Temperature for noobie with hopes to do softies and LPS

[lostrider]

Hi everyone!

 

My Fluval Evo (AIO 13.5 gallon, with 10g display) is almost finished cycling. I am currently using a Sicce 0.5 (185 gph) as well as a Jebao SOW-3 Wavemaker (running on lowest settings, which claims: 100V 60Hz US plug, 500L/h to 4000L/h). Everything is fine, EXCEPT, since adding the Sicce return pump and wave maker, I am finding that the temperature in the aquarium is around 76-77.2 degrees Fahrenheit (depending), and that is WITHOUT a heater. My house is currently 72-74 degrees depending on time of day. Wondering if the individual equipment items are heating up my tank, since the water column is so small (only 13.5 gallons or less), and maybe the equipment is holding up the temp.

 

SO my question is what temperature should I strive for my aquarium to be? Do I target 77 degrees? But then I probably can't run a heater in the summer months...

Or do I go for something like 79-80 degrees and run a 50 watt heater at lowest settings? I appreciate any advice from you all!

 

I am running an open top with a net.

[seabass]

80°F is about perfect no matter what.  Up to 84°F is acceptable if kept stable.  Use of a temperature controller is recommended, even with a heater that has a thermostat.

[Firefish15]

Welcome to the hobby!

I have the same wave maker on my 14g bow front, and it’s been doing well since I’ve had it, about 8 months now. My guess would be the return pump that is generating the most heat. 
For your target temp, I’d say between 77-78 is about right. If you get a little temperature controller like the Inkbird, it’ll only turn the power to the heater on when you get to your lower set point, and then cut the power when you get to your upper set point. It also functions as an additional safeguard, starts beeping if your temperature gets out of bounds.

 

Edit: I see @Seabass beat me to it. 😆

[lostrider]

Just now, seabass said:

80°F is about perfect no matter what.  Up to 84°F is acceptable if kept stable.  Use of a temperature controller is recommended, even with a heater that has a thermostat.

Is there a recommended temperature controller that you use or members here use?

[seabass]

2 minutes ago, lostrider said:

Is there a recommended temperature controller that you use or members here use?

https://www.amazon.com/Inkbird-Thermostat-Ornamental-Temperature-Controller/dp/B07QWTJNX2/

 

[lostrider]

Just now, Firefish15 said:

Welcome to the hobby!

I have the same wave maker on my 14g bow front, and it’s been doing well since I’ve had it, about 8 months now. My guess would be the return pump that is generating the most heat. 
For your target temp, I’d say between 77-78 is about right. If you get a little temperature controller like the Inkbird, it’ll only turn the power to the heater on when you get to your lower set point, and then cut the power when you get to your upper set point. It also functions as an additional safeguard, starts beeping if your temperature gets out of bounds.

Thanks so much for the reply. You responded to my fish stocking post a couple weeks ago. Yes, I will be getting a firefish! But I will definitely check out the Inkbird now. Does it matter what temperature the heater is set to? My issue is I have been running the eheim heater (as well as the cobalt heater I tried) at the lowest settings, and that was still maybe too warm. So if I use the inkbird controller, does it matter what the heater's temperature is set to?

[seabass]

1 minute ago, lostrider said:

So if I use the inkbird controller, does it matter what the heater's temperature is set to?

Set it close to what the heater is set to.  I like to have the controller turn the heater on and off, then let the heater's thermostat be the backup.  However, some do it the other way around.

 

[lostrider]

3 minutes ago, seabass said:

Set it close to what the heater is set to.  I like to have the controller turn the heater on and off, then let the heater's thermostat be the backup.  However, some do it the other way around.

 

Thanks for the info. I called my LFS and I will be picking up an inkbird tomorrow. Thanks everyone!

[lostrider]

The inkbird is now set up with a BRS heater. The temperature is now fine. Moves between 77-78 in the range the factory settings come with. I will call my LFS tomorrow and see what they recommend for the range.

 

Thanks everyone for the help. The temp controller is incredible! 🙂

[Firefish15]

Did your model come with a plug for a cooling function as well? If so, you can get a little tank rim-mounted fan that’ll activate if the temperature exceeds your set point.

[Superdave]

Those temps seem fine for now.  Maybe the summer months, depending on how cool you keep your place, might increase it more but overall I don't see this being a problem.  

[lostrider]

On 9/22/2022 at 11:02 PM, Firefish15 said:

Did your model come with a plug for a cooling function as well? If so, you can get a little tank rim-mounted fan that’ll activate if the temperature exceeds your set point.

I believe it is only heating plugs. But I don’t think I’ll have issues with overheating. I also just ordered new roller shades for my office (where my aquarium is), and these are blackout shades which will make the room pitch black and will absorb heat from the outside.

[mcarroll]

On 9/22/2022 at 12:51 PM, lostrider said:

Wondering if the individual equipment items are heating up my tank

Yes.

 

Realizing this was the first time the Law of Conservation of Energy was really in my face.  (* Me: "Oh, THAT'S what that means!!??!!" *)

 

If you run a 5 watt pump in your tank, what happens to that 5 watts of energy after it spins the impeller?  

 

If it's a really efficient pump (e.g. good power factor), then maybe <10% of the watts will be immediately be converted to heat in the motor and >90% will be used to spin the impeller magnet.

 

But eventually all five watts will end up as heat.  (Sorry if I tricked you into thinking pump efficiency mattered here! 😇 It only determines how much goes to heat before it even goes to work.)

 

If you seal your lights in a canopy over the tank or seal your externally-plumbed return pump inside your stand, then you can add those watts to the overall heating equation as well.

 

All just make the heater's job easier though – even enabling you to use a smaller-wattage heater, which is inherently less risky to run than a larger heater.  

 

So other gear generating heat is definitely not a bad thing in our case of needing to keep tropical temperatures 24/7/365!  👍  

 

And if you go a half-step further and actually take advantage of that knowledge by running a smaller heater, then you practically eliminate the risk of over- or under-heating in the event of heater-failure.....which then also saves you the cost of a secondary heater controller.  Just sayin'.  👍

 

One the side:  Just don't spend a ton of money upgrading to ultra-low-power gear (from perfectly good gear) only to have to spend MORE money on a new ultra-high-power heater to compensate!  LOL.  No-that-never-happened-to-me-*cough*cough*. 😒)