]

Alright I used 3 thermometers and averaged them.
DT: 73°~
Sump: 76°~

M1 doing that 1000 gallons of flow

Did you actually check your flow or are you going by what it says on the box?

As far as heaters go, I always run 2 slightly under what the tank is rated for but total wattage is more than I need. My system is 100 gallons. 75g tank, 50g sump. Minus rocks and water height = 100 gallon. I use a 200w in the sump and 200w in the display.

I'm with the others, 1 more 300w heater and use the 50w fire your QT 16 gallon.

 

[MSB123]

Jack the M1 up to 2000 GPH. Worth a Try.