Powerheads Causing Heat???

[Zoregon]

I finally have the 180 filled, canopy not on, no lights on yet and not running the sump yet.
Am only using two powerheads to circulate the water until my LR arrives tomorrow.
The problem is I cannot get the tank temp below 79.8 ..... There is no heat source other than the heater which is turned down to 69 right now and the two powerheads. I switched out the heater for a different one in case it was defective.
The tank is in our basement with air conditioning so it is not room temp causing it. Is this normal for powerheads to do or are they defective? They came with the tank.

 

[AlSimmons]

What kind of power heads are they? It's definitely possible that they're giving off more heat than they should. Just unplug them for 6-8 hours and see what happens.

 

[GimpyFin]

Do the power heads feel like they're generating heat if you touch them? I'd be surprised if a couple power heads were keeping your tank at 80 degrees, especially 180g worth. I understand you have AC, but what is your room temp set to where the tank is? Have you tried just unplugging the heater altogether?

 

[NAClFiSHy]

Are you sure the temp reading is accurate ?

 

[mcgyvr]

ambient (room) temp?
Power head wattage (or model/brand)?

Its just math but we need details..

and yes absolutely ensure your thermometer is calibrated/accurate

 

[Zoregon]

Room temp is 76. Have confirmed tank temp with two separate thermometers. Have unplugged the heater to see if the temp goes down. The powerheads are Tunze 1200 gph. They are pretty big but do not feel warm to the touch. Tank is not subjected to sunlight or any other heat sources.
It has me completely stumped....

 

[GimpyFin]

IMO, your room temp is a little high to keep your tank below what you are at, especially once you add more equipment to the tank. My tank heater is set to 77. During the warmer months, I keep my house at 72 with AC and the tank creeps just above 78. When it's colder and the house stays just below 70, the tank stays at a pretty solid 77.

 

[mcgyvr]

tunze model or wattage?

Have you confirmed room temp in the local area of the tank?

A simple test is to unplug the powerheads... The temp will stabilize and you are now able to know which temp is incorrect,etc... as there is NOTHING else heating the water.. just being maintained at the true local ambient..

 

[C.Eymann]

yeah 76 is high, I keep my house at 68 to keep from having to get a chiller.

is the tank up against an exterior wall? avg temps this time of year? if its an older tunze they can kick out some heat, 6101 uses 55 watts from memory. When I replaced mine with another vortech tank avg temp dropped 3 degrees. Do you use fans at all? lighting?

like other said thermometer brand? type?

 

[Zoregon]

Sorry - I lied. They are not Tunze. They are Hydor 115w. The temp by the tank is 76. It is against an outside wall in the basement.
I have unplugged both powerheads and the heater. The thermometer is "Little Time or Temp" digital. I also checked with a digital meat thermometer - not ideal lol but the only thing I had on hand and it also read the same.
In leaving it sit to check ambient temp. will it drop too low for my live sand? I just put it in today.

Edit: The tank has already dropped by 1 degree. Where do I go from here?

 

[oldpaddy]

I keep my 220g tank at 80f, but I have to use a heater. I also have an open top.

 

[davocean]

W that ambient temp it does not take much wattage to bump it, and yes those PH's are enough to do that.
Whenever you buy gear look at watts, watts equal heat.
FWIW I keep my tank at 78, and in Summer I turn on AC to help maintain that, and I'm fanatical about researching gear and keeping watts to a minimum.
If your tank drops to ambient temp of 76 or even a little lower will not affect the live sand or tank