temperature stabilization

[Sk8r]

Last reef I had was 7 years ago, and tech has changed radically. I'm starting up again, running a 52 gal corner with a very small, maybe 10 gallon sump. Temperature flux was 5 to 7 degrees either side of the mean, and no amount of futzing with the heater solved it. Fans sound like a good idea, now that I hear about them, but meanwhile I tried a solution from the swimming pool---floated a couple of five by ten inch strips of bubblepak (packing plastic) on the surface of the two exposed wells and the fluctuation stopped. Day and night it's within 1 degree of the mean. Am I headed for disaster by restricting air contact in two of the 3 sump wells? I can't use the provided lid on the heater end of the sump because of the skimmer. I am using the provided lid on the inflow. I'd rather do it this way (quieter) but don't want to cause a problem down the line.

 

[j0tca]

I don't think you are headed for disaster but you are restricting gas exchange with your water. I would try to avoid it, altought it might work for you.

I'm surprised by how much of a difference the bubble wrap makes. What is the fluctuation of the temperature in the room?

If your heater cannot helpe the temperature fluctuation, it's just not strong enougha heater or not working. I have given up on the temperature controllers that come standard in heaters and use and external temperature controller attached to fans and heaters.

Your skimmer is still providing gas exchange so I don't think you are immediatley headed for catastrophe, but I would worry. If the insulation makes that much of a diffrerence to the temp, it must be having a similarily large impact of the carbon dioxide/oxygen exchange with your water. How about Ph fluctuation? Since Ph is determined by carbon dioxide equilibrium between your tank and it's air, have you noticed your Ph raising as a result of the insulation?

Will

 

[guyguerra]

What was causing the temperature fluctuations? Was the room changing tempurature drastically? Most tanks will stay around the same temp, and you would have to add a chiller if it stays too high, or a heater if your room can get cold, but large swings like that shouldn't seem to happen in average conditions. My tank runs about 81 degrees and at the most could fluctuate 2 degrees one way or the other, and those are extremes. I keep a chiller on it to keep it down to 79 and keep fans in the hood to cool the halides, and I keep two heaters in the sump in case my living room cools off too much. My last tank, a 120 didn't have anything and it ran at 82 degrees all the time. I'd check the source of the temp swings.

 

[nemofish2217]

if you are looking for a better heater option i have one word to say...... titanium

i have a 200 watt titanium and my temp stays from 79.5 to 79.8 all day, all night..... i love them so much more than glass heaters.... just my .02

 

[j0tca]

Sk8R,

A small tank is more sucsceptable to temp swings. Even in my 125, before I got a temp controller I had swings of 5 degrees just from my lgiths turning on and off.

 

[Sk8r]

The light cycle is a big part of it, and the fact that the apartment temperature drops considerably at night. The info is very helpful---the quality of the heater has been a bit suspect: I've seen more stable ones; and the gas exchange problem is definitely worth a rethink. I'll work on this. The tank is only a month old, and started with real old live rock---all its wildlife is doing well and the water tests great, but as you all point out, little tank---sudden problems. My old 100 with a huge sump was far, far less skittish. Thank you ever so much for the help.