Temp Swings... How much is OK?

We only have two seasons here: summer and not summer.


Where i live, outside temps will be 80 one day and 60 that night, 40 the next day or two and then back up to 74. Our weather is crazy. It does this all "winter".


I've got a 150W heater. It keeps the tank between 76 and 82. (In summer months, it keeps a steady 80).

The problem is the ambient temp in the house swings wildly, because I might not turn the heater on because it's hot out, but then while I'm gone it could drop suddenly... or the reverse of that.


It's not like the tank swings 76 - 82 - 76 all within one 12 hour window, but from day to day or morning to night to morning. Usually it's a 2 day cycle where it will hold temp for a day or two then the weather will change...

Problem or OK? I haven't noticed anything odd about the fishies...

 

Same here. I have my chiller set to 77. So that means it will kick on when it hits 78 and turn off after it drops to 76. It gives a 2 degree swing, well that's what happens in the summer anyway. My chiller hasn't turned on since mid last month as the water has been sitting at 75-76. I have a 300W Eheim heater coming to get it to 77 during the winter months. I want to get a controller to control the temp, I don't want to rely on a $40 that may burn up my tank. If it gets cold, I would put a good heater in the water. and remove it during the summer.

 

consistency is the key in this hobby, our aquariums cant hold a candle to the oceans that fluctuate a wide temp range. a 6 degree change is a little much in an aquarium setting. do you have a chiller to handle the top end of the swing?

i dont run a heater, just a chiller set for a 2 degree difference, and keep the house at 77 year round.

 

i dont think he really needs a chiller, considering he stated that during the summer it stays at about 80, what i would do is get one of those temp controller things, so that when the temp drops it will shoot a signal to the heater and turn it on, and when the temp reaches ideal, it will then turn off the heater. i forgot what there called.

 

Most heaters should have that built in.

I would maybe raise the heater temp a little. 80 is not so bad, but maybe raise the heater a little so that it doesnt drop as low. That way it will stay more consistant.
And try having a 92 degree high with a low of 20 in the same day

 

I think that a 2-3 degree swing should be fine, in a 12 hr period. My temp starts at 78.5(morning) and slowly raises to 80 by 9:30pm(mh turn off at 10pm) My controller controls the 300w heater to stay between 78-79. Once the temp hits the 80 mark, the controller turns on a fan that sits between the top of the tank and the light fixture. So in a nut shell, my temp stays between 78-80, 80 being a very short while. Luna

 

Amen to that. That is the hardest part about living in the desert.

 

if there is a heater to control the bottom end, then why not a chiller to control the top?

 

Just set your heater so it doesnt go below a certain point, if you have the money for a chiller get that too, temperature can throuw your tank haywire very quickly though, (ask omard)