Heat is rising and heater isn't on

[skooby]

I recently moved some of my LR around and after doing about 3 hours I noticed my water temp is 82. I checked my heater and it is ok. Checked my thermometer it is ok. My temp has always stayed at 80, but know is 82. My heater hasnt turned on at all. I am stummped.

 

[beth]

How do you know your heater is ok? Unplug it and see if the temp goes down. Do you really need a heater? How cold does it get in your house? With all the equiptment running in tanks, there is probably little reason to use a heater unless your home gets pretty cold.

 

[kris]

I also tend to have heat issues--I keep a heater in there but it almost never turns on--my issue is sunlight--could this be yours?? if so keep those blinds closed --and pull the heater out just in case it's really not ok--also if mine really gets whacked ( like in the summer and the blinds are open all day I have been known to throw plain ice cubes in to reduce temp--a quick fix--tops off evap loss too. Not too many though, you don't want to go throwing the rest of your water conditions off.
Good Luck

 

[musipilot]

Also...don't forget to use another thermometer, to double check that 82 is actually the temp in the tank.

 

[litmus]

I'll bet it's your lights. My tank temp fluctuates between 80 and 82 degrees depending on how long the lights have been on.

 

[von_rahvin]

my tank lights raise the temp in my tank a good 4 degrees and i have some serious wind across the bulbs. I am going to raise my hood 4 or 5 inches and just be done with it.

 

[drkegel]

Beth-
Up here in the frigid midwest, a heater is a necessity. My room temperature is 70 degrees tops, and I usually keep it at 68 and run the humidifier to save energy. So yes, the heater is needed up here for 8 months of the year. I like to keep my tanks at around 80 degrees, and the temperature would drop way too much for my liking overnight with the lights out.
Plus, my furnace went out for a week earlier this winter, and without that heater in my tank, it would have been all over. So the $30 for a heater is the wisest investment a guy living in this climate can make, IMHO.

 

[skooby]

Last night it was 10 below outside and my room temp is about 72. I may have found the problem. A while ago I purchased a power sweep power head, and about 2 days ago I realized I didnt put the filter on the intake of it. Well silly me I put it on not thinking and I think it over heated the motor a little. I took it off and the temp seems to be dropping. Thanks for all the input I hope this is the problem/

 

[skooby]

I found the source of my problem. It seems all the power heads, and 1 polisher produced enough heat to make it rise to 82 and no farther. I put a small fan blowing towards the tank, on low, and my water temp went to 78 and stayed. Thanks for all the input. Hope this also answers some one elses questions.