Aqueon Heater not keeping the tank warm

[lmhicks101]

I have a 300 watt in my 40 breeder set to 78° The room temp is 65° but the tank won’t stay over 72°. I’ve unplugged and plugged back and still no change. This heater is a month old and worked at first. It gets hot and the fish are now staying near it. Should I bump it up to 82° or just pull the trigger and get a fluval?

There is a vent above this tank that’s not blowing directly on it but close. However 2 other tanks (29 with a fluval 150 and 10 gallon with Aqueon 150) have no issues with temps. 

[Zac]

On 6/26/2022 at 12:16 PM, lmhicks101 said:

I have a 300 watt in my 40 breeder set to 78° The room temp is 65° but the tank won’t stay over 72°. I’ve unplugged and plugged back and still no change. This heater is a month old and worked at first. It gets hot and the fish are now staying near it. Should I bump it up to 82° or just pull the trigger and get a fluval?

There is a vent above this tank that’s not blowing directly on it but close. However 2 other tanks (29 with a fluval 150 and 10 gallon with Aqueon 150) have no issues with temps. 

Maybe try unplugging it for 30 minutes or so if you haven’t tried that. Sometimes they just need to adjust to the water temp. You could turn the temp up slowly until it matches what you would like your tank to be 

[lmhicks101]

I just did a water change so left it off for a bit anyway and I turned it up to 82°. 

[DaveO]

If I couldn't keep a tank warm I would use a lid and two heaters. That 12° is a big ask for one heater in a cold room. There was a recent post similar to this where Cory identified the problem as a low water level in the tank. The long water fall from the hob caused evaporative cooling in the tank. 

[Fish Folk]

Several things to check:

(1) Is your 40-breeder low, near the ground, or high on a rack? Especially compared to other tanks?

(2) How sealed tight is the lid? Any way to add the plastic lip that goes with your glass top? Or to cut Lexxan lids to seal off more?

(3) Any way to still circulate air even if you close off that vent?

(4) 68°-F is a bit low. Any way to ease that temperature more towards 72-74°-F?

(5) Have you calibrated your 300-W heater before? The thermostat may just not be calibrated. You could just nudge the temp up until it meets your temperature goal.

(6) It is a fascinating study to me that water temps can vary by a surprisingly wide spread from _bottom_ of a tank to its _top_. Here is a photo of a 20 gal ling tank with mercury thermometer near top, and thermo stick near bottom. Allowing for measurement variations… it still struck me that the bottom  measured 70°-F, but the top read 80°-F.

(7) Having said that… try to check your thermometer. Of course, if you’re using a digital meter, never mind!

Edited June 26, 2022 by Fish Folk

[lmhicks101]

@Fish Folk

1. The 40 is on the middle rack of a commercial grade kitchen shelf. The 10 is below it near the floor and the 29 is on a stand at near equal hight next to it. 

2. I have a glass lid from petco with the plastic cut outs on it cut to allow a tidal 55 and a auto feeder but no other space. The lid fogs up. 
 

3-4. It’s in the living room in the only place they fit and the thermometer sensor for the house is in that room. That’s why I bought bigger heaters to compensate for lower temps.  

5. I haven’t calibrated it but I’m bumping up the temp on it and seeing how it goes.

6-7. that’s true  the thermometer Im using is the suction glass kind and it’s the same kind in all the tanks. The one on this is near the top verticals with the bottom red bit about 6 inches from the top of the tank.  
 

 

 

 

[Fish Folk]

Looks beautiful!

I know that not all heaters are built properly.

I think maybe two 100-watt heaters might tag-team better than 1x 300-w.

What I would personally do is toss the heater out, keep the tank unheated, and do US Natives. Rainbow Shiners, Darters, and Banded Sunfish… 😎

[lmhicks101]

@Fish Folk I’m tempted to do that but this is my 4 year old sons first tank that he picked everything himself minus the plants. He wanted a bunch of guppies and Cory’s so that’s what we have in the 40. I think it might be just not calibrated good so it might be set on 78° but thinks its 70°. Im going to raise it and see how it does this week and if not good then I’m getting a fluval. 

[ccc24]

I’d consider changing out the thermometer. I used those and they are a “get what you pay for” kind of deal (there’s a reason they are cheap). I thought all my tanks were the wrong temp. Changed out thermometers and what do you know, it was the thermometer  and not the heater(s) at all. Get a good digital read one and you may found out you are actually good. 

[Fish Folk]

On 6/26/2022 at 2:06 PM, ccc24 said:

I’d consider changing out the thermometer. I used those and they are a “get what you pay for” kind of deal (there’s a reason they are cheap). I thought all my tanks were the wrong temp. Changed out thermometers and what do you know, it was the thermometer  and not the heater(s) at all. Get a good digital read one and you may found out you are actually good. 

