Fluctuating Temps

[AlexHaden]

Hi,

We have a 125L tank that came with a 100W heater - and its been getting the water temps to 22-24 deg's during the day - wake up in the morning at 22 - by the time sleepy time comes its 24. We heard that this stresses the fish of its fluctuating too much, so asked at the pet shop.

They flogged us a 200w heater telling us that thats the correct size for our tank.

I have now been up just over three hours putting cold water into a tank that's alarm is sounding because the water temp has reached 27 deg's
We have Molls, Plattys and Tetra's - who all wont be happy at being woken up to have their water disturbed!!!!!

The heater was set to 23 deg's to take into account room temp etc to try to keep it at around 24 and the heater was off when i went down - so i turned the switch to 24 and it went on - so the heater must have thought that the temp was lower than what it was - so im guessing that its a faulty heater??

My next question is a 2 deg's fluctuation going to hurt the fish - or was the shop just trying to get a sale?

I have gone to bed now - hoping that the fish will be ok till morning, as i have taken the other heater out and put the old one back in - as i suppose that a 2 deg fluctuation is better than cooking the little mites!!!

Thanks for any advice.

 

[fishkers]

fluctuating heat won't cause too much harm as long as its not a huge variation like 10 degrees. My tank temps rises about 4 degrees during the day just because my house gets warm. They will be fine and they will adjust. As for the heater it sounds like its not to great. Unfortunatly I think they were trying to get a sale from you. A little fluctuation will be fine...

Good Luck.

 

[*Fishkies*]

I don't think the two degree fluctuation is that bad. I would keep the old heater in and return the new heater you just bought. As stated above as long as it is not a huge difference you are fine. The degree difference is not bad. I know my tanks flucutuate sometimes and I have never seen it change the way they act or feel.

 

[Amunet]

27C is what... 80F? That's actually not that bad. That's what all of my tanks are at.
Sometimes the temp fluctuates depending on how hot the room is or from a water change, but fish have never been stressed by slight temp changes.. such as the temp going up to 84 for a short while.. or going down to 76.

 

[bithkits]

I second that - my tanks are also at about 27C

they fluctuate about 4 degrees in winter when the temps drop at night...

take the heater they flogged you back to the store and flog the guy With the heater haha

 

[AlexHaden]

Thanks folks....


Ill take back the heater today