I'm getting COMPLETELY fed up

[BettaMomma]

It's cold here again today, so the temp in our apartment is down to about 66 degrees again because I didn't turn up the heat when I left this morning for work. Therefore, Harvey's tank is now sitting right at 70 degrees. He has now chewed his tail off again, after I had JUST gotten it to start growing back after the tetracycline and a few days at 78 degrees. I'm SO sick of the fluctuations in weather and I'm quite CERTAIN (and yes I know so DON'T TELL ME) that the temps should not fluctuate that much that fast. He's been going thru it for the last 4 months of his life now, and I DO correlate that along with the fact that he's had health problems his entire life.

Does anyone else have these isssues with the damn temps fluctuating so much because of baseboard heating? My friend has an empty 10G tank for me - and I'm thinking about getting it and just saying "f" it all and dividing the damn thing and giving Harvey one side, Archie the other. It seems like it's completely IMPOSSIBLE to regulate the heat in those stupid little tanks unless you have a freakin furnace at your house.

In FACT, I'm very seriously considering going to PetSmart RIGHT NOW and just buying a whole 10G tank setup and setting the freakin thing up tonight for them.

I am BEYOND irritated and sick sick sick of this crap.

 

[keane]

Why not just go out and buy a heater??

steve

 

[Raechal]

Why not just go out and buy a heater??

steve

I think it because the tank Harvey is in now is too small for a heater.

 

[BettaMomma]

I have mini hydor heaters - the tanks are too small for anything else...
they just bump up the temp of the tank by 2 - 5 degrees (above room temp).

the tanks are 2.5 and 1.66 gallon.

uugh

 

[BettaMomma]

crap- i'm just gonna go out and get a 10G tank for them before they eat their entire tails off.

next question... I have an extra 25W heater here - will that be too small for a 10G?
I cant pending a wad on these guys right now

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

I think its supposed to be 5watts for every gal you have in your tank so i think that heater is too small(correct me anyone if im wrong).

 

[BettaMomma]

Just got back.
I know it's supposed to be 5 watts per gallon, but this is all I have for now.
I figure a steady temp of something like 74 degrees (for now, like I said) will be better than 68 at some points in the day, and 78 at other points in the same day.

Someone please verify if I will eventually HAVE to change out this heater - what will happen if I don't?

I picked up the works....
10 G tank w/hood - whisper adjustable filter - now I did something kinda weird - I got 2 tank dividers and they're awesome! They're not the clear ones - but they're white and they just have little holes in them, not the longer lines. They won't be able to see each other unless they swim up and put their little eyeballs to the hole and peek thru.

The reason I got 2 is because I thought that I could divide off 3 sections - 2 larger ones and one smaller. The smaller on in the middle, and that's the section where I'd put the filter and heater, and that way no one will have to bear the stress of being in w/the filter. Is that a dumb idea?

I also got gravel, a few real plants, some other silk plants and a new hidey cave for Archie - the blue one he now has will just NOT go with the natural decor I got.

IN the process - I did wellness checks and PetWorld and PetSmart. Everyone looked good! (surprisingly, too, since shipments just came in today!)

 

[catyrpelius]

I have a 2.5 gallon mini bow with a 25 watt heater in it, it is one of the short 6 inch ones, and it works great especially considering i dont use heat in my room. I had one of those 6 watt little POS in there and it didnt do much when it started to get cold.

I tend to go overkill with my heaters, 10 watts per gallon, but it all averages out a lower number of watts per gallon would just make the heater stay on longer.

a 25 watt heater in a 10 gallon tank, depending on room temp will most likely be on almost constantly

 

[BettaMomma]

Will that, then, just shorten the life of the heater?
Or will something worse happen to it?

 

[catyrpelius]

It shouldnt hurt the heater, all it is, is a theromometer, a resistor and a little light.

why didnt u just put the little 25 watt heater in ur 2.5 gallon?

 

[catyrpelius]

You must have alot more self restrant then i do, whenever i walk into petsmart i leave with atleast one full bag of crap. I horde things like they are gunna stop makeing them, like I have 5 12 packs of whisper medium filter bags. hahahah .

 

[BettaMomma]

I thought that was way too much heater for that teeny tank - and besides, it was just as tall as the tank and the bottom of the heater touched the bottom of the tank. It made me nervous.

He seems fine in the new 10G for now.

I left PetWorld tonight with a 10G tank, a hood, 13 lbs. of gravel, some beach pebbles, a silk plant, a thermometer, a whisper filter and 2 dividers.
I left PetSmart with 3 moneywort plants, a tall silk plant, a shorter spikey rubbery plant, a new rock arch and another thermometer for another tank.

I'd have bought much more but I was running low on time.
I don't use much restraint either, usually.
lol

 

[Eunen_de]

I have heard of people using heating pads under tanks but I think it was meant for the plants' benefit. You can also wrap the tank on the non viewing sides to slow down heat loss into the air. Styrofoam sheeting is good for the back, bubble wrap might work. You can hide them behind a background or posterboard. At night when the aquarium lights are off you can wrap or cover the whole thing

It's generally considered a no-no but you COULD put your tank near a sunny window and hang something so the sunlight doesn't hit the water but hits the back of the tank and cover it in black posterboard to attract the heat. When it gets warmer you will have to change to white or aluminum foil on back to reflect heat away. In summer you'll have to close the drapes in the day...which is smart anyway as it keeps your house cool and saves on your air conditioning. (Or you can just move the tank away from the window later if you like summer sunshine in the room)

This would ease the strain on your little heater for now and by autumn you can add a 2nd mini heater or upgrade to a 50w. This is from stuff I read intended for emergencies like power outages and heatwaves but I don't see why it can't be adapted for everyday use.

 

[cometcattle]

If you go to Petsmart to buy a new heater, be sure to print up their web page of the heater you want. Petsmart will match their own online price.

I plan on going to Petsmart later this afternoon to buy a new 10g. This is the heater I plan on buying:
http/www.petsmart.com/global/product_det...D=1113414525138

Here's a thread from about price matching:
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showto...477&hl=petsmart

Good luck.

 

[nashnut]

I have 9 mini bow 2 1/2 gallon tanks for the guys. Each one has it's own 25 watt heater which keeps the tanks right at the 80 degree mark where I put it. No problems. I've been using them about a year now. They do tend to take up some room but I don't think the guys complain.