Heater problem

[hampton]

I have a wisper 30-60 submersible heater in my 55 gallon aquarium. The heater is about a year old. I used it for about two months and I had other problems so I emptied the tank. I just started up the tank again about two weeks ago and I've been having problems with the heater. I can get the temp up to about 78 degrees but not any higher. My outside glass thermometer says 76 and my inside thermometer say 79degrees. I tried turning up the temp to help the fishless cycle process but right now I have the thermastat turned all the way up and it is still at 78-79 degrees after 48 hours. My room temperature is about 70 degrees. The heater comes on for about two seconds and turns off, then if I bump it it will come on for two seonds and turn off. Is this normal or am I really having problems with this heater?

 

[B75]

It seems to me that the heater is not powerful enough to heat that size tank. How many watts is the heater?

 

[hampton]

The heater is 200 watts. It actually came with tank.

 

[yvez9]

a 200 watt heater in a 55 gallon tank won't increase the temp much mroe than 10 degrees over your room temp.

try getting a second 200 watt heater to assist it

 

[Discomafia]

Yea, I use a single 200W in my 33G, and it works for me... Defn get another one for yourself.

 

[hampton]

ooohhh That explains alot. Does anybody make a higher wattage heater. That way I would only need one heater. I really don't need the water to be much warmer than that anyway. Well let me know what you think.

 

[B75]

Most companies make 300w heaters, even 400 watt heaters.

 

[Lateral Line]

My first thought was the heater was not up to the temperature differential, but then I wondered if that were the case, why is the thing not on all the time trying? I assume when the light is out, it is inactive.

78-79F is more then enough, too warm in fact, for a lot of tanks under normal conditions, I assume you are aware of that.

 

[hampton]

yeah I'm aware that that is to warm but I'm trying to get my tank to cycle a little faster. I plan on bringing the temp back down when the cycling is done but I just thought the heater could do a little better than that. I was reading up on the heater and why the light doesn't stay on is so the water temp gradually raises. At least according to the information anyway. So I guess it's working properly. Thanks for all the replies and information.



Mike