adjusting tank temp?

[organism]

ok, so I now have 3, count em, 3 200w heaters in the sump of my aquarium, all set at 80-82, and for the life of me I can't get the temp in the tank to go above 75-76. anyone have any suggestions, I'm at a loss here... :notsure:

 

[nas19320]

Are you sure you thermometer is correct? How cold is the room they are in? I would bump them up a little at a time, heaters are not always the most accurate.

 

[bigarn]

I think I remember someone saying to stagger the settings when using more than 1 heater...for example: 77-80-83 in order to get an 80ish temp.
Note: The numbers I stated are not neccessarily the right ones.

 

[organism]

I'm putting in a second thermometer now to check for correctness, and the room's about 70-73 degrees (got that heater cranked...). wouldn't staggering the heaters disperse their combined energy though?

 

[chris s]

I would try to move the heaters around. Im sure the sump is a good place, but try to put one or two infront of some power heads or by the powerhead intake. I only have one heater in my 125 gal and it is right by a powerhead. But I also have it in the basement where the furnace keeps the room warm.

 

[bigarn]

I might be wrong...just something I thought I heard.
Maybe someone who knows will jump in.

 

[organism]

Originally posted by Chris S
I would try to move the heaters around. Im sure the sump is a good place, but try to put one or two infront of some power heads or by the powerhead intake. I only have one heater in my 125 gal and it is right by a powerhead. But I also have it in the basement where the furnace keeps the room warm.
I don't really wanna put them in the tank, but they're in two different spots in the sump, with relatively good water movement in there, dunno...

 

[ohioreef]

I have a 200W in the sump and it keeps my 75 at a nice toasty 78.

 

[greatfullreefer]

I had my heater in my sump and i just couldent get the temp up, i eventually hid it behind the rocks in the display tank and directed a powerhead back there and in a couple of hours bingo 80 degrees.

 

[organism]

so putting the heaters in a high flow area will increase the amount of heat being pumped out?

 

[6stokes]

Yep, it's the transfer of heat by convection.

 

[organism]

yeah, good old physics class coming back to me now...
I figured they'd do better sitting on the side of the sump not near the max flow, since they'd have a better chance of actually heating water passing through and not warming it slightly for a split second...

 

[dedwards]

By having them in a low flow area, the surrounding water is heating up to the temp set on the heater. Heater then shuts down and surrounding water doesn't move. I have found that the dials on most heaters aren't correct anyway. I have a 100w on my 20 that I have to set higher than 80 to get it even close.

 

[sa reef]

Just curious...how long have you had the heaters in your sump? 125 gallons is a lot of water to raise the temperature of. I have a 180g and if I want to raise the temp I really have to think ahead.
Will

 

[organism]

the 2 200w heaters have been in there about 4+ weeks together, the third one I just tossed in, moved to higher flow, we'll see how it goes...

 

[organism]

thanks to everyone for your input so far, much appreciated