^agree^
 You should definitely be able to feel a 6-degree temperature difference by touch with your hand. 

[lmhicks101]

On 6/26/2022 at 1:28 PM, DaveO said:

If I couldn't keep a tank warm I would use a lid and two heaters. That 12° is a big ask for one heater in a cold room. There was a recent post similar to this where Cory identified the problem as a low water level in the tank. The long water fall from the hob caused evaporative cooling in the tank. 

I keep the water level to where the HOB water fall is actually just under water. Maybe an inch from the very top of the tank. It’s in the living room so trying to keep noise level down. 

[lmhicks101]

@Fish Folk @ccc24 the thermometer is about right. My 29 is around 78°-80° and when I was moving plants last night I could feel the difference for sure. 

[Ken Burke]

On 6/26/2022 at 1:00 PM, Fish Folk said:

Looks beautiful!

I know that not all heaters are built properly.

I think maybe two 100-watt heaters might tag-team better than 1x 300-w.

What I would personally do is toss the heater out, keep the tank unheated, and do US Natives. Rainbow Shiners, Darters, and Banded Sunfish… 😎

If you are using 2 heaters, I’d add in an ink bird controller. It’s really hard to get both heaters to switch on at the same time, so inevitably one would assume the heavier workload. No need to get a second 100 w heater if you use the ink bird either, just add a 100w.  Just make sure you get the right one. 
 

ink birds also provide a ‘fail safe’ in case the heaters get stuck in the on mode.  

 

On 6/26/2022 at 1:05 PM, lmhicks101 said:

@Fish Folk I’m tempted to do that but this is my 4 year old sons first tank that he picked everything himself minus the plants. He wanted a bunch of guppies and Cory’s so that’s what we have in the 40. I think it might be just not calibrated good so it might be set on 78° but thinks its 70°. Im going to raise it and see how it does this week and if not good then I’m getting a fluval. 

A four year old with a forty gallon.  So 4 gallons a year, guess you’re gonna need a bigger apartment at 10 years…..🤣

This in an older post on setting up an ink bird 

 

[lmhicks101]

On 6/26/2022 at 5:35 PM, Ken Burke said:

If you are using 2 heaters, I’d add in an ink bird controller. It’s really hard to get both heaters to switch on at the same time, so inevitably one would assume the heavier workload. No need to get a second 100 w heater if you use the ink bird either, just add a 100w.  Just make sure you get the right one. 
 

ink birds also provide a ‘fail safe’ in case the heaters get stuck in the on mode.  

 

A four year old with a forty gallon.  So 4 gallons a year, guess you’re gonna need a bigger apartment at 10 years…..🤣

This in an older post on setting up an ink bird 

 

Lol I got it originally to propagate more plants to sell and was going to get some random fish and he chose guppies and the rest. I’ll have to look into the ink bird. Thank you. 

[Brian]

Return it to the store.  My room is 68-70 and my aquarium co op heater  heat my 46 gallon bow front and my 40 gallon to 78-80 no problem.  

[lmhicks101]

On 6/26/2022 at 10:05 PM, Brian said:

Return it to the store.  My room is 68-70 and my aquarium co op heater  heat my 46 gallon bow front and my 40 gallon to 78-80 no problem.  

How many watts are you using? 

[Brian]

The Aquarium Co Op heater is only available in 100 watts.  

[Lots Of Loaches]

On 6/26/2022 at 9:05 PM, Brian said:

Return it to the store.  My room is 68-70 and my aquarium co op heater  heat my 46 gallon bow front and my 40 gallon to 78-80 no problem.  

I also run aquarium co-op heaters with ink bird controllers in my 40 long and 60 gallon. I keep my place at 73 and my tanks at 80 with no problems. 

[Torrey]

On 6/26/2022 at 12:05 PM, lmhicks101 said:

@Fish Folk I’m tempted to do that but this is my 4 year old sons first tank that he picked everything himself minus the plants. He wanted a bunch of guppies and Cory’s so that’s what we have in the 40. I think it might be just not calibrated good so it might be set on 78° but thinks its 70°. Im going to raise it and see how it does this week and if not good then I’m getting a fluval. 

I have guppies and Endlers at 64 F to 74F over the course of the year. No heaters (I got tired of what you are going through).

Our apartment stays ~68 F, but tanks temp goes up when lights come on, and at night the energy saving on the HVAC allows the temp to drop to 64 F during the winter at night. So, a temperature range.

Most cories seem to have fewer disease outbreaks, and maintain wieght a little better at the cooler temps, ime. Especially panda cories. Your mileage/experience may vary.

The important thing is no drastic, sudden swings